DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

49
slight chance of procuring even a small remnant of the fish. This work of destruc.
tion now going on for years and annually inureasing, appears to have about completed
the inevitable consequence of a perfect decimation of the mackerel, so far as
these shores are concerned. But if the entire disappearance of the mackerel will
cause parse seining to cease, then the sooner the mackerel takes its final departure,
the better for the residents who depend on the fishing for their subsistence, in view
of the common destruction to which all the other fish tribes are subjected by purse
seining. The restless pursuit of mackerel on the Cape Breton shore during the past
season, has caused its flight to Newfoundland where they had not been seen for the
past 60 years. American fishermen, last season, introduced the innovation of steam
vessels in the mackerel fishery. This is a new element that will further accelerate
the departure of the mackerel and other fish from the shoal waters of the coasts
LOBSTERS.
This fishery was not by any means remunerative. The ice remained somewhat
late on the coast and fishing did not commence until the 1st of June, when it had
not even then become general. Frequent storms prevented anything like a steady
prosecution of the fishery. The most disastrous occurred early in July and destroyed
a large amount of lobster fishing appliances. After this but very little was
accomplished for the remainder of the season. Packers say that, owing to frequent.
storms, they had not, along the coast line from Cape North to St. Peters, more than
twenty-five days out of the entire season to carry on their work. The fish were
large and plentiful and there were no indications of an exhausted supply, either in
quantity or quality. No soft shell fish were found up to the close on 28th July.
Lobsters inhabiting the deep and cool waters outside the headlands are not subject to
the annual changes of softening and shedding which affect those inhabiting the
warm waters within the bays.
By a careful inspection of the canning factories and other safeguards pointed
out in my report of 1887, lobster fishing on the coast of Cape Breton is likely to
remain a permanent and unimpaired source of supply.
H LIBUT.
These fish cannot be said to have been plentiful, yet in several localities
there was a visible improvement over that of late years, and fishermen believe in
hopeful indications of their returning in greater numbers to the haunts where they
were at one time found in abundance, but which they appeared to have almost
entirely abandoned. They claim that 'obster trapping snares away both mackerel
and salmon and unfavorably affects the catch in each case.
THE MINOR FISHERIES.
The results in the lesser fisheries of shad, eels, smelts, &c., as well as in those of
lish products, such as oil, &c., can be readily gleaned from the tables hereto
appended.
DESTRUCTIVE METHODS OF FISHING AND WASTE OF FISH FOOD.
This is a subject which requires serious consideration and prompt action in the
application of prohibitive measures, if our present coast fisheries are to be saved
from extinction. The two principal agencies in this work of destruction and waste
aro
PURSE SEINING AND TRAWLING.
Against these two agencies of mischief our boat fishermen send up a united and
universal protest. With fishermen of the United States and those of the Provinces,
hand line fishing is now superseded by the use of seines and trawis. Both are detructive
to fish, and the numbers now engaged in these methods of fishing are greatly
In excess of all reasonable demands on the utmost possible fish-producing powers of
this or any other coast of equal extent. Their practice close cu the three.mile head..-
8.—4