THE FISHERIES. 157 



KIVKK AVAKDENS APPOINTED. 



Four or live ycar.s ago tlie Fisheries' Commission, on its aji- 

 |)ointment, t(K)k the matter np and phiced the principal rivers 

 umler wardens diarged witli the stringent enforcement of the 

 ruh's ami re-ulalions of tliis tislierv. Tlie I'esult is that the 

 i-ivi'r> liavi" linii clran-d ,<[ tlie old "liarring" obstructions; 

 j(ollutii)n> iif ilu' >treaui> from saw-dust is prevented, and already 

 .a marked imjirovement is reported. Tlie salnnm are returning 

 to their olil haunts, and in a few years satisfactory ])rogress will 

 he made in tin- it-storatiou of the salmon riviis and a vast in- 

 .creasc in the ipiantity of salmon taken may he anticipated. 



The hest saliunu tislu'ries at present aic in Bouavista Bay, 

 .Gander and Kxploits Bays, and on the west coast. 



THE HEKKIXG FISHERY. 



Till' helling tisheiy of Xewfoinidland ha> hei-n sadly neglected. 

 Had it hccu jirosecuted with skill and energy — had care been 

 lH->to\\cd on the cure and packing and had it been placed, years 

 ,ago, uiidci- projier ifgulati(jii>, it niiglit to-day have approached 

 the eod-lislii'iv in xahie. AA'ith Jue care it may still do so. 



The chief scats oi' the heiiing fishery are Fortune, Placentia, 

 ,St. (ieorgc's and Bay of Islands, Avliile on the whole coast of 

 Laljiudor till- tiiust iR-riiugs are taken. During the last few 

 years the Lalirador lieiring fishery has been unremunerati\-e. 



Fortune Bay is the centre of a productive winter herring tish- 

 .ery, eomiiiciicing generally aljoiit the first ^\eek in December. 

 St. (ileurge's is a spring herring fishery, a small quantity being 

 also taken in August and Sej^tend^ier. The Bay of Islands fi.shery 

 is the nu)st \aluable next to Labrador, but in recent years it has 

 proved a failure. The fish there are the Bank or Labrador her- 

 ring, and of the finest quality. Bonne Bay herrings are equally 

 good. The value of the herrings exi)orted in 1891 was .S'lRi'^,905. 



EFFECTS OF NEGEIGEXCE, 



The effect of negligence and ignorance in connection with this 

 fishery has been that the Xewfoundland herrings have lost char- 

 .acter' in foreign markets and ilcpreciateil in value. Tlie cure 



