966 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



pounds. More tliau two-thirds of this, say 7,500,000 poimds, is brought 

 from the Banks, or the coast of Nova Scotia, in vessels fitted out for the 

 hahbut-trade. Of these, there are about thii^ty which pursue the fishing 

 part of the year, at least. The Bank hahbut are brought in cargoes 

 of from 15,000 to 80,000 pounds. The average weight of hahbut is not 

 far from 50 pounds, though individuals of 150 pounds are by no means 

 uncommon. The length of a trip to the Banks for halibut is usually 

 about three weeks, about half the time being- consumed in making the 

 passage to and fro. 



" The remainder of the supply, which is perhaps something more than 

 2,000,000 pounds, is brought m small lots of 2,000 or 3,000 pounds by the 

 vessels which fish for cod on the George's Banks. There are over one 

 hundred of these vessels, which make one or two trips per month each 

 throughout the year. 



''The halibut as soon as they are caught are packed in broken ice in 

 the hold of the vessel, which is divided up for that piupose into bins 

 about eight feet each in dimensions. 



"When they are brought on board the vessel then temperature is 

 probably not much greater than that of the water in which they were 

 caught, say 38° to 40°, the bottom temperature being about 33° to 34° 

 Fahr. They are very cold when landed on the wharf at Gloucester, 

 usually colder than 45° or 48°. 



" They are immediately packed for shipment in pine boxes holding 

 about 450 pounds ; their abdominal cavities being filled with chopped 

 ice, which is also plentifully bestowed in the crevices between their bodies. 



" The weekly receipts of halibut probably range from 100,000 to 700 000 

 pounds per week, and sometimes the quantity is greater." 



A halibut-schooner carries from 18 to 50 tons of ice on a trip; the lar- 

 gest quantity in summer. The amount annually consumed by the fleet 

 does not fall nmch below 8,000 tons. This includes a certain amount 

 allowed proportionally to the George's fleet. 



Prof. Goode says the problem here to solve is how "to provide for the 

 refrigeration and preservation on shore for one or two weeks of 10 000 

 or 15,000 halibut, weighing perhaps 50 or GO pounds each." 



It is well in all industries to depart as Uttle as possible at first from 

 established customs. Pending adequate experiments, it is quite certain 

 that the boxed halibut must be placed in a room at 30° Fahr., in which 

 the ice used at sea would not melt. The lids might be removed, to be 

 replaced when the fish have to be shipped; but I see a positive advan- 

 tage hi resorting to the least possible disturbance, or handling of the fish 

 whilst insuring their preservation for so limited a time. Moisture is as 

 great a factor, if not a greater, than heat in developing putrefaction; and 

 a current of dry air at low temperature Avould check all mould or other 

 parasitic vegetation; and a little fresh ice when the boxes are shipped 

 would meet the very simple requirement of equalizing supply and de- 

 mand by a preservation of one or two weeks. 



