BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 461 



coiuniencomeut of each season, leaving, as it does, the flsliermen almost 

 constantly in debt. The principal markets lor dry codfish are Italy, 

 Spain, Portngal, Brazil, British and Spanish West Indies, and the United 

 States. The finest cod in all America, it is claimed, 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. According to latest statis- 

 tics, the West Indies paid us for dried codfish $2,000,000, United States 

 over 8500,000, Brazil $500,000, Europe $500,000, and British Guiana 

 $250,000. The incidents of the cod-fishiug are very valuable. Oil is 

 taken from the liver; the head, tongue, and sounds form a good article 

 of food; the offal and bones are converted into an excellent fertilizer; 

 the roes are used as a bait for the sardine fisheries of France and Spain, 

 and the swimming bladder is converted into isinglass. Great regret is 

 expressed b}' the writer at the absence of enterprise in the Province of 

 Quebec for the utilization of these incidents of the cod-fisheries, and 

 some interesting facts are given in order to prove how valuable a re- 

 source thev might be made. 



The Herring Fishery. — This, excluding local consumption, and the 

 quantity used for bait,~was valued at $2,136,000. This sum, although 

 considerable, represents only to a small extent what this industry is 

 capable of in the matter of development. In the Province of Quebec, 

 with its ten thousand fishermen, 1,100 miles of maritime coast, numer- 

 ous bays, famous for their abundance of herring, the annual export 

 of herring does not reach 2,000 barrels. The writer's opinion is 

 that the export of herring, if the industry was i)roperly encouraged by 

 capital and developed, would easily reach from $5,000,000 to $6,000,000 

 annually, and he bases this opinion upon an examination of what has 

 been and is being done in Great Britain, France, Uolland, and other 

 countries. As soon as the ice disappears in the spring the herring come 

 in in immense shoals. Those caught early in the season are less valu- 

 able than are those caught between the months of August and Decem- 

 ber. The former are sent chiefly to the West Indies, the latter, carefully 

 gutted, are packed for the United States and European markets, the 

 best being the celebrated Labrador herring. 



The following was the export of herring in 1882 : 



Pickled, 423,042 barrels $1, 739, 943 



Smoked, l,0(i0,416 boxes 311, 807 



Fresh, 16,050,000 pounds 83, 533 



2, 135, 383 



The Mackerel Fishery.— This fishery in Nova Scotia and Xew 

 Brunswick particularly is steadily improving, the class of vessels now 

 used bearing fair comparison with those used by American fishermen, 

 which are said to be the finest in the world. The Quebec fishermen 

 have, however, given but little attention to the mackerel fishing. 

 •' The mackerel is met with off the coast of Nova Scotia, in the Bay of 



