The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-10
AMERIcAs MISSING MAcKgREL
European Fish Experts Will Aid in
the Search

| European FiSh Experts VIII Ala IN
the Search
The combined knowledge and exper
fence of the worlds greatest fishery
experts, representing Great Britain,
| Germany, Russia, the Netherlands,
France, Belgium, Denmark. Norway,
Sweden and Finland, all of the north
western Europe, and all having i'm
portant fisheries, have been enlisted
by the bureau of fisheries, depart
ment of commerce and labor, in the
effort of the United States fishery
authorities to learn how and where
the American fisherman 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 fish
cry was very actively prosecuted in
New England and, 10 some extent, in
the middle Atlantic states. In 1886,
after several years of unprecedented
| abundance, the mackerel dropped off
suddenly and has never resumed its
former righteousness. The fishery of
last year was the poorest in the his
tory of the country. AS against a
catch of about 10000 barrels of salt
ed fish in 1885, the catch of 1910 was
only 2700 barrels.
There is today invested in the
mackerel fishery nearly 100000
but the fishery is being prosecuted
more in the way of lottery than any
thing else. Notwithstanding the long
continued disappearance of the mack
erel, vessels are fitted out every
spring in the expectation that the
missing fish will come back in great
numbers as in 1885. Sixteen hun
dred men have been, year after year,
holding on to this fishery with the
hope that something will turn up. If
the mackerel were to come back their
vessels would make tremendous pro
fits. Sailed mackerel are worth $40
a barrel today whereas in 1850 they
sold for 81 and So barrel.
The diminution in the catch came
so suddenly that it is difficult to as
cribe it 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 pre-
vent the development of the young
fish, but they do not know positively
1t is hoped that the international in
vestigation by the foreign fishery ex-
perts will determine whether the
mackerel has recently undergone a
decrease in abundance or has sought
other grounds and is likely to return.
1t is suggested by some of the sci
entists that the schools OF mackerel
that formerly frequented the Ameri-
can shores have been diverted and
are inhabiting the waters Of western
Europe, where the same fish also
abounds. In support of this theory
it is pointed out that the fishery ex-
hibts some of the features in Eur
opean waters that 1t has In the Uni
ted States. Another expert view is
based upon the recent discoveries
with regard to the trawlcaught mack.
erel in European waters. 1t is, in
short that the lost American macker-
ell will be found in the deeper parts
of the American waters and the obyi-
Jus nontlg dHHdl oAAbhtA W NAN
trawl with which the mackerel has
been caught in large quantities
abroad
The condition OF the American
mackerel fishery and the problems 1t
presents have been placed by the
bureau Of fisheries before the perma-
nent international council, for the ex-
ploration of the sea, which has its
headquarters at Copenhagen and
which scomposed Of official delegates
with full powers from the 10 foreign
countries mentioned previously. AS
consequence the council is going
to take up the study of the mackerel
fishery of the North Atlantic ocean,
and its foremost scientists will en-
deavor to trace the present where
abouts of the mackerel that haven't
returned to American shores since
1886