34 THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



ago the most famous sturgeon fishery in Canada ; and the caviar made from the 

 roe taken there is said to be fully equal to the renowned Russian caviar. 



Pickerel: — In wafers like the Thames River, many tons of pickerel have 

 been annually taken as they ascend thewiver to spawn, and before the close 

 season begins (15th April). Consequently, for these and similarly situated waters 

 it has been pointed out that the season should commence earlier — some go 

 so far as to say the 1st January. The decrease in the catch in contiguous 

 waters to the Thames is about 25,000 pounds as compared with the quantity 

 taken in 1901. The pickerel is a very valuable food fish and next to the 

 sturgeon has brought the highest price in New York of any fresh water fish, 

 namely, 12 cents per pound. 



Carp: — Carp are reported to be rapidly increasing, and it is said they are 

 destroying the rice and celery beds at Long Point and in Lake Simcoe. 

 The most successful implement with which to take them is the seine, and per- 

 mits have been issued wherever this could be properly done. The demand for 

 carp has been good, and the prices high, the average wholesale price in New 

 York having been about six cents. A close season is not yet asked for carp, 

 and there is no occasion for any apprehension that one will be needed for many 

 a year. On the other hand, there seems to be a disposition on the part of every 

 one to expedite its extermination. 



Planting of Spawn. 



In a former report, the undersigned strongly urged the adoption of a method 

 pursued in some of the neighboring States, viz., the placing of men on tugs 

 during the gravid period of fish to take and fertilize the eggs and plant them on 

 the natural spawning beds. It is pleasing to note that the suggestion has been 

 acted upon in Lake Superior by some of our larger fishing concerns, and that 

 the increase in trout which is reported from that lake may probably be explained 

 by the quantity of spawn so placed in the lake by the Wisconsin fishermen. It 

 is hoped a larger number of the fishermen will adopt the practice. In Wiscon- 

 sin, as was pointed out, there is a law of the State providing penalties for the 

 failure of the fishermen to save the spawn and treat it in this way. 



Salt Herring. 



As salted herring is becoming quite an important factor in our com- 

 mercial fishing, it behooves our fishermen to prepare and cure their catch in the 

 best manner possible in order to secure the highest market price. Thirty-five 

 thousand barrels of Scotch and Irish herrings were last year marketed in New 

 York, as compared with 500 barrels fifteen years ago. The prices ranged from 

 $9.00 to $12.00 for Scotch, and $11.50 to $13.50 for Irish. The Jews, of whom 

 there are said to be 50,000 in New York, are the chief purchasers. They will 

 buy none but the best, and they are willing to pay whatever is asked for the 

 proper article. Newfoundlanders are now curing their herring in the Scotch 

 style, and these command prices almost as large as those from Scotland and 

 Ireland. But Ontario fishermen have been apparently wedded to antiquated 

 methods, and satisfied with having always made a ready sale. The report of 

 Mr. Alexander T. Duthie, who recently visited America under the auspices of 

 the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland as a fish trade 

 expert, advises that herring should be neatly gutted, carefully roused (stirred in 

 pickle), ani packed on their backs in barrels. Just sufficient salt to cure the 

 herring should be used, and no salt should remain undissolved in the barrels 

 after the herring are cured. The filling-up of the barrels should, he says, be 

 specially attended to. After sufficient time has elapsed for the fish to "pine " in 



