DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

24
James Lawlor, a net fisherman, states: "I have taken more salmon this year
than for any season during the past five years. I believe that the hatchery is a great
help towards keeping up the supply."
BENEFITS FROM BEDFORD HLTCRERY, N.S.
Value of the Salmon Fisheries of Hova Scotia enhanced by fish culture.—(From Mr. A.
B. Wilmot's Report.)
"Two large rivers, the Indian and Ingraham, enter St. Margaret's Bay, into
each of which a quota of young salmon has been planted from this hatchery since
1876. Now, by one who had not given the conditions as stated above proper consideration,
and comparing the catch in this bay and its rivers with that of the seasons
before any stocking was done, an inference unfavorable to the effects of the artificial
culture would be drawn. That such a conclusion would be erroneous is shown by
the statistics given by the overseers of the district and found in the returns furnished
the Department of Fisheries by the Inspector of Fisheries for Nova Scotia. By referring
to the report of 1881 it will be found that from the four stations included within
this bay a return of 6,150 lbs. is given as the catch of salmon for that season. From
these same stations the return for 1887 shows a catch of 21,425 pounds, an increase
of 15,275 pounds, or over 250 per cent. larger than that of l88l The intervening years
show considerable fluctuations in the catches, due, no doubt, to adverse winds and unfavorable
circumstances, yet the increase has been continuous. The catch of 1882 in this
bay is given as 1,000 lbs., being an increase of nearly 12,000 lbs. over that of 1881,
and appears to furnish a most striking evidence of the good results from artificial stocking.
i882 was the first year when any increase from this work could be expected
from the first hatching of 176 and 1877, as up to this date these fish would not be
caught in nets of six inch mesh, as are used on our coast, and the returns show a
most prompt and generous response to the efforts put forth by your Department in
the work of fish breeding.
"By referring to the returns for the county of Halifax obtained from the same
sources as the above, a marked increase is shown in the catch of 1887 over that of
1881, being for 1887 79,835 lbs. as against 28,376 lbs. in 1881, an increase of 51,459,
or, in other words, 5,150 salmon of about 10 pounds weight each, which is about the
average weight of the salmon caught on the southern coast of this Province. This
increase would represent in value for this county $10,000. It may be of interest to
your Department to learn at about what cost this result has been obtained, and I
may be excused for endeavoring to show how far this speculation, if it may be so
termed, is paying.
"In order to do this work justice it must be remembered that against the increase
in value, as shown above, only the expenditure at this hatchery from the
years 1876 to 1881, inclusive, should be charged. In 1876 the first hatching was
distributed. These fish would become marketable in six years, in 1882. Those
batched in 1877, in 1883, and so on, so that the return from the hatching of 1881
was due last year, and this is the best official statement we have regarding the condition
of our salmon fisheries. By referring to the expenditure for the years 18-76
to 1881 it will be seen that about $2,500 per year is the average annual cost of this
work, with an output averaging 1,500,000 fry per year. During these years there
were planted in the rivers of this county about 200,000 fry for each year, or a total
in the six years of 1,200,000 which, as per above calculation, cost $2,000. There has
then been an outlay of $2,000 for which we have received a return of $10,000, or $5
for each $1 expended.
"In this calculation, I am assuming that the whole of this increase is due to
artificial culture. This assumption may be open to objection, and for my purpose I
am willing to claim but one-half of this increase; still we have a return of $2 50 for
each $1 invested; this would be equal to about 20 per cent. compound interest for the
six years and should satisfy the most avaricious speculator.