FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 159 



fish and the fish-oil trade, and of the condition of settlers and 

 fishermen in the various fishing districts, etc. 



In 1860 he utilized the steamer Napoleon III. for his 

 spring and summer trip in connection with the lighthouse 

 service, which it performed for the Board of Public Works. The 

 autumn trip was again per schooner La Canadienne. It was 

 while returning in the month of November of the following 

 season, on board the same vessel, from taking the census on 

 the North Shore, that La Canadienne was wrecked. 



From 1867 to 1874, and again from 1878 to 1887, Dr. 

 Fortin represented the County of Gaspe in the House of 

 Commons at Ottawa, and from 1887 to the time of his death 

 in 1888, he was a member of the Senate. He also represented 

 the County of Gaspe in the Legislative Assembly of the Pro- 

 vince of Quebec from 1867 to 1878, and was Speaker of that 

 House from 1873 to 1876. From February, 1873, to Septem- 

 ber, 1874, he was also Commissioner of Crown Lands of the 

 Province of Quebec. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FISHERIES BRANCH. 



Meanwhile, in 1858, the Fisheries Branch of the Depart- 

 ment of Crown Lands of the Old Province of Canada was 

 organized, with Mr. W. F. Whitcher at its head, authorized 

 to conduct the entire business relating to fisheries and 

 riparian lands, islands, beaches, deep water lots, rivers, etc., 

 disposable in connection therewith, throughout Upper and 

 Lower Canada. 



This original Fisheries Branch of the Crown Lands 

 Department was organized in virtue of the Acts 20 Viet., ch. 

 21, and 22, Viet., ch. 86, assented to on the 10th June, 1857, 

 and the 16th August, 1858, respectively, the latter of which 

 authorized the Governor-in-Council to grant special fishing 

 leases and licenses on lands belonging to the Crown, for any 

 term not exceeding nine years, and also to make necessary 

 regulations for the better management and protection of the 

 Fisheries. The appointment of superintendents of Fisheries 



