102 SHAD FISHERY vnU MIssJOX 



In 1875 the value of the. shad fishery of tlie Djominion reached $133,375.20. In 

 1880 it stood at $89,429.15. In 1884 it fell to $74,058.41, but rose during the follow- 

 ing season of 1885 to the phenomenal value of $149,174.90. In 1886 it fell to 

 $109,896.60; in 1888 to $70,355, and in 1889 to $58,364.80. 



With an increasing scarcity, the price of this fish gradually rose until what was 

 not very long ago an important article of diet among the poorer classes of the popula- 

 tion, has now become comparatively scarce. The fish which sold at $6, $7 and $8 a 

 barrel, now fetch $12 and $14. 



The shad is essentially a salt water fish. Its annual migrations northward and 

 into the mouths of our rivers have been ascribed to various causes, the most acceptable 

 theory being that there is a certain temperature of the water in which fish of migratory 

 instincts prefer to live, and that they aim to occupy a hydrothermal area of this special 

 temperature ; hence the movement of those fish in the spring months and early summer 

 from the warm waters of the Atlantic off Florida and South Carolina as far north as 

 the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



Shad enter the Bay of Fundy about the middle of May, proceeding up the rivers 

 and streams and returning to the salt water in August or by the latter part of July. 

 They are then thin, emaciated and weak, after spawning. The young ones move down 

 to the sea in September. 



One of the fishery overseers in Kings county says : — • 



'With regard to the general falling off in the shad fishery in the waters of the 

 Bay of Fundy, there is a loaal cause which I think must affect the fishing injuriously. 

 I refer to the practice of drifting for herring across the mouth of the bay. Usually, 

 every summei', from six to eight vessels, each having at least two sets of nets, string 

 them two or three tiers deep right across the mouth of the bay. It appears to me that 

 this practice must have the effect of breaking up the schools, or turning them away, 

 when they go up through the Gut; they are thus lost to the bay.' 



Overseer Burnham, of Windsor, N.S., writing on the subject says : — 

 ' I believe that over-fishing is the principal cause of the decline of shad in the 

 Avon.' 



Mr. W. H. Rogers, late inspector of fisheries for iSTova Scotia, made several 

 reports on the subject; the gist of his remarks and conclusions being that over-fishing 

 was the real cause of the scarcity of the shad at the present time. 



Among several authenticated statements presented to the department in con- 

 nection with the decline of the above fishery in the Bay of Fundy, may be mentioned 

 the following: — • 



Casimir Bourque of Minudie, fished in 



1882 with 8 nets and caught 160 half-brls. of shad. 



1883 " 8 " " 100 " " " 



1884 " 8 " " 70 " " 



1885 " 16 " " 60 " " " 



1886 " 16 " " 30 " " " 



Wm. A. Downey, fisherman, also of Minudie, states that in 1882, his average 

 catch per net used each tide, was 55 shad. 



In 1883 it was only 10 



1884 " 6 



1885 " 4 



1886 " 3 



1887 " 3 



From the above statements, and reports, it is evident that the shad fishery has 

 much retrograded of late years, and it appears most desirable that efficient measures 

 be adopted to give it the necessary protection. 



