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than other herring in this country. It follows, that owing to its being set down at<br />
the average price, the true market value of the catch is not, by a considerable<br />
amount, represented in the tables hereto appended.<br />
CANNED HERRING.<br />
I referred to this in my report for 1887, as being then, for the first time, tried<br />
as an experiment, which if it proved acceptable in the market, would, in the near<br />
future, become an important industry in adding to the value of our Island fisheries.<br />
1 am pleased to be able to report that the experiment proved a success and that the<br />
pioneers of the industry received a cordial reception for the product at remunerative<br />
prices. Encouraged by the successful issue of the last, they have this year, enlarged<br />
their canning business and regard it as being now established on a permanent basis,<br />
CODFISH.<br />
In spite of a very perceptible shortage in the aggregtte value, next to herring<br />
this fish has been a leading staple of Cape Breton fibheries. The catch in some<br />
localities came to a full average, while in others it was almost a failure. Frequent<br />
storms and a prevalence of thick weather contributed to spoil the catch. In severe<br />
storms the fish retreats to the deep waters, which are less affected, and in some<br />
localities the cod paid but a brief visit owing to the absence of squid and small fish<br />
on which it preys,and this absence of bait fish, particularly sjuid, left the fishermen<br />
powerless to take advantage of the run of cod while it lasted.<br />
This want of bait is a yearly recurring circumstance in some localities, and<br />
causes annual losses of fishery. It is to be regretted that our fishermen, as a rule,.<br />
do not avail themselves of that invaluable adjunct to their business—an ice house—<br />
which, in this country, can be inc pensively constructed and easily filled at a season<br />
when they are otherwise idle. With a small, but well filled ice house, every fisher...<br />
man could lay up bait which almost invariably appears during some point of the<br />
season, and always in advance of the larger fish. Every fisherman could thus provide<br />
against frequent losses resulting for want of bait. Some means that would be<br />
instrumental in directing their efforts to this end, would prove of incalculable value.<br />
An important point in reference to the bait supply, to which I beg to invite<br />
your attention, is the duty heretofore levied on imported clams. Fishing vessels which<br />
go out to the near banks to fish, can obtain this imported bait, out of bond and duty<br />
free, whether the parties be aliens or residents, whilst boat fishermen who necessarily<br />
prosecute their calling in the bays and within short distances of headlands, have to<br />
pay a customs duty of $2 per barrel. Boat fishermen regard this as discrimination<br />
against them. This is a point of interest to our resident shore fishermen, which it<br />
would be most desirable to rectify.<br />
MACKEREL.<br />
The season's catch may be expressed in one word—failure.—and this correctly•<br />
applies to the whole Island coast. Natural causes no doubt contributed somewhat<br />
to this unfortunate condition, but the overwhelming cause is found in the combined<br />
efforts of fishermen from the United States and Nova Scotia proper, towards the ex<br />
tinction of mackerel on the Cape Breton coast by purse seining. These fishermen<br />
no longer depend on hand line fishing, but rely upon the injurious method of purse<br />
seining, the former operating as closely as possible near the line of the three.mile<br />
limit, and the latter taking advantage of their privilege, operate inside wherever a<br />
school of mackerel which has escaped its countless enemies outside, may appear.<br />
Whenever a seine is thrown amongst a school of mackerel, the few that escape<br />
hasten to find security in deep waters on other shores. The school being once<br />
broken and scared, boat fishermen with their hand lines and straight n,ets have no<br />
further chance. So numerous have the United States vessels hovering upon the<br />
coast outside, become, and the Provincial vessels within the headlands, that the re-V<br />
sident shore fishermen, depending on the common net and hand line, have but very