The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-08
GREAT SHOALS OF
MACKEREL GONE
EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO FIND
OUT WHAT HAS BECOME OF
THE POPULAR
FISH,.


knowledge and experience OF the
worlds greatest fishery experts, repre-.
senting Great Britain. Germany. Rus
STA, the Netherlands. France, Belgium
Denmark, Norway. Sweden. and FIN
land, all of northwestern Europe. and
all having important fisheries. have
been. enlisted by the bureau OF fisheries
department OF commerce and labor, in
the effort OF the United States fishery
authorities TO learn how and where
the American fishermen should seek for
the mackerel shoals which have been
lost to sight for years.
| The mackerel was one OF the great
staple fish foods of the country as far
back as colonial days, and the fishery
was very actively prosecuted in New
England and. to some extent. in the
middle Atlantic states. In 1886, after
several years of Unprecedented abund
ance, the mackerel dropped off sudden
ly and has never resumed its former
righteousness The fishery OF last year
was the poorest I'm the history of the
country. AS against a catch OF about
100000 barrels of sailed fish In 1885,
the catch OF 1910 was only 200 bar
rels.
There are today invested in the
mackerel fishery nearly s2.000.0OO. but
The fishery is being prosecuted more
In the way of lottery than anything
else notwithstanding the long con :
tinued disappearance OF the mackerei,
vessels are fitted out every spring I'm
the expectation that the missing fish
viii come back in as great numbers as
In 1885. Sixteen hundred men have
been year after year holding on TO this
fishery with the hope that something
will turn up. II the mackerel We're to
come back their vessels would make
tremendous profits. Sailed mackerel
are worth $40 barrel today, whereas
in 1850 they sold for 81 to 81 barrel.
The diminution In the catch came so
suddenly that It is dfiicult To ascrlbe
II To active fishing operations. The
bureau OF fisheries experts have been
Inclined TO believe that there are some
physical factors operating on the eggs
and the young which prevent the deyei-
opment of the young fish. but they do
nos know positively. 1t is hoped that
the international investigation by the
foreign fishery experts will determine
whether the mackerel has recently un-
dergone a decrease in abundance or
has sought other grounds and Is likely
10 return ,t- .,.',-.
IL Is suggested By some OF the scien-
lists that the schools of maclSerel that
formerly frequented the American
shores have been diverted and are now
inhabiting the waters OF western Flu
rope. where the same fish also abouhds.
In support of this theory II is pointed
out that the fishery exhibits some OF
the features In European waters that
IL has In the United States. Another
expert view Is based upon the recent
discoveries with regard to the trawl-
caught mackerel In European waters.
II is, In short. that the lost American |
mackerel will be found in the deeper |
parts of the American waters and the |
obvious fishery apparatus should be |
the trawl, with which the 'mackerei has |
been caught in large quantities abroad. |
, The condition of the American !
inackerel fishery and the problems II |
presents have beer placed by the ibu-
teau of fisheries before the permanent
courcH for the explora-
Ion of the sea, which has its head
quarters at Copenhagen and which is
composed of official delegates with /
'nll powers from the ten foreign eoun.
.ries mentioned previously. AS a
the council is going to
nike up the study of the maekerel fish,
nv of the North. Atlantic ocean, and /
IS foremost scientists will endeavor
o trace the present whereabouts az the
nackerel that haven't returned to
american shores since 1896
1