DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

126
Seversi shut down.
1887...... 112 85,343 23 do
1588...... '19 78,715 18 do
The traps of some of these years are from wardens' estimate, but 1832, 1885,
1887 and 1888, are from actual count. These figures show that seventy-nine factories
this year set within 6,628 traps of 112 factories in last year. They also show
that, while the number of traps has varied in different years with the prospects of
the market, and the number of factories in operation, the catch per trap has steadily
diminished from 45 to 18k cans per trap. I gather from the statistics of traps and
product given in Mr. Yenning's report for 1887, that the catch in New Brunswick
last year was twenty-two cans per trap.
Size was much the same this year as last, or 6 to fully 7 lobsters to fill a onepound
can. The number in berry was comparatively few, for the reason ([ regret
to say) that a considerable proportion of those taken are not adult and too young to
continue their species. There is no export of live lobsters from Prince Edward Island.
The following shows the decadence in size:
In 1879 3 to 3 lobsters filled a 1-lb. can
1880 3 4 do do
1881 4 4 do do
1882 4 5 do do
1883 ......' 4 5k do do
1884 5 5 do do
1885 5 6 do do
1886 6 6k do do
1887 6k '1 do do
1888.... 7 fully.
From the above it will be seen that since 1882, after the great fishing of 1881w
the fishery has been dying rapidly, with only feeble spasmodic attempts at recovery.
Also, it cannot fail to be observed that the deficiency this year is disproportionately
small as compared with previous years. With so short a season the deficit ought to
have been larger, indicating either that the lobsters were unsuually plenty (and
there is no warrant for such belief) or that the number of traps set was in excess of
the figures given to the public.
From the present small size, twice as many lobsters are destroyed as were a
few years ago in producing the same number of cans. Then it would have taken
about 6,000,000 of lobsters to produce this year's quantity, whereas it has taken
quite 10,000,000. It is evident that, with so small a margin in the number of cans
and so large an increase in destruction, it must be a long time, if ever, before the
fishery recuperates itself to its former eondition,—.or, rather, never. It may there.
fore become a question whether each factory should be licensed to operate only a
certain number of traps, and it would be for the packers themselves to decide
whether it would pay them to operate with the traps assigned.
in the assignment of traps it would not be overlooked that the bodies of lobsters
do not migrate far from their respective deep water haunts, but come in annually
to pretty nearly the same place on the shore. Hence it is quite possible
that one part of the coast may be completely fished out while another remains comrn
paratively productive. As an instance, Miminigash, Prince County, formerly fairly
fished with 1,700 traps, is now harried by 5,000, with the result that the place is
ruined as a lobster locality, and would take at least three years' rest to partly recover.
There are minor points connected with the industry that need not be here
discussed. Among these is defining the depth of water, not less than four fathoms,
in which lobsters may be fished.
Further study of the matter does not modify the opinions expressed in previous
reports, namely: that it takes fully three years from the ova before lobsters begin