THE FisirEKiKs. 159 ' 



According to tlic Cen.su.s of 1891 tluic wcie thou 340 lobster 

 factories ; L-iiiployiiig 4,807 persons. 



The Report of tlie Department of Fi>heries for 1893 states that 

 licenses were issue(l to 284 packers operating loljster factories be- 

 tween Cape St. John and Cajje Ray. Their return.s .showed that 

 the total lobster traps employed amounted to 87,720 ; the num- 

 ber of tishermeu employed being 1,448 ; 113 smackmen ; 603 

 shorehands (males), and 756 females ; and tiiat tliey caught 

 5,054,462 lobsters, from which number 26,214 cases of lobsters 

 (each case containing 48 one-iiound tin>) were ])acked. These 

 returns apply only to the licensed lobstt-r factories ; there were 

 besides a considerable number of unlicensed factories such as 

 those on the French Shore. The weather of 1893 was, in many 

 localities, very unfavourable for taking lobsters. 



The folhjwing figures show the value of the exports of lobsters 

 in the years named : — 



Years. Value. 



1888 .$-385,077 



1889 472,524 



1890 520,078 



1891 429,681 



1892 260,048 



Total value of lobster exports in 5 years §'2,067,408 



THE DEPARTIVIENT OF FISHERIES. 



Reference has already been made to the " Fisheries Commis- 

 sion," now named the " De]>artment of Fisheries." Without a 

 fuller account of its objects ami methtxls of working, the descrip- 

 tion of the fi.sheries would be incomplete ; as it may fairly be 

 regarded as the most important organization connected with 

 the.se industries. 



XEGI^ECTEI> FISHKKIES. 



It is curious to find that in Newfoundland, one of the greatest 

 fishing countries in the woihl, hardly any attention was given to 

 the supervision and regulation of the tiNheries on which the great 



