FISH AKD nSHERIES. 143 



CHAPTER XII. 



The Development of our Fisheries. 



The following valuable and most suggestive observations are taken 

 almost verbatim from the Report of the Royal Commission. It is not 

 too much to say that nothing at all equal to them has been published in 

 the Colonies. They comprise information from the most competent and 

 most experienced persons on the subject of Fisheries which the Colony 

 possesses. It is to be hoped that they will be studied, and made use of 

 by those engaged in the fishing industry. 



We proceed then to offer a few suggestions as to the best mode of 

 utilizing and improving the vast resources which the sea offers us. 

 Fisheries are of two classes — those which are undertaken for the supply 

 of the daily demand, and those which are undertaken at fixed periods, 

 and for a short time only. To the first of these we shall give the name 

 of " Ordinary Fisheries," to the other " Special Fisheries." The 

 " Ordiiiary Fisheries" may be divided into " deep sea or line fisheries" 

 and " harbour or net fisheries," 



Deep sea fishing is at present carried on in open boats, manned gener- 

 ally by three fishermen. These people have no means of preserving 

 from putrefaction the fish they catch, so that there is no temptation to 

 them to go out to any of the many fishing-grounds off the coast, even if 

 the description of boat in use were fitted for that purpose. But the 

 very reverse is the case. The boats are small, afford no comfort or 

 protection from wind and weather to the crew, and in fact cannot be 

 used with safety except on a fine day and in close proximity to the land. 

 Suggestions have often been made for the employment of decked boats 

 of considerable size, with a well for the reception of the fish — a kind of 

 vessel much used in the Channel and North Sea fisheries of England ; 

 and we believe one or two such boats have actually been tried here, but 

 entirely without success. Our fishes it would seem, the schnapper more 

 particularly, will not survive in the well above a very short time, and 

 are found to be bruised and made unfit for food by the process. 



The general use of ice, and the cheapness of its production, render 

 now unnecessary such expedients as well-boats. Strong roomy vessels 

 of 100 to 150 tons burden, with moderate steam-power and a good ice- 

 house, and manned by ten or twelve fishermen, are what is best suited 

 to our climate and coast. It might be unnecessary to have these fish- 

 ing-vessels so large, or it might be advantageous to increase their 

 tonnage ; these are matters of detail not necessary for our purpose, 

 which is merely to point out how our best fishing-grounds can be reached 

 with comfort and safety to the fishermen and secure the perfect preser- 

 vation from putridity of the fish. The steam-power, which would be 

 only used as an auxiliary in going out to and in from the fishing-grounds 

 when the winds were light or unfavourable, should be equal to a speed 

 of at least 6 knots an houi". The engines and all connected with the 

 A'ictualling and bedding of the crew should be in the stern of the vessel, 

 and the forepart, both on deck and beneath, should be given up entirely 

 to the curative processes for the fish caught and for the ice-house. 



