DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

25
"I feel that we would be justified in claiming the greater part of this increase
as the result of fish breeding, which was the only special and determined effort made
between the year 18 6 and 1881 to increase or maintain the fisheries of the county.
As far as I am aware, no mill dams were torn down; no obstructions of any consequence
removed; the throwing of sawdust into the rivers was not prevented, and
I think I am correct in saying no fish-ladders were built; in fact, during that period
the conditions existed, which, if the opinion of almost every writer on salmon
fisheries can be considered authority, were most unfavourable to the natural reproduction
of salmon, and which had caused the gradual decline in that fishery in the
past.
"While on this subject I will take the liberty of drawing your attention to the
returns from another portion of this province, viz., that from the counties bordering
on the Straits of Canso and Northumberland. It very probably is the fact that all
the salmon frequenting that coast enter through the Straits of Canso, and in their
passage along the shore in search of their native streams are liable to capture by
the nets met with. The several rivers discharging their waters into these straits are
certainly tributary to the salmon fishery of this coast, and any effort made on any
one or more of these rivers would in its results be observable on this particular
fishery. These rivers, unaided by any special effort and without receiving any assistance
from artificial culture, appear to have been unable to sustain the drain upon
them, and the statistics show that from these sources the fishery was not being maintained,
but that, in sympathy with the whole coast a gradual decline was taking
place. This decline had been continuous, with some slight fluctuations from 1870 to
1881 when it had reached its lowest stage, and had no assistance been rendered we
have every reason to believe a still further decline would have taken place. Just at
this stage the first effects of a well directed effort to assist and maintain this fishery
were in the course of nature due, i.e., the first return from the young fry planted in
east, west and middle rivers of Pictou County, and in River Philip, and Wallace
River in Cumberland County, in the spring of 1876, and the next official return that
of 1882, shows a marked increase in the aggragate catch of the four counties, being
about 50,000 lbs. greater than that of 181, and amounting to an increase in 1887
over 1882, of over 79,000 lbs. or 53 per cent, in five years. The money value of this
increase, allowing the market price to be 20 cents per pound (and I have Inspector
Roger's authority for this price), would be $15,800. The number of young salmon
artificially bred and placed in the above-named rivers during the period from 1876
to 1881, was in the agregate about 1,500,000. This was effected at a cost of about
$2,500; consequently we have an expenditure by your Department of the above amount
on a project introduced for the special purpose of increasing our salmon fisheries and
from which there has been received from the above counties a return of $15,800, or
over $6 for each $1 expended; by allowing the reduction of 50 per cent. as I
did in the calculations for Halifax County, we have still $3 for the $1 invested,
return more satisfactory than that from the last named county.
"In attempting to trace this increase back to some cause or origin, we find that
very few, if any of the conditions unfavourableto.the natural reproduction of salmon,
and which the continuous decline in the catch clearly indicates to have existed on
these rivers previous to 1881, had been ameliorated.
"Poaching in these rivers was practiced largely, notwithstanding the efforts of
the fishery overseers and wardens to put a stop to it. In River Philip it was wholesale
slaughter of all fish not secured for artificial breeding purposes, and no attempt
was made to prevent the depositing of sawdust and mill rubbish in the streams. In
addition to all these injurious agencies an unusual drain upon the resources of River
Philip and West River was made for the purposes of this hatchery which amounted
to an average of 1,000,000 ova per year. To this extent there was the ntural pro.
duction, upon which the salmon fishery of the straits depended curtailed.
"Notwithstanding all these detrimental influences the catch on this coast has
increased 5 per cent. in five years. I have endeavored to show a cause for this and
think fish culture is justly entitled to the credit of the effects. It must be noted that