CHAPTER IX 



America's Fisheries 



THE origin of the fresh-water and coastal 

 fisheries dates from remote antiquity. Savage 

 tribes in all parts of the world, when first 

 visited by the white man, were already skilled in the 

 art of catching fish in streams and lakes. Long before 

 America was discovered by Columbus, the Indians 

 had learned how to catch fish in the rivers, lakes, and 

 coastal w^aters. They used very crude lines and hooks, 

 it is true, but they were very adept in the use of 

 spears and thus were able to capture many species 

 of fish. 



Ocean fishery, or fishing in the large areas of rela- 

 tively shallow water far from shore called banks, is 

 of comparatively recent origin, however. Large sea- 

 worthy vessels manned by expert navigators and 

 daring seamen are needed for fishing at sea, and 

 such ships can be built only by civilized peoples. 



There are no records to indicate what people first 

 practised ocean fishery, but many historians believe 

 that the Norse vikings were the first to sail great 

 distances to sea in quest of fish. Even in the Middle 

 Ages these daring navigators sailed to banks near 

 Iceland and Greenland, and it is probable that the 

 Norsemen knew of America many years before 



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