244 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



The coast line of the Atlantic provinces, from the Bay 

 of Fundy to the Straits of Belle Isle, without taking into 

 account the lesser bays and indentations, measures over 5000 

 miles ; and along this great stretch are to be found innumer- 

 able natural harbors and coves, in many of which valuable 

 fish are taken in considerable quantities with little effort. 



On the Pacific coast, the province of British Columbia, 

 owing to its immense number of islands, bays and fiords, 

 which form safe and easily accessible harbors, has a sea- 

 washed shore of 7,000 miles. 



Along this shore and within the limits of the territorial 

 waters, there are fish and mammals in greater abundance, 

 probably, than anywhere else in the whole world. 



In addition to this immense salt-water fishing area, 

 Canada has in its numerous lakes no less than 220,000 square 

 miles of fresh water, abundantly stocked with many species 

 of excellent food fishes. In this connection, it may be 

 pointed out that the area of the distinctly Canadian waters 

 of what are known as the Great Lakes Superior, Huron, 

 Erie and Ontario forms only one-fifth part of the total 

 area of the larger fresh-water lakes of Canada. 



The fisheries of the Atlantic coast may be divided into 

 two distinct classes : the deep-sea, and the inshore or coastal 

 fisheries. 



The deep sea fishery is pursued in vessels of from 40 to 

 100 tons, carrying crews of from 12 to 20 men. The fishing 

 grounds worked on are the several banks, which lie from 20 

 to 90 miles off the Canadian coast. The style of fishing is 

 that of "trawling" by hook and line. The bait used is chiefly 

 herring, squid and capelin ; and the fish taken are principally 

 cod, haddock, hake, pollack and halibut. 



The inshore or coastal fishery is carried on in small 

 boats with crews of from two to three men ; also in a class 

 of small vessels with crews of from four to seven men. The 

 means of capture employed by boat fishermen are gill-nets, 



