24 FISniNG GROUNDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



about eighteen miles. Fishing is mostly carried on beyond three miles from shore, though some 

 boats fish much farther in, and begins about the first of May and lasts until October; it is mainly 

 in the hands of the provincials, although a few vessels from the United States re.-^ort to the region 

 occasionally. Saint Ann's Bank is a cod-fishing ground on the shore soundings off the east end 

 of Cape Breton Island, which is mainly fished upon by the people living on the adjacent shores. 



For a number of years several American vessels were in the habit of visiting the halibut 

 grounds in the vicinity of Flint Island and Scatari Island, Cape Breton, and a number of good 

 fares of halibut were obtained there. The grounds were of small extent, however, and soon became 

 exhausted. No important trips have been made to that region since 1875. Ualibut have rarely 

 been taken in large quantities on the coast of Nova Scotia. 



Herring are abundant at numerous points along this coast, and are mainly taken to supply the 

 United States and provincial vessels with bait. The Peninsula of Halifax, especially about Pros- 

 pect, is a great baiting station, and other similar stations occur all along shore betweenCape Sable 

 and Canso. Mackerel make their appearance about the western part of Nova Scotia in May, and 

 follow eastward along the coast until they arrive at C^pe Canso, where they turn northward, 

 entering Chedabucto Bay and passing through the Strait of Canso into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. 

 They come from the south and southwest, and appear to strike the entire coast at very nearly the 

 same time, arriving at the eastern end, however, a little later than at the western, the schools 

 gradually working eastwardlJ^ At the same time large quantities of mackerel pass around the 

 east end of Cape Breton Island and thus reach the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. In the fall they return 

 by the same route, and continue to pass up the coast until about the last of November; but some 

 seasons they remain later and others they are earlier in their migrations toward the south. As a 

 rule, no mackerel of any account are on this coast from the 1st of July to the 15th or 20th of 

 September; some schools of small fish remain the entire summer. They are ca^jtured in gill-nets, 

 seines, pounds, and traps ; but during their fall migrations it is not always safe to set the nets 

 far from land on account of the severity of the weather. The mackerel fishery of the coast of 

 Nova Scotia and Southern Cape Breton is of slight importance compared with that of the Gulf of 

 Saint Lawrence, as the fish remaiu in the first-mentioned localities for a much shorter time, and 

 are taken only by the natives along the coast. 



Bay op Fltkdt. — The only important fishery at present in the Bay of Fundy is that for 

 herring. ^Mackerel occasionally enter Saint Mary's Bay and other places at the mouth of the Bay 

 of Fundy, and from 1835 to 1850 this region was considered a famous mackerel ground. During 

 the last tiiirty years, however, it has been but rarely visited by United States vessels. Fair 

 catches of halibut were formerly obtained at the mouth of the bay, in from thirty to sixty fiithoms, 

 and even farther in than Bryer's Island, but for the past fifteen years this fishing, like that for 

 mackerel, has not been jirofitable. Codfishing is carried on near the mouth of the bay, but not to any 

 great extent, mainly because of the strong tides, which are not favorable to it. The Grand Manan 

 Rips were formerly the most celebrated herring-grounds on the northern coast, and were much 

 resorted to by American vessels. The fishery has, however, been gradually transferred to the coast 

 of the main-land about the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, especially on the north side, although 

 herring are also taken in considerable quantities in and about Saint Mary's Bay, on the southern 

 coast. The herring approach Grand Manan in July, and remain there until the middle of September 

 Toward the last of October other schools arrive upon the shores of the mainland about Canii)o- 

 bello Island, and later, dui'ing midwinter, the waters between Easti)ort, Maine, and Point Le Preau. 

 New Brunswick, become crowded with them. They enter Saint Andiew's Bay and remain luiiil 

 late in the spring. The fishery begins to the westward, commencing first about Grand ^lanaii :nid 



