KEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. Xlll 



immense numbers of alewives, which could be dipped out, to any extent, 

 on their passage upward, while the waters of the adjacent bay Were 

 alive with the young fish on their return. 



The fish themselves enter the waters of the streams in May or June, 

 and return almost immediately after spawning, to the sea. But they 

 may be taken by the drift-nets along the shores as early as March 

 and April ; and, indeed, it is quite probable that the whole p^riod of 

 their abode in the salt-water is spent adjacent to the rivers in which they 

 were born. The young come down from the ponds in which they are 

 hatched, from August to October, keeping up a constant stream of the 

 youHg fish. In this way a supply of alewives was to be met with 

 throughout the greater part of the year, and nearer the coast they fur- 

 nished every inducement for the cod and other ground fish to come in- 

 shore in their pursuit. 



It is true that the sea-herring is also an attraction to these fish, and 

 probably but for their presence our pollack, haddock, and hake-fisheries 

 would be greatly diminished. Nevertheless, the alewife appears to be more 

 attractive as a bait, and furthermore the sea-herring are less constantly 

 on the coast, especially inshore, occurring as they do at stated inter- 

 vals, wjien they come in from the deep sea to spawn. It is possible, too^ 

 that they are less easily captured by the cod, since they swim nearer the 

 surface than the alewives. Corroboration of this idea is furnished in 

 the testimony of Mr. W. B. McLaughlin, of Southern Head, Grand Ma. 

 nan. This gentleman informs me that the only stream in the island which 

 ever furnished alewives to any extent was Seal Cove Creek, which dis. 

 charges to the east of the southern extremity of Grand Manan, and into 

 which these fish entered in immense numbers in the spring. At that 

 time cod, haddock, and pollack, as well as halibut, were taken in great 

 abundance in Seal Cove Sound, between Hardwood Cove, on Wood 

 Island, and Indian or Parker's Point, on the main island. They were 

 to be met with during the greater part of the year especially from May 

 to January ; and the fishery in the channel-way within a quarter of a 

 mile of the shore was really more productive than on the banks much 

 farther out to sea. 



Although still a young man, Mr. McLaughlin recollects the capture of 

 these fish ; and, indeed, as a mere boy enjoyed the sport within a very 

 short distance of his father's house. Soon after that time a dam was 

 built across this stream about 200 yards above its mouth, cutting off 

 entirely the upward passage of the alewives, and by a remarkable 

 coincidence, if it be nothing more, the cod-fishery in question diminished 

 very soon after, and in a few years ceased almost entirely, so that up 

 to the present time there are not enough cod in those waters to repay 

 the experiment of attempting to catch them. A few alewives still find 

 their way up to the foot of the dam, but in such small numbers as to 

 make it often doubtful whether there are any there or not. 



The other fishing-grounds about Grand Manan are farther out to sea, 



