DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

99
which required both vigilance and determination to suppress. The greatest
encouragement to this illegal work is furnished by the facility with which the pro..
ceeds of illegal fishing can be sent to market by railways.
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Overseer Stymiest, of Tabusintac district, reports a decrease in the catch of
salmon and smelts. But one lobster factory was in operation, and the catch was
very small. Bass grow scarcer every year, the few nets set this season did not catch
enough fish to pay for the labor of attending them. The number caught by the
Indians with hook and line grows smaller every year.
Overseer Robichaud, of Neguac and Portage Island district, reports a fair catch of
salmon, which he says would have been better, but for the serious damage done to
nets by heavy gales during the fishing season. Herring were plentiful in the bay,
but the catch made was only for home consumption. Boisterous and wet weather
interfered with cod fishing, and the catch was less than last year. Lobster fishing
commenced fairly, and the fish seemed plentiful, but after three or four weeks' fishing,
they became so scarce that the factories closed. Mackerel fishing was a total
failure; not a single s hool entered the estuaFy. Bass fishing has ceased to be a
profitable industry in this part of the river. Smelts were not so plentiful as last year,
and as fewer nets were fished the catch was not so large.
Overseer Noble, of Escuminac district, reports a fair catch of salmon, for which
higher prices than ever before were paid. M:LcLerel fishing here, as elsewhere, was
a total failure; not a school entered the inner bay. Bass fishing is now pursued
only by Indians with hook and line, and their catch grows smaller every year.
While the catch of smelts was smaller than last year, prices were higher, and fisher..
men got better returns. Excessive oyster raking continues during the whole open
aeason, summer and winter, which will in a few years exhaust the beds.
Overseer Williston, of Bay du Viii, reports a small increase in the salmon catch
of his district, but a total failure in bass fishing, which now no longer offers any
inducement to prosecute it. Gaspereaux were plentiful in the river, and the
improved demand, consequent on the poor catch in St. John, led to more vigorous
fishing than usual. He says: "I have a great increase to report in the catch of
oysters. They are now fished steadily from the commencement of the open season
in September until the close season begins in June. At this excessive rate of fishing
and by so great a number of boats, it is quite impassible that the beds will hold out
many years longer." Smelts show a smaller catch than last year, but a better
demand for frost.fish has resulted in a much larger catch of this fish which was formerly
used only for manure. The growing demand for eels and flounders is turning
more attention to the capture of these species, which hitherto have not been caught
for export in this district.
Overseer Wyse, of Ohatham and Lower Newcastle district, reports as follows :—
"Our salmon fiehery w not so productive in this district as usual, but the steady
demand at good prices throughout the whole season made up for the smaller catch.
Bass were so scarce that fishing for them has almost ceased below Ohatham Formerly
large numbers were caught in this district, but now few are seen. The con.
tinued destruction of young bass in smelt nets above Middle Island, and excessive
winter fishing in the North.West have almost exhausted the stock in our river.
While the destruction of young bass in bag-nets continues no possible hope of any
improvement in this fishery can be entertained. On the contrary nothing can be
more certain than that it will grow worse with every succeeding year. Gaspereaux
are again becoming plentiful because of late years few have been taken, and the fish
have had a chance to increase. A good catch has been made. When smelt fishing
nommenced last fall the weather was favorable and the catch was enough for all the
requirements of trade. The falling off in the catch in January was the life of the
business, for, had the supply continued overstocked markets would have kept prices
so low that profitable returns would have been impossible. The export of frost-fish
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