124 DEPAliTMEyr OF THE SAVAL SERVICE 



6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 , 



at least, where the density is not noticeably lower than this, through a great portion 

 of the year if not through the whole of it. Headings as given in a preliminary paper 

 on density and temperature by Prof A. T. Cameron and myself, which follows this 

 paper, show that during the summer months, when these readings were made, 

 the average surface density within this area falls between 1-0180 and 1-0190. Prac- 

 tically the same thing is true of such large inlets as Barkley sound, into which pour 

 large streams of fresh water. This would indicate that the salinity in the strait of 

 Georgia at the surface is only about 80 -per cent that of the salinity at Woods hole or 

 Passamaquoddy bay. On the other hand if it will answer the purpose to have such 

 a density at 10 fathoms or even at 5, and there seems no reason why it should not, 

 as apparently the lobsters are at that depth or more for the greater part of the time, 

 the question is quite a different one, as over a great portion of the area mentioned 

 such a density, in all probability, exists throughout the year. This might account 

 for the fact that the planted lobsters, if any of them do exist, are not seen in shallow 

 water. 



9. Enemies of the Lobster. 



As to the enemies of the lobster, there are numerous predaceous fish that would 

 enjoy the taste of young lobster, but whether they are more or less abundant, more or 

 less predaceous, than these on the Atlantic coast, it is impossible to know. The 

 chances of the young lobster growing to the adult stage seems as much beset with 

 difficulties in the one case as in the other. A reference to enemies of the full-grown 

 lobster has already been made. 



Would the introduction of lobsters on a large scale upset the marine equilibrium 

 so as injure the prospects of any other fishing industry? It scarcely seems possible. 

 The only crustaceans of economic importance found in the district are crabs and 

 shrimps and these are so little fished that they can hardly be said to be of importance 

 at the present time. The marketable crab. Cancer magister, prefers to live in shallow 

 water which may be so much lacking in salinity as to be brackish, on a sandy or 

 muddy bottom such as is found at or near the mouth of a river or stream, where there- 

 is little or no fucus or kelp, hence his haunts are not likely to be disturbed by the 

 lobster. The shrimps that have hitherto been used for market go more to the other 

 extreme and stay out in the deeper water. These are not much more likely to be 

 disturbed. 



10. Areas Examined Described in Detail. 



An examination has been made of a considerable area between Vancouver island 

 and the mainland in order to know if the general conditions seeip. suitable for lobster 

 habitat. This area includes the strait of Georgia and contiguous waters from Texada 

 and Lasqueti islands to the north to Victoria or near it to the south. 



The mainland coast in this area, as a whole, does not offer very favourable con- 

 ditions. Around Thormanby islands, in Buccaneer bay, through Welcome pass and 

 even eastward along -the shore behind Trail islands to Sechelt, there is a rather narrow 

 strip that might be available. The logging camps in the neighbourhood seem to have 

 made some change in the nature of the bottom as dredgings made in this vicinity in 

 water of 15 to ^30 fathoms brought up more bark than anything else. The area is 

 small and detached from any other area. Secret cove, in Sechelt peninsula, where 

 some of the lobsters were planted in 1905, is at the northern extremity of this area. 

 Eastward from Sechelt to Howe sound the coast is too precipitous and this is true of 

 How^ sound itself. Some lobsters were planted southwest of Gambler island and east 

 of Bowen island but in both these places, although close in shore there is shallow 

 water, it drops off very near by to 100 fathoms or more. Moreover, the sound 

 apparently gets more than the ordinary supply of fresh water if one is to judge from. 



