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145<br />
NEW RICHMOND SUB-DIVISION.<br />
Mr. Guilen reports for this season a decrease in the salmon catch of 47,626<br />
pounds. He believes that the nets were put out too late, and that the fishermen lost<br />
the first run. Salmon were plentiful in the rivers Cascapedia and Bonavesture.<br />
The cod fishery decreased by 410 cwt.; this is due to the fact that as the people do.<br />
vote more attention to agriculture there are fewer fishermen, and most of those who<br />
asually hire out as fishermen now find steady work along the line of the Baie des<br />
Ohaleurs railway.<br />
There was only one lobster canning factory in operation this season; they put<br />
ip about the same quantity as last year.<br />
Mackerel fishing was again a failure, only 12 barrels having been taken. Spring<br />
herring were very abundant, and any quantity might have been taken, but as there<br />
is no market for this fish, they are only taken for manure. A. large quantity of fiat<br />
fish was taken in Nouvelle, Carleton and Maria Bays, this fish makes much, better<br />
manure than herring. Bait was scarce, owing to the prevalence of high winds,<br />
which always keeps it off shore. Cod fishermen at Bonaventure and Paspebiac did<br />
'well in November, and at this present date (4th December), they are still doing well.<br />
Salmon fishermen respected the Sunday clause, though they grumble greatly about<br />
it.<br />
PORT DANIEL SUB DIVISION.<br />
Mr. Phelan reports more than an averge catch of salmon; the fishing began on<br />
the 25th of May and many nets were up by the 20th of June; the demand for fresh<br />
salmon was greater than last year and the price continues to rise. Cod fishing began<br />
on the 15th June, the catch shows a slight increase over that of last year, the summer<br />
fishing was small, but in the fall fish were abundant. Cod do not come into the bay<br />
as early as formerly, in fact the summer fishing appears to be on the decline, At<br />
the end of November the fishery was still being actively prosecuted and fish were<br />
abundant.<br />
Lobster fishing commenced on the 15th May, and closed on the 14th Ju1y The<br />
number of pounds canned was about the same as last year, the lobsters were larger<br />
and fully as plenty; packers paid 50 cents per 100 pounds. There were not as many<br />
fishermen as in former years. The fOllowing table shows the gross weight of lobsters<br />
taken, and the number of pounds canned during the past two years. Almost the<br />
aame amount of meat was obtained this season from a much smaller gross weight of<br />
lobsters<br />
Gross weight of Lobsters taken.<br />
lbs.<br />
No. of lbs. Canned.<br />
1887 145,583 26,811<br />
1888 133,234 26,225<br />
Packers and fishermen are satisfied with the change in the close season.<br />
Spring herring struck on the 15th May, and were taken with nets and seines for<br />
some weeks in great quantities, principally for manure. They were never seen so<br />
plentiful before. The quantity of herring spawn taken for manure is incalculable,—.<br />
many thousands of barrels. It is Mr. Phalen's opinion, that the use of this spawn for<br />
manure should be prohibited. Some pretend to say, that when the spawn is cast<br />
ashore it dies, and, no doubt, it does lose its vitality when high and dry for any great<br />
length of time, but much of it is ashore to day and afloat to-morrow and, it is not<br />
all lost, even if only a small proportion come to maturity, it would be worth the<br />
trouble of protection; the remainder would serve as food for other fish.<br />
The summer and fall herring fishery was a failure; so complete was the failure<br />
of the fall herring, that people had to import salted herring from Quebec for<br />
their winter use. Mackerel did not show at all. No United States fishermen came<br />
8—10
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