462 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



LABRADOR. The shores of Labrador are rough and barren, and with the exception of the few 

 families gathered about the principal harbors they are almost uninhabited. The fisheries, though 

 only partially developed, are known to be very valuable. The region is visited annually by com- 

 panies of fishermen from Newfoundland, and in former times a large fleet of American vessels 

 fished from some of the larger harbors each summer for cod. The herring are very abundant 

 along various portions of the coast, but, though valued for their enormous size and great fatness, 

 they are taken, in limited quantities only, by vessels engaged in the capture of other species. The 

 fishing is confined largely to the region lying between the Straits of Belle Isle and Cape Harrison. 



3. THE VESSELS AND THEIR CREWS. 



THE VESSELS. A large portion of the vessels engaged in the Magdalen herring fisheries in 

 former times were those that went to Labrador for cod later in the season. The large schools of 

 codfish visiting the Labrador coast did not usually arrive until the middle or last of June, or some- 

 times till the first of July, and it was customary for vessels engaged in this fishery to make a trip 

 for herring before the cod-fishing season began. These vessels varied in size from 40 to 80 tons, 

 the average being about 65 tons. A vessel of this size would carry 700 to 800 barrels of herring. 

 Later, as the fisheries became more important, other and larger craft visited the locality, and 

 during the height of the trade the largest fishing schooners and several topsail schooners and 

 brigs, measuring from 150 to 175 tons, engaged in the work, carrying large cargoes to the different 

 markets. 



The herring fisheries of the west coast of Newfoundland have been confined chiefly to the 

 Gloucester, Boston, and Eastport vessels of the largest size, these usually going in the fall, after 

 returning from their summer trips to the offshore fishing banks. 



Vessels engaged in the pickled-herring trade carried from 100 to 400 hogsheads of salt, and 

 had large salt-pens, located near the center of the hold. They fitted with provisions for a three or 

 four months' trip, and were absent from a few weeks to several months, depending largely on the 

 locality visited and the abundance of the fish. 



THE FISHERMEN. The crews varied considerably, according to the method by which the 

 cargoes were to be secured. In some cases the herring were caught by the vessel's crew, and in 

 others they were bought from parties fishing in the locality. When the fish were to be purchased, 

 only enough men were needed to salt and care for them and to sail the vessel on the passage ; but 

 when provided with an outfit for taking their own fish, a crew of ten men were needed. 



4. APPARATUS AND METHODS OF CAPTURE. 



GILL-NETS AND HATJL-SEINES. When the fishing began, each vessel carried gill-nets with 

 which to take its load of herring, but as the business increased it was found desirable to introduce 

 seines for the purpose of catching larger quantities of fish and of loading in a shorter time. These 

 were either brought by the vessels and fished by the crews, one seine answering for four or five 

 vessels, or they were owned by Nova Scotia fishermen who came regularly to the island each season 

 and made a business of catching fish and selling them to American vessels at a stated price. The 

 vessels also brought gill-nets, to provide against loss in case the fish did not approach near enough 

 to the shore to be taken by the seines. They very frequently took the greater part of their trip in 

 this way. The usual method adopted by the American fleet was to buy the fish, as considerable 

 time could be saved and a smaller number of men were required for the work. 



If the vessels were to catch their own fish, on reaching the islands they usually anchored in 

 Amherst Harbor and at once started out with their seines in search of the fish. Owing to the 



