The Joseph Garland New England Fisheries Papers are the notes collected by Garland in preparation for writing a book on the New England fisheries. Russell Knight had contracted with Garland to write the book. When it was decided not to write the book, Knight's estate turned over the papers to the Peabody Essex Museum.

Many of the papers are undated photocopies of articles. The reverses of these pages contain excerpts of articles on pleasure yachting and yacht racing.

The papers cover the early history of the region from the first known explorers to the first settlers and up to modern times (1995). Also covered are types of fish and methods of fishing. Politics, pollution, and overfishing comprise the latter part of the papers.