THE FISHERIES OF CANADA. 347 



good proportion of our catch is sent fresh to the markets, some in tins, and the largest 

 quantity pickled and packed in barrels. Our best market for either fresh, canned, or 

 pickled mackerel is the United States, although Great Britain and the West Indies 

 also buy some of it. From the last statistical returns we see that the mackerel 

 fishery produced $1,550,000, but it could certainly afford employment to many addi- 

 tional vessels and employ thousands of additional hands. 



The lobster mid oyster fisheries. — It seems to be the tendency of this age of 

 competition to overdo any business which promises to be lucrative. Not more than 

 ten years ago, when the retail price of lobsters was two or three for a half-penny, a 

 New Brunswicker came to Prince Edward Island and commenced the business of 

 preserving in tins. Attracted by his success, a few other persons engaged in the 

 same pursuit. The business gradually augmented until three or four years since, 

 when it became endued with much more life, and has, at length, sprung into great 

 dimensions. We have now no less than 002 canneries in operation, and last year this 

 industry contributed #2,000,000 to our export trade. 



I need hardly mention here that this industry is of considerable importance in 

 the general economy of the Dominion. Every one understands that the erection of 

 buildings, tin and iron work, boat-building, fuel-cutting, truckage, etc., cause a large 

 amount of money to circulate among our fishing population and fair wages to be paid 

 to thousands of hands — men, women and children. Great Britain is our best market 

 for preserved lobsters. We also export annually some .3,000,000 cans to the United 

 States. France takes about 200,000 cans, and the remainder is divided between the 

 West Indies, Germany, Brazil, and some other markets of South America. 



A word about the oyster fishery naturally finds its place here. This mollusk, so 

 well known by epicures of all countries, is still comparatively abundant in Canada. 

 In Europe, owing to its scarcity, it sells at a fabulous price, and wealthy people alone 

 can indulge in this luxury; but on our coasts almost everybody can, from time to time, 

 enjoy a good oyster soup. We have the Malpeque, the St. Simon, the Caraquet, and 

 many other varieties, deriving their names from the localities where the banks from 

 which they are taken are situated. Oyster fishing is carried on chiefly on the coasts 

 of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, and yields annually about $260,000. 



Fresh-water fisheries. — The inland waters of Canada teem with salmon, whitefish, 

 salmon trout, pickerel, bass, speckled trout, ouinauiche, sturgeon, muskellunge, etc. 

 In 1892 the salmon fishery yielded $2,500,000. Of all the provinces of the Dominion, 

 British Columbia is the most celebrated for its salmon fishery, and within the last few 

 years this industry has attained there almost colossal proportions. Whitefish and 

 trout fisheries are carried out on a large scale, chiefly on the great lakes of Ontario, 

 which are all well known to you. The most valuable is the whitefish, the catch of 

 which amounted to 24,000,000 pounds last year, valued at $1,500,000. 



The salmon rivers of Quebec and New Brunswick are justly famous, as every 

 lover of the gentle art in the United States well knows. The salmon pools of the 

 Restigouche, of the Metapedia, of the Cescapedia, of the Miramichi, of the Grand 

 River, of the Nisissiguit, of all the rivers of the north and south shores of the St. 

 Lawrence, are celebrated throughout the whole world and are every year increasing in 

 value. Only a few days ago the salmon-angling privilege of the Grand Cascapedia 

 River was let for $6,125 per year to an American syndicate. Who has not heard of 

 the sport of ouinauiche fishing in the St. John Valley, near Quebec? Almost innu- 



