AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1739 



fish ; they average about three fares a year, consume, annually, 81,170 hotheads Halt ; the 

 average cost of these vessels is about $4,000 each ; the average price of these finh at foreign 

 markets is $6 per quintal ; these vessels also make from their fish, annually, 17,520 barrel* 

 of oil, which commands about $10 per barrel ; their equipments cost about $900 annually, 

 exclusive of salt. 



The 648 vessels that fish at the Labrador and bay, I pnt down 48,600 tons, navigated by 

 5,832 men and boys ; they take and cure, annually, 648,000 quintals of fish ; they go but 

 one fare a year ; consume, annually, 97,200 hogsheads of Halt. The avenge costofthem 

 vessels is about $1,600 ; the cost of their equipments, provisions, &c,, is $I,0">0. Those de- 

 scriptions of vessels are not so valuable as the Bankers, more particularly those that go from 

 the district of Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, as they are mostly sloops of no very 

 great value. Most of these vessels cure a 'part of their fish where they catch them on the 

 beach, rocks, etc., and the rest after they return home. Several cargoes of dry fish are hip- 

 ped yearly from the Labrador direct for Europe. The usual markets for those fish are in the 

 Mediterranean, say Alicant, Leghorn, Naples, Marseilles, Arc., as those markets prefer small 

 fish, and the greatest part of the fish caught up the bay and Labrador are very small. The 

 average price of these fish at the market they are disposed of is $5. These vessels also make 

 from their fish about 20,000 barrels of oil, which always meets a ready sale and at handsome 

 prices, say from $8 to $12 per barrel ; the most of it is consumed in the United States. 



1,232 vessels employed in the Bank, bay, and Labrador fisheries, meas- 

 uring 85,140 tons. 



Number of men they are navigated by 10,459 



Number of hogsheads salt they consume - 178,370 hha.. 



Quantity offish they take and cure 1,158,700 quintals. 



Barrels of oil they make 37,520 barrels. 



There are also a description of vessels called jiggers or small schooners, of about 30 to 45 

 tons, that fish in the South Channel, on the Shoals and Cape Sables, their number 300 ; they 

 carry about 4 or 5 hands, say 1,200 men, and take about 75,000 quintals of fish, annually ; 

 consume 12,000 hogsheads of salt, and make about 4,000 barrels of oil ; their fish is gen- 

 erally sold for the Wst Indies and home consumption. 



There are another description of fishing vessels commonly called Chebacco Boats or Pink 

 Sterns ; their number 600; they are from 10 to 23 tons, and carry two men and one boy 

 each, say, 1,800 hands ; they consume 15,000 hhds. of salt, and take and cure 120,000 quin- 

 tals offish, annually. These fish also are wholly used for home and West India market, 

 except the very first they take early in the spring, which are very nice indeed, and are sent 

 to the Bilbao market in Spain, where they always bring a great price ; they make 9,000 bar- 

 rels of oil ; these vessels measure about 10,300 tons. 



There are also about 200 schooners employed in the mackerel fishery, measuring 8,00 

 tons, they carry 1,600 men and boys, they take 50,000 barrels, annually, and consume 6,00" 

 hhds. salt. 



The alewive, shad, salmon, and herring fishery is also immense, and consumes a great 

 quantity of salt. 



Whole number of fishing- vessels of all descriptions 2, 332. 



Measuring 115,940 tons. 



Number of men navigated by 1:", 059 



Salt they consume 265,37 



Quantity of fish they take and cure 1,353, 700 quintals. 



Number of barrels of oil 50,520 barrel*. 



Number of barrels of mackerel 50. 000 barrels. 



There are many gentlemen who assert, and roundly, too, thrtt one year there were at t 

 Labrador and bay, over 1,700 sail beside the bankers; but I feel very confident they are 

 much mistaken, it is impossible it can be correct. 



Then Mr. Adams gives the authority of his approbation, at page lii 

 to the following statements from " Coiquhoun's Treatise on the Wealth, 

 Power, and Resources of the British Empire," second edit., 1813. 



The value of these fisheries, in table No. 8, page 36, is estimated at 7, 550, 000 sterling. 



"New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, from being both watered by the Bay of Ftindy, en 

 advantages over Canada, which more than compensate a greater sterility of soil, 

 are to be traced to the valuable and extensive fisheries in the Bay of Fundy, whicli 

 of abundance and variety of the finest fish, exceed all calculation, and may be cons 

 a mine of gold a treasure which cannot be estimated too high, since with lil 

 paratively speaking, enough could be obtained to feed all Europe." (pp. 31 



Since the trade with the United States has been so greatly obstructed, the pro 

 fisheries in the British colonies, thus encouraged by the removal of all comp 

 greatly augmented ; and nothing but a more extended population is requn 

 valuable branch of trade almost to any given extent. 



