22 SHAD FIslIKltY roMMlSNlOX 



(3) 



Coi)!/ of letter from Messrs. Clarke Bros., Bear Elver, N.S., to 2Ir. ]Vltit)nan. 



July 27, 1908. 



Dear Sir, — We have your favour of the 22nd, and confirm the conversation this 

 p.m. regarding matters referred to therein. It occurs to us that in the near future you 

 are to have a commission meet in Annapolis in re shaJ and salmon fisheries. We are 

 not sure of the date, \n\t would be glad to attend that meeting if pos,sible, biit, fearing 

 wii shall be imable to do so, take this opportunity of drawing your attention to the 

 condition of our river at this point. It is probably known to you that in the early his- 

 tory of this place the Bear river was one of the best salmon rivers in the province. 

 They came up the river in great quantities and continued coming until stopped by 

 dams, &c. Since the closing down of the mills at the head of tide water and the 

 removal of dams in connection with these mills, there has been re-stocking with very 

 satisfactory results. Numbers of salmon have been seen in the river and it is known 

 that they have been seen in the lakes about the head waters of the stream some seven 

 miles up the river. This would indicate that, with proper facilities, there would be no 

 difficulty in having the fish frequent the streams as in former years. Our purpose in 

 calling attention to these matters is to point out that at the present time a dam in 

 connection with the granite works at the head of tide waters, stretches entirely across 

 the stream, that no provision has been made for the passage of fish, and that, however 

 many may come up the river, they are prevented from reaching the stream by the dam 

 aforesaid. 



If unable to be present, will you kindly lay this infornuUiou before your commis- 

 sion and urge that the necessary steps be taken to provide a proper fishway for the 

 passage of fish up and down this stream. We shall be glad to hear that you have been 

 able to impress the commission with the necessity of action along thi.s; line, and, thank- 

 ing you in anticipation, 



We remain, yours very truly, 



CLARKE BROS. 



Third Sitting. 



The Schooliiouse, Scott's Bay, King's County, August 3, 1908. 



After the usual formal remarks by the chairman (Prof. Prince), and Mr. S. F. 

 Morrison, the eommis.sion proceeded to take evidence. 



James M. Rogers, Scott's Bay, was the first witness. He had lived in the locality 

 about forty years. The fish taken are shad and herring, a few salmon, and long ago 

 menhaden or mossbonkers which stayed only a few years and disappeared sixty years 

 ago. 



The dift'erent kinds of gear used were (1) Sjiving nets, which were first used here 

 by a Halifax firm who brought sixteen boats some time before 1830. The spring net 

 is tied down and springs up at high water. (2) Sweep seines were first used by the son 

 of the first settler here. It was a 15 rod sweep seine and with it I helped to take 

 10,000 shad at one haul. (3) V-seines are set on stakes and may be half to three- 

 quarters of a mile around. They were first set in the thirties. (4) Pound net. One was 

 set for about three years, and a few were set down the shore towards Cape Split. 



Pormerly large takes of shad were secui'ed but during the last ten years they have 

 dwindled year by year. In 1842, there were big takes of .50.000 shad and in 1844, 



