DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

55
(Jeneral Remarks.
The catch of salmon in the tide way and bay has not been quite equal to that of
1887. Some of the favorite localities on the bay shore gave good catches. Many
others where they were late in setting nets did nothing. The netters from Gaspé to
Maria had a good catch, showing that the first run of salmon were more numerous
on the north shore of the bay. The angler's catch far exceeded that of last year and
compares most favorably with former years, in fact many say it has been the best
angling season that has ever been known on the Ristigouche Statistics show up.
wards of two thousand salmon taken with the fly. Very good fishing was had on
the Upsaiquitch River, where it has been poor for a number of years. The officers
and guardians and scow men say they never saw so many spawning fish as there
were on the beds in the river this fall.
The question may be asked, how can these large numbers of spawning salmon
be accounted for. I answer in various ways :—(1) There was a large run of fish
passed up the river before the nets were, or could be set oat in the early spring. (2)
There was a heavy freshet just at the usually best fishing season, which swept away
many nets and fishing plant. (3) The shortening of the fishing season, owing to
these late heavy freshets; and also the hot weather in June, which causes the
growth of that destructive and so much dreaded green slimy matter in the water,
which so soon as it begins to collect on the nets, the fishermen as a rule stop fishing,
as the salmon will not enter the nets when the meshes show this filthy appearance.
(4) And probably the stricter observance of the weekly close time of Saturday till
Monday, some fifty miles lower down in the Bay des Ohaleurs, which would allow
many more salmon to escape the nets and pass u the river than formerly.
In concluding this report I desire to say that the uniform good catches of salmon,
which have been experienced during the past five years in the Ristigouche River
and Bay, has at last convinced the large majority of the fishermen to advocate the
utility of the work which has becen carried on, of supplementing the product from
the natural laid ova, with the millions of artificially bred fry annually planted in the
river from the Ristigouche hatchery, and it is now conceded by the great majority
of both anglers and net fishermen that this artificial assistance has been the main
factor in placing the salmon fisheries of the Ristigouche River, and its estuary,
among the foremost on this continent.
ALEXANDER MOWAT,
Officer in charge Ristigouche Hatchery.
8.—GASPT HATCHERY.
PROVINCE OF QUEBEC.
Report of the Officer in Charge of the Fish hatchery at Gaspe for the Season 188.
I beg to report biiefly operations at the Gaspé Hatchery as follows : —
The repairs made to the reservoir or retaining pen for salmon last year made it
tight and safe for keeping the fish in. The ova did well during the winter, and at
hatching out time, on tne 19th May, the temperature of the wa'er was 38° when I
noticed a few fry coming out. On the 5th June the fry were all out and the trays
were removed on the 18th June. I commenced putting the young fish into the river
and finished the work of distribution on the 14th July.
The following will show the number of fry placed in each river
Dartmouth River, above the falls 130,000
do below do 380,000
St. John River 170,000
York River . . 120,000
Total . . .... 800,000