THE FISHERIES OF CANADA. 345 



of fish caught by the fishermen of the province of Quebec, and this deficiency was due 

 mainly to the frequent storms which raged in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the last 

 few years, and also to the absence of harbors of refuge in this part of the Dominion. 



Our principal markets for dried and salted codfish are Italy, Spain, Portugal, 

 Brazil, the British and Spanish West Indies, and the United States. 



The finest cod in all America is cured on the coast of Gaspe, in the Province of 

 Quebec, where the effects of the mists generated by the Gulf Stream are least felt. 

 It is well known in the markets of Spain, Italy, and Brazil, where it is generally sent, 

 the large fish going to the Mediterranean countries in bulk in vessels from 100 to 300 

 tons and the small fish to Brazil in drums containing 128 pounds. 



During the time that the fish is exposed on the flakes to dry, if the weather is fine, 

 the sun shining, the westerly winds predominating, cod is easily cured and made of 

 fine quality; but sometimes easterly winds prevail, rain lasts for weeks, and in spite 

 of all possible care and precaution it is inevitably spoiled. So, before sending it to 

 the markets, the fish is carefully culled, the greater part of the best quality being sent 

 to Europe and Brazil and the inferior to the West Indies. Nova Scotia, New Bruns- 

 wick, and Prince Edward Island export chiefly to the West Indies, United States, and 

 Brazil; Quebec to Brazil, the Mediterranean countries, and the West Indies. 



The cod is the most useful of all fish; no part of it is valueless. Oil is taken from 

 its liver; the head, tongues, and sounds form a good article of food; the offal and 

 bones, when steamed, dried, and ground, are converted into very good manure, equal 

 as a fertilizer to Peruvian guano; the roes are a splendid bait for the sardine fisheries 

 of France and Spain; and from the swimming bladder isinglass is made. 



The herring fishery. — The sea fishing next in importance to the cod fishery in 

 Canada is the herring fishery, the value of which, without taking into account the 

 local consumption and the quautity used as bait for the cod fishery and for manure 

 in many parts of the Dominion, was, according to our last statistics, represented by 

 the sum of over $2,000,000. This amount is a large one, and the result seems hand- 

 some, but it is certainly not in relation with the abundance of this fish in Canadian 

 waters. The herring fishery is far from getting here all the attention it deserves; and 

 I might even say that we have no regular herring fishery in Canada. It is true that 

 in Nova Scotia, New Bruuswick, and Prince Edward Island schooners are especially 

 fitted out for this fishery; that it is regularly and intelligently practiced by a large 

 number of men from those provinces, bringing them handsome returns; still all these 

 endeavors, although very laudable, are nothing but isolated undertakings. 



It will perhaps surprise a good many of my hearers to learn that the whole of the 

 Province of Quebec, possessing 10,000 fishermen, 1,100 miles of maritime coasts, num- 

 erous bays far-famed for the abundance of herring repairing to their waters, does not 

 annually export 2,000 barrels of this fish. Although they could derive immense ben- 

 efits from the working of the industry, the Quebec fishermen are satisfied when they 

 have taken enough for their own consumption and for the wants of the cod fishery. 



The reason of this apparent neglect lies in the fact that the province of Quebec 

 capitalists give all their time and attention to the cod fishery. Nevertheless, it is 

 almost impossible, without seeing it, to form a correct idea of the immense quantity 

 of herrings that visit the coasts of the province, especially in the spring during the 

 spawning season. Their compact masses cover thousands of acres of the sea, so that 

 if the fishermen were provided with the necessary fishing appliances, if they had a 



