220 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



usual l)rcalviui? uj) of the ice, the result of which was a very noticeable 

 fall of the tcm])cratare on the coasts of Newfoundland. About the 

 middle of iSeptember the northeast coast was covered with snow, and 

 Conception Bay, near St. John's, was so blocked up with ice as seri- 

 ously to interfere with navig^ation. In the beginning of October there 

 were still icebergs on the Grand Banks. To this circumstance must 

 doubtless be attributed the scarcity of codfish on the coast, while they 

 were found in great abundance on the banks, especially south of New- 

 foundland. The bank fishers made good hauls, as did also the vessels 

 eqnip])ed at St. Pierre. During this year the coast which extends from 

 Cape St, John to White Bay was much more frequented by the cod than 

 the remaining portion of the French shore. 



In spite of the increase in the number of vessels, and the large quan- 

 Tity of codfish rei)orted, the Newfoundland fisheries did not yield the 

 desired results. This cgndition of affairs is due to the circumstance 

 that the prices which the cod fetched in the markets were not very re- 

 munerative, both on account of the large quantity of fish and tlie check 

 wliich the trade of the Mediterranean ports of France and Spain ex- 

 l)erienced b}- reason of the cholera. 



\Ve have unfortunately to deplore the loss of two vessels from the 

 port of St. Malo. One (packet No. 2) foundered during the fishing 

 season, and 11 men were lost out of the 20 composing the crew. The 

 other (the Senorine), fitted out for long voyages, which carried passen- 

 gers for the St. Pierre and Miquelon fisheries, was a total loss, with the 

 entire crew of 53 men. 



The herring fisheries. — From the beginning of the fishing season 

 (about June 15) herring api^eared in large numbers on the coasts near 

 Lerwick and Aberdeen, but they were of an oily quality. Further on 

 m the season, from August 15 to September 15, the majority of the 

 French fishing vessels were engaged on a stretch of GO miles, from St. 

 Abb's to Sunderland and on the Dogger Bank, where they found a 

 constantly increasing number of herring of an excellent quality. Finally, 

 during the latter part of October the herring fishers approached Tar- 

 mouth, where soon after they closed the fisheries by salting the fish on 

 board. Towards the end of this mouth the first vessels began the fresh 

 fisheries (catching herring without salting them) in the channel, and 

 continued till some time in January, 18S5. 



Those vessels which salted the fish on board made on an average 

 about four voyages with full cargoes of fish. But the simultaneous ar- 

 rivals of a large numborof fish crowded the markets with fresh herring, 

 while the stock from the preceding year was far from being exhausted. 

 The resiUt was that the vast majority of the fish did not find any buy- 

 ers, and had to serve as fertilizers. 



The sardine fisheries. — During 1884 sardines appeared on the 

 coasts at long intervals, and then only for a short time. Those fisher- 



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