6 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVAL SERVICE 



6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 



The Minister of Naval Service, the Hon. J. D. Hazen, took very great personal interest 

 in this important work, which has aroused unusual interest amongst the leading men 

 engaged in the fisheries all along the Atlantic coast of the Dominion. 



It has been suggested, in order to facilitate reference to the papers comprising 

 the present volume, that a brief popular resume of the chief points set forth in these 

 papers should form the preface by the chairman of the board. I have therefore sum- 

 marized some of the principal features in the seventeen papers which follow, and in 

 this summary I follow the order of the papers seratim. 



I. — PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERIES (PROF. WILLEY). 



Professor Willey in his report on " The Pacific Halibut Fisheries," after describ- 

 ing the Indian methods of fishing, lays stress on the lack of information upon the 

 spawning peculiarities and habits of the halibut generally, althougli the evidence seems 

 to indicate that the fish deposits its eggs, probably during the winter, on the Pacific 

 coast. The eggs of the halibut were described by Mr, E. W. Holt, and Professor W. C. 

 Mcintosh, in 1892, and are large, transparent eggs Vi inch in diameter, destitute of 

 an oil-globule and, without doubt, very buoyant. Dr. Willey ventures the opinion that 

 halibut eggs do not float near the surface, but are most probably bathypelagic. The 

 deep-sea argentine, a fish allied to the smelt, produces a bathypelagic egg about the 

 same size as the halibut's egg, and they occur in water layers at great depths. The 

 larva, on hatching out, measures 7-7 mm., but small specimens have been obtained in 

 the sea measuring lOi mm., while one of 28 mm. has been taken at a depth of over 

 270 fathoms, and another specimen 50 mm. long was taken in water of over 550 

 fathoms. The striking correspondence in size, etc., as Dr. Willey points out, indicates 

 that the halibut has probably a bathypelagic egg. A concise narrative follows of a 

 three and a half months' expedition around Queen Charlotte islands, Goose island, 

 the Alaskan shores, and other halibut grounds. The fish captured fall into three 

 classes: chicken halibut (20 to 29 inches long), medium (30 to 39 inches), and large 

 halibut (40 inches and upwards). The size varies with the age, and a 28-inch fish is 

 probably eleven years old. The migrations from the shallows (15 fathoms) where it 

 feeds), to greater depths of 150 fathoms, where it probably spawns, appear to be the 

 main movements, rather than extensive north-and-south migrations. 



There is urgent need of more statistical information, and detailed records of 

 halibut captures, and of international co-operation, so that a recognized basis may be 

 ^.'stablished for restrictions, if necessary, although the aggregate catches on the banks 

 show no signs of permanent exhaustion. Indeed the thinning out of the banks may 

 improve the quality of the supplies of fish that remain. In view of the success of plaice 

 liatching, Dr. Willey favours experimental halibut hatching operations. Towards the 

 close of his report. Dr. Willey points out the terrible waste of good food fish captured 

 by the halibut boats but thrown away because inferior to the halibut in commercial 

 value. 



II. — THE EGG OF THE HALIBUT, ETC. (PROF. PRINCE). 



The second report, which is by myself, on " The Egg of the Haljbut, etc.," gives 

 in detail the more important observations on the features of the halibut eggs so far 

 as known. The ripe, unfertilized eggs obtained by Professor Mcintosh at the Scottish 

 Marine Laboratory at St. Andrews, and Mr. E. W. L. Holt's account, arid Dr. H. C. 

 Williamson's description of the ripe eggs (especially the double envelope described by 

 the latter author), are first referred to, and it is pointed out that the spawning season 

 of halibut, in Europe, extends over many months, from January to May. Dr. Gilpin 

 found in Nova Scotia ripe " running " fish in June, but the fertilized ovum has not 

 yet been studied by any expert. The young larval halibut are then described, includ- 



