UFI7BRSIT7 



THE SMOKED-HERRING INDUSTRY. 



Eastport and Lubec vessels, as well as those from other portions of the coast, visited the Magdalen 

 Islands and secured cargoes of herring, which were salted in bulk, as described in the chapter on 

 the Magdalen herring fisheries, and brought home to be smoked. During the war of the rebellion 

 there was an unusual demand for smoked fish, and Magdalen herring came to be an important 

 brand in the market. Since 18CG the herring have failed to visit these islands regularly, and ves- 

 sels resorting thither have frequently failed to secure cargoes, and many that formerly made yearly 

 trips to the Magdalen have filled their vessels from the other fisheries. The demand for herring has 

 also greatly diminished, so that the market isjsatisfied with a much smaller quantity than for- 

 merly, and the price has been proportionately lower. These facts have had their influence upon the 

 smoked hen ing industry of the entire country. Many of the towns have suffered heavily, East- 

 port and Lubec being perhaps less seriously affected than the others, though the smoking of Mag- 

 dalen herring has even there been practically discontinued. 



3. THE FISHERMEN AND CUREES. 



As already stated, herring smoking was, at first, confined to no particular class, for many of 

 the fishermen living in the locality where the fish were a.bund ut caught and smoked small quan- 

 tities in the fall for their own tables. As the business increased certain ones became more exten- 

 sively interested in the work. Some of these were professional fishermen, who followed hand-lining 

 from small boats or vessels during the summer months and devoted their attention to herring 

 smoking only in the fall, after the weather had become so stormy as to make their former occupa- 

 tion both dangerous and unprofitable. In many localities the farmers also engaged extensively in 

 herring smoking; and, after spending their summers in tilling the soil, they resorted to the inner 

 bays for the capture of herring, continuing the work till the close of the season. Some of them 

 built smoke-houses and carried on the business independently, while others worked together, 

 catching and smoking their fish in common, dividing them equally after the work had been com- 

 pleted. In some localities the business was followed chiefly by the professional fishermen, who 

 secured extra help during the height of the season, the laborers taking herring in pay for their 

 services. At the present time the smoking of herring is done chiefly by the semi-professional fish- 

 ermen. These usually-own small farms on which they raise sufficient produce for their own tables, 

 and in addition a small surplus which they dispose of in the locality. Tlw-y give some little atten- 

 tion to fishing during the early part of the season, but do not follow the business with any regu- 

 larity until the time for herring-smoking begins. The herring are present in some localities during 

 a greater part of the year, and the weirs are put in order about the last of May and fished occa- 

 sionally from that date, though the fishing does not practically begin till September. 



From this time till late in December the men give their entire attention to this work. Several 

 of them usually own and fish a weir in common, dividing equally the herring, which they smoke on 

 their own premises. In case a man is so unfortunate as to have no smoke-house of his own he 

 usually arranges with one of his neighbors to share his, giving a certain quantity of fish in pay- 

 ment for its use. 



4. METHODS OF THE FISHERY. 



TORCHING. Three methods are employed by the fishermen of the various localities for secur- 

 ing their supply of herring for the smoke-houses, namely, torching, weir fishing, and netting. The 

 first mentioned has been fully described in the chapter on the shore herring fisheries. It is the 

 oldest method and practically the only one employed to any extent prior to 1828. 



BRUSH WEIRS. The second and most important apparatus is the brush weir. This is also 



