346 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



ready market, they could easily in a few days, even before the beginning of the cod 

 fishery, catch enough herring to realize thousands of dollars. 



I assert Avith confidence that if in Canada this industry were conducted on a scale 

 proportionate to its importance and the abundance of herring in our waters, if com- 

 panies were formed to provide our fishermen with boats and fishing implements like 

 those used in Europe, our herring fishery instead of two would bring every year five 

 or six million dollars. Nor are the markets wanting for this fish, which is cheap and 

 can be bought by the poorest; for besides our own market we should have those of 

 the United States, of England, Germany, and the West Indies. The population of 

 Europe and of South America is growing rapidly, and the products of the fisheries of 

 these countries are far from being sufficient to meet the demand. We have there an 

 almost unlimited market for our pickled fish, if carefully prepared and packed. 



Mackerel fishery. — I am happy to say that the energetic and progressive fishermen 

 of the United States have no longer the almost exclusive monopoly of mackerel 

 fishing in Canadian waters — a monopoly that they have enjoyed for a number of years. 

 Wearied with beholding the success of the Gloucester fishermen, who year after year 

 came to our doors to reap an abundant crop, the fishermen of Nova Scotia and New 

 Brunswick set to work and have succeeded very well. They are to-day carrying on 

 mackerel fishing on a large scale and deriving good profits from it. They can show 

 a fine fleet of vessels so improved in symmetry as to bear fair comparison with the 

 American schooners, which are reputed to be the finest vessels and the best sailers of 

 their class in the world. Nor are they merely owners of splendid vessels fitted out 

 with the utmost care; they have adopted the most modern fishing appliances, and 

 are prosecuting this industry with great tact and intelligence; for the mackerel fishery 

 is difficult, precarious, and uncertain. A schooner may cruise in the gulf for a week, 

 without taking a fish, while another gets filled in a fortnight or less. It requires, there- 

 fore, to be carried on with sagacity and perseverance — two qualities which distinguish 

 the fishermen of our maritime provinces; but then it is generally successful, brings in 

 large profits, and is certainly worthy of the attention of the capitalists. 



The tourists who, during the dog days, run away from the heat of our cities to 

 breathe the pure and vivifying air of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and make the journey 

 by water, have often, in the course of their visits to the maritime provinces, met 

 with fine mackerel schooners and mistaken them for a small squadron of yachts, 

 so beautiful are their masts aud sails, so neat and clean are they kept. But, on a 

 nearer approach, this is found to be an error; for on the decks of these vessels are to 

 be seen crews of from 10 to 20 men, all occupied either in catching tish, in repairing 

 fishing implements, or in splitting and salting the fish that has been taken; and what 

 is more striking is the order that reigns on board these schooners, whose decks and 

 holds are almost always full of fish, fish barrels, salt, etc. These schooners are gen- 

 erally of from 60 to 100 tons burden. They have little depth of hold, great breadth of 

 beam, rake very much fore and aft, and carry large cotton sails which enable them to 

 sail fast even with a light breeze. Their decks are roomy, and on them the whole 

 work of salting and barreling is carried on. Mackerel is met with off the coast of 

 Nova Scotia, in the Bay of Fundy, and in the Gulf of Oanso; but nowhere is it more 

 plentiful than in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off the coast of Prince Edward Island, 

 and in the numerous coves and bays formed by the Magdalen Islands. 



The mackerel is one of the most valuable fish visiting the Canadian coasts. A 





