464 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The purse-seines are used in a manner exactly similar to that of the mackerel and menhaden 

 fisheries, and they have a great advantage over the drag-seines, especially as they are set in the 

 deeper water at a considerable distance from the shore, where the vessels can be brought alongside 

 and fastened to them ; and the herring can be landed directly upon the deck by means of large 

 dip-nets. This is a great saving of time and labor, as no men are required for boating, and the 

 trips are, as a rule, much more easily and quickly secured. 



METHODS AT NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR. On the west coast of Newfoundland, accord- 

 ing to Captain Collins, the fish are taken almost exclusively in gill nets, as they usually remain in 

 the deep arms of the bays, where they cannot be seined. The fishing is carried on wholly by the 

 natives of the island, who seriously object to the use of nets or other apparatus by American fisher- 

 men. For this reason the Americans seldom attempt to catch their own trips, but buy them from 

 the jack (small vessel) and boat fishermen of the islands. The vessels engaged in this trade usually 

 proceed to some convenient cove or harbor, where they remain until a trip box has been secured, 

 the fishermen bringing the herring to the vessel as soon as they have been taken. When for any 

 reason the fish are scarce in the locality first visited they proceed to another harbor, and are some- 

 times obliged to visit several before securing full fares. The captains before starting from home 

 often purchase a considerable quantity of provisions, such as flour, pork, and beef, besides various 

 articles of clothing, and an assortment of trinkets. These articles are taken to Newfoundland and 

 given to the natives in exchange for their herring. In fact the American fisherman often becomes 

 a trader, having his stock of goods on his vessel, where he is visited by many of the islanders, who 

 frequently purchase considerable quantities. The practice is of great advantage to both parties, 

 as one is enabled to make a fair profit on the goods and the other secures necessary articles of food 

 and clothing, which otherwise it would be almost impossible to do on account of the absence of 

 any resident in the region. At one time the method of barter was almost universally adopted in 

 the trade with the herring-catchers of the island, but of late years a good many captains are paying 

 cash for their cargoes. 



On the coast of Labrador the herring are usually taken in ordinary gill-nets carried by the 

 vessels for this purpose. A few, however, are taken by means of small haul-seines owned by the 

 natives of the various harbors or by the Newfoundland fishermen who spend their summers in 

 this country. 



5. LAY OF THE FISHERMEN. 



When the fishery began the vessels carried nets for catching the fish, and the crew fished on 

 shares. In this case the owners, provided the vessels with the necessary outfit, including pro- 

 visions, while the fishermen furnished their time and labor, receiving one-half of the net proceeds 

 of the trip for their services. This was also the case when the vessels carried purse-seines. When 

 they bought their fish, however, it was customary for the owners to hire a sufficient number of 

 men to handle the vessel on the passage and to hire men and boats at Canso, or some other point 

 along the shore, to transport the fish from the nets to the vessel, paying them a definite sum for 

 their services and leaviug them at their homes on their return. In other cases a contract was 

 made with the foreign fishermen to furnish the fish on the vessel's deck, where the crew were of 

 course in readiness to receive and care for them. 



In the fall and winter fisheries of the Newfoundland coast the fish are purchased, as already 

 stated, a larger number of men being required to sail the vessel on account of the storms that 

 frequently occur at this season. 



