nli^rr.tions in the v/aters adjaoent t -> those layoons. 



It seeris however, rcc ■:rdinf.'; to the population studies that vre 

 have made in that region in 1945, that the protection of loosters 

 in the lagunes may have had a successful effect. 



In the Bay of Chaleur, no locality has been recog Ized ns a 

 natural hatcheryj at any rate, the annals make no nientu.on of it. 

 The Fourchu experiment and that if the Magdalen Islands lagoons 

 are the only attempts Virhich may have directly aspired to ir,;prove 

 the natural restocking* The artificial restocking attempts have 

 had nore importances and the hatcheries are the largest enter- 

 prises tried in Canada to restore the lobster fisheries. 



7o Lobster rearing stations 



The artificial restoration of the fisheries by rearing estab- 

 lishments was not a new idea. Indeed Richard Nettle, who ought to 

 be considered as the founder of fish cultiore in Canada, had put 

 into successful operation in 1857 the first Canadian salmon fish 

 cultural station in a modest installation situated at Quebec at 

 the corner of Saint-Jean and Saint-Ursule streets. At the end of 

 the last century, there already existed in Canada- fourteen fish 

 culture stations under the technical direction of S. Wilmoto 



One is able to suppose that the wholly new initiative to 

 repopulate the lobster fishing grounds by artificial methods may 

 have stirred up a great •d.eal of enthusiasm among the leaders of the 

 period. It is in 1891 that the first lobster hatchery opened at 

 Bay View in Hova Scotiao The under minister of L-r.rine arid Fisheries 

 informed his minister in the follovfing words: 



"This nevT undertaking of lobster culture by arti- 

 ficial methods of restocking has been inr.ugurated in 

 Canada in the course of the last year and is the first 

 public work of its importance in Canada or in the 

 neighboring republic of the United States." 



Such a hatchery Y/as alread.y in operation for a year at New- 

 foundland« 



The Bay Vie'.T installation included a building of 45 by 35 feet 

 1^rith a 20 horsepovrer steam engine, double-action puiaps, reservoir, 

 etc* The eggs, after having been scraped froJi the abdomen of the 

 females vrere incubated in glass jars in vrhich circulation assured 

 the aeration and agitation of the v/ater* Each day, the canning 

 factories were visited for collectinf' the eggs, which were trans- 

 ported to the hatchery for incubation. It goes v:ithout saying that 

 the caimers and fishermen looked upon the innovation with good will. 



35 



