DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

48
than other herring in this country. It follows, that owing to its being set down at
the average price, the true market value of the catch is not, by a considerable
amount, represented in the tables hereto appended.
CANNED HERRING.
I referred to this in my report for 1887, as being then, for the first time, tried
as an experiment, which if it proved acceptable in the market, would, in the near
future, become an important industry in adding to the value of our Island fisheries.
1 am pleased to be able to report that the experiment proved a success and that the
pioneers of the industry received a cordial reception for the product at remunerative
prices. Encouraged by the successful issue of the last, they have this year, enlarged
their canning business and regard it as being now established on a permanent basis,
CODFISH.
In spite of a very perceptible shortage in the aggregtte value, next to herring
this fish has been a leading staple of Cape Breton fibheries. The catch in some
localities came to a full average, while in others it was almost a failure. Frequent
storms and a prevalence of thick weather contributed to spoil the catch. In severe
storms the fish retreats to the deep waters, which are less affected, and in some
localities the cod paid but a brief visit owing to the absence of squid and small fish
on which it preys,and this absence of bait fish, particularly sjuid, left the fishermen
powerless to take advantage of the run of cod while it lasted.
This want of bait is a yearly recurring circumstance in some localities, and
causes annual losses of fishery. It is to be regretted that our fishermen, as a rule,.
do not avail themselves of that invaluable adjunct to their business—an ice house—
which, in this country, can be inc pensively constructed and easily filled at a season
when they are otherwise idle. With a small, but well filled ice house, every fisher...
man could lay up bait which almost invariably appears during some point of the
season, and always in advance of the larger fish. Every fisherman could thus provide
against frequent losses resulting for want of bait. Some means that would be
instrumental in directing their efforts to this end, would prove of incalculable value.
An important point in reference to the bait supply, to which I beg to invite
your attention, is the duty heretofore levied on imported clams. Fishing vessels which
go out to the near banks to fish, can obtain this imported bait, out of bond and duty
free, whether the parties be aliens or residents, whilst boat fishermen who necessarily
prosecute their calling in the bays and within short distances of headlands, have to
pay a customs duty of $2 per barrel. Boat fishermen regard this as discrimination
against them. This is a point of interest to our resident shore fishermen, which it
would be most desirable to rectify.
MACKEREL.
The season's catch may be expressed in one word—failure.—and this correctly•
applies to the whole Island coast. Natural causes no doubt contributed somewhat
to this unfortunate condition, but the overwhelming cause is found in the combined
efforts of fishermen from the United States and Nova Scotia proper, towards the ex
tinction of mackerel on the Cape Breton coast by purse seining. These fishermen
no longer depend on hand line fishing, but rely upon the injurious method of purse
seining, the former operating as closely as possible near the line of the three.mile
limit, and the latter taking advantage of their privilege, operate inside wherever a
school of mackerel which has escaped its countless enemies outside, may appear.
Whenever a seine is thrown amongst a school of mackerel, the few that escape
hasten to find security in deep waters on other shores. The school being once
broken and scared, boat fishermen with their hand lines and straight n,ets have no
further chance. So numerous have the United States vessels hovering upon the
coast outside, become, and the Provincial vessels within the headlands, that the re-V
sident shore fishermen, depending on the common net and hand line, have but very