330 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAI-. xix. 



fathoms long. Large seines are generally used by 

 Americans and Nova Scotians ; but they often take at a 

 single haul of the seine herrings enough to fill 500, 1,000, 

 2,000, or even 3,000 barrels. We need not be surprised 

 at such oreat results when we reflect that herrings in a 



D < - > 



shoal are so crowded together as to form a compact mass 

 from the surface of the water to the bottom. When the 

 seine is so much loaded with fish, it cannot be hauled 

 on shore without risk of breaking it and losing all the 

 riches it contains.* 



In that case the braces are made fast on shore, and 

 the fishermen seine with small seines inside the large 

 one ; or, if the fish are very abundant, they are taken out 

 with scoop nets, or landing nets. On the coast of 

 Labrador the herring fishery is carried on in September 

 and October, sometimes beginning as early as the latter 

 end of August. The first herrings taken are generally not 

 very fat, but after them come those fine fish that are so 

 well known. The Labrador herring is almost always 

 taken with the seine. 



Herrings do not frequent all parts of the coast in 

 equal numbers. There are places where hardly any are 

 to be seen, while they make their appearance in great 

 multitudes in other places, such as Belles Amours 

 Harbour, Bradore Bay, Blanc Sablon Bay, and many 

 other smaller bays on the coast. 



Owino; to the thick coating of fat which covers the Ik-sli 



O *-? 



of these Labrador herrings, they must be salted imme- 

 diately, and with great care, to prevent their turning 



* Captain FortinV Report ou the Fisheries ui' the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



