INTERIM REPORT 101 



son ends on July 1. I woxild like the fishing to open on November 1, but Dr. Pugs- 

 ley said he would almost fear asking for it to open so early. "We see a great many 

 spawn lobsters, two-thirds are females. There are just as many one time as another, 

 as we noticed no difference from December 15 to July 15 when we have had exten- 

 sions, some in mid-winter as middle of summer. We see light green and dark green 

 spawn at every time of the year. As to size I would rather see the lOJ-inch limit en- 

 forced as a uniform regulation in St. John and Charlotte Counties. Besides fishing I 

 farm as well. Only one man fishes salmon, Mr. Bradshaw, and I think he uses a Si- 

 inch mesh. Salmon are plenty for I see them all over the bay jumping, and good 

 hauls are made by Pisarinco boats which come up here about August 1. Salmon are 

 very thick in this bay. The streams along the shore are fuU of salmon now, at this 

 very time. Some large salmon occur, one of 24 pounds being killed in Tynmouth 

 creek. Small herring were plentiful this fall, and cart loads here were made into 

 manure, they were sardines. I have got big hake stranded on the west shore where I 

 live, the hake chasing the herring ashore to feed on them and both silver hake and 

 herring stranded. 



APPENDICES. 



APPENDIX No. 1. 



Recommendation made hy the Fishery Inspectors of the Dominion at a Conference 

 held in Ottawa, April 9, 1891, with extracts from the minntes of the Con- 

 ference. 



That a close time for shad be established for Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Bruns- 

 wick, and Prince Edward Island, from March 1 to June 20, with weekly close time, 

 as at present. 



The regulation now in force provides a weekl.v elo^e time for shad and gaspereaii 

 from sunset on Friday evening to sunrise on Monday morning; the fisheries within 

 the harbour of St. John, N.B., being, however, exempted from the above provision. 



It is held by many who have given this subject serious attention, that the above 

 close time is sufficient to properly protect the shad fisherj- ; and it is also claimed that 

 the exemption of St. John harbour from even the slight protection afforded by the 

 weekly close time is most injurious to the shad fishery in other localities. 



The Bay of Fundy, with its tributary rivers and streams, is par excellence the 

 shad fishing ground of the Dominion. In 1890 the catch amoimted to 6,438 barrels, 

 valued at upwards of $65,000. Of this quantity nearly one-half was taken in the 

 county of St. John, N.B., almost altogether in the harbour of St. John. 



Throughout the Dominion the catch of shad in 1890 was: — ■ 



Fresh shad 108,103 lbs. 



Pickled shad 6,728 brls. 



representing an aggregate value of upwards of $73,000. 



At various periods during the present century, the condition of the shad fishery 

 became a source of much uneasiness and concern to the fishermen of Nova Scotia and 

 New Brunswick. It has periodically, but at certain intervals, proved a total failure, 

 but again and again the fish returned to our shores in abundance : and it was not until 

 comparatively recent years that this fishery has showed continued signs of depletion, 

 and the urgent necessity of more stringent regulations forced itself upon the con- 

 victions of all observant and thoughtful fishermen. 



