﻿FISH-SCRAP FERTILIZER INDUSTRY OF ATLANTIC COAST. 17 



fishermen and the consensus of opinion there that their destruction is 

 imperative. The insistence that State or Federal initiative be ap- 

 plied toward their destruction combined with a realization of their 

 utility when captured may possibly lead to their large use as a source 

 of fertilizer. 



In 1904 the Canadian Government brought about the erection of 

 three plants for the rendering of dogfish, one at Clarks Harbor, one 

 at Canso, Nova Scotia, and the other at Shippigan, on Chaleur Bay, 

 New Brunswick. These were operated on the basis of Government 

 ownership of rendering plant, and cash payments to the fishermen, 

 by the ton, for dogfish delivered at the docks. 



With regard to one of these plants the Massachusetts Board of 

 Fish Commissioners has to say : 1 



This establishment * * * was designed to reduce about 10 tons of dogfish 

 or fish offal daily. The machinery used * * * is of the type generally used 

 in the menhaden factories in this country, and with certain modifications in the 

 whale factories of Newfoundland. At the time of beginning operations, Mr. Cox 

 was obliged to make a week's trip among the fishermen to explain the plan 

 and to induce them to bring in the dogfish caught. As soon as shipments began 

 to come from points outside of Canso, e. g., Ariehat, Petit de Grat, etc., the 

 Causo fishermen began to save their dogfish. The result was a great surprise 

 to all. It had not been realized how many dogfish had been hooked and thrown 

 overboard again. One of the fishermen had two trawls set with 1,500 hooks on 

 each. He tended the first trawl as soon as the second trawl was set, and nearly 

 every hook had a dogfish. On October 2, in spite of the fact that notice had been 

 sent out the two days previous that, on account of the overwhelming quantities 

 which came in, no dogfish would be received until October 4, we saw eight 

 loads from steamers, small schooners, and dories brought and landed upon the 

 dock. Three dories brought 7 tons, three small schooners brought 17 tons, 

 and one small steamer brought 8 tons, a total of 32 tons. The price paid for 

 the fish delivered on the dock was at that time $6 per ton if livered and $5 if 

 unlivered. These prices include the livers. Even at $4 per ton the dogfish 

 would have been a bonanza for the fishermen. Two men in a dory could easily 

 make $7 to $8 a day per man catching dogfish within 1 mile of their homes. 



With regard to the success and present status of these Government- 

 owned rendering plants, the deputy minister of marine and fisheries 

 of the Dominion of Canada, under date of February 21, 1913, has 

 to say : 



As the dogfish became a very serious menace to the successful operation of 

 the fishermen, it was decided in 1904 to test the feasibility of combating the 

 nuisance they caused by converting them into fish scrap and oil. To this end 

 three reduction works were established, which were equipped with machinery 

 manufactured by the American Process Co., of New York. It was the hope of 

 the department that it could be shown that the utilization of dogfish in such 

 a way could be made to pay and that private enterprise would after a few 

 years take up the venture. The works have been operated only during the 



1 Keport of the Commissioners on Fisheries and Game. Damage Caused to the Fish- 

 eries of Massachusetts by Dogfish During the Year 1905. 

 5781°— 13 3 



