126 FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 



most profitable branch of the Provincial trade with Europe, 

 the West Indies and South America. 



' ' It appears to your committee that the principal fisheries 

 in this province are the whale, the porpoise, the seal, the cod, 

 the salmon and the herring fisheries; mackerel and shad 

 have hitherto been taken in such small quantities as to be of 

 little account. 



"The whale fisheries are chiefly carried on in the Gulf 

 and River St. Lawrence, as far up as Green Island. The 

 seal fishery is principally carried on on the North Shore of 

 the St. Lawrence, and at the Magdalen Islands. The cod 

 fisheries (not including those of the Banks) are carried on at 

 Gaspe and the Bay des Chaleurs to a great extent, and along 

 the Banks of the St. Lawrence within the Inferior District 

 of Gaspe, and upwards, on the same shore, to Great and 

 Little Metis, as well as at some places lower than the Seven 

 Islands, on the North Shore, and at the Magdalen Islands. 

 The principal salmon fishery is at the Kiver Ristigouche, at 

 the head of the Bay des Chaleurs; there are others in the 

 different rivers falling into the Bays des Chaleurs and Gaspe, 

 and at most of the rivers from thence up along the St. Law- 

 rence to the South River, which empties into the St. Lawrence 

 at St. Thomas, on the South Shore ; and on the North Shore, 

 from Malbaie downwards, at every considerable river. The 

 herring fishery is carried on throughout the district of Gaspe, 

 and along the South Shore of the St. Lawrence as far up as 

 Kamouraska, and at the Magdalen Islands. That of the por- 

 poise is chiefly in the River St. Lawrence, between the River 

 Ouelle and the River du Loup, and at Murray Bay, or there- 

 about. 



"The places to which the fish are for the most part ex- 

 ported are as follows: 



"Codfish to Europe and the West Indies, a part to the 

 United States by the Inland Navigation, and to Upper Can- 

 ada. 



' ' Salmon is exported principally to Europe and the West 

 Indies. Herring also to the West Indies. A great part of 



