158 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
other fish may ascend, and thus be enabled to reach their spawning- 
grounds. There is also an inspection in the markets, in nearly all the 
larger cities, of the quality of fresh fish, so as to prevent the introdue- 
tion for sale of any that are not considered wholesome and fit for food. 
Allthese provisions are wise and beneficent, and tend, when judiciously 
and properly enforced, to protect the fish against decrease and to secure 
their multiplication, as well as to benefit the purchaser. If the anad- 
romous fish are prevented from access to their spawning-beds, it is 
within the power of a single person to destroy fisheries of immense 
value and to deprive a large portion of the community of a wholesome 
food and an important means of support. 
These conditions of protection and regulation, while they cannot be 
said to apply at all to the deep-sea fisheries, have comparatively little 
reference to the inshore sea fisheries. But even here we readily imagine 
that State action, if not that of the General Government, is desirable. 
The most important point in this connection is the protection of the 
spawning-grounds (when they can be definitely ascertained) from pollu- 
tion by the introduction of noxious substances and from the disturbing 
influences of fishing or other operations. A notable instance of the 
advantage of regulation in this case is to be found in the matter of the 
herring fisheries of the Bay of Fundy. The spawning-ground for this 
fish is remarkably limited in extent, being for the most part situated 
immediately around the southern extremity of Grand Manan, or what 
is known as the Southern Head. Here, during the months of June, 
July, and August the herring resort in immense numbers to deposit their 
eggs; and limited as they appear to be in distribution at that time, 
the great number of vessels that followed them to that region took 
immense quantities of spawning fish, and apparently broke up the schools 
and prevented them from depositing their eggs under proper condi- 
tions. The result appeared, at least, to be a very great diminution of 
the fish, and the threatening of their practical extermination. Under 
these circumstances the Province of New Brunswick passed a law estab- 
lishing the months of June(?), July, and August as a close time, during 
which no fishing was to be allowed, and appointed an officer to enforce 
the regulation. For several years many attempts were made to violate 
the law, with more or less success; but gradually the power of the 
Government, and perhaps an improved public sentiment, sueceeded in 
breaking up this encroachment, and of late years the protection of 
these spawning-grounds has involved but little difficulty. It would 
appear, as the result of this action, that shortly after the enactment 
the fish began to increase in number, and they are now said to be as 
abundant in the Bay of Fundy and its vicinity as they were ever known 
to be since the earliest history of the country. It is of course barely 
possible that there is some fallacy in this conclusion, and that it was one 
of these alternations of decrease that invoked the legislation in question, 
and that the subsequent increase would have taken place, even if the 
practice of fishing during the spawning season had been continued. 

