24 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



market them there in competition; but what we could do is to carry 

 out the object we now have in view. Since the outbreak of war, a 

 great many trawlers that formerly operated in the North sea have been 

 taken by the Admiralty. Some have been sunk, some are engaged as 

 mine sweepers, and this has caused a very perceptible drop in the fish 

 supply. In fact, the shortage, if I remember correctly, amounts to 

 60 per cent of the normal supply. When you have such a shortage 

 it is a very serious matter where fish is an important article of diet. 

 As the Imperial Government appealed to our Government to secure 

 supplies of fish in Canada to make up this shortage, we have sent over 

 samples of fish, some fresh frozen, but mostly prepared and frozen. 

 We hope that a market may be developed for some of our Canadian 

 fish, which are of very high quality. Our Canadian kippers, bloaters, 

 baddies and fillets, when properly cured, will compare favourably with 

 any and, if this tremendous shortage in Britain continues, we can sup- 

 ply the deficiency. It is simply a question of taking care of their 

 shortage during the war and possibly we may establish our product 

 in the English market to such an extent that there will be a preference 

 for at least some varieties. 



It is rather difficult to speak positively respecting transportation. 

 The times are abnormal, freight rates are increased by the war risk 

 and the charges for shipping in refrigeration or cold storage on board 

 steamers are practically three times what they were before the war. 

 At the present time the cost of transportation would not fall much 

 short of a cent a pound, shipping in refrigerator chambers, and you 

 have to add to that the insurance and war risk. 



Mr. Lefurgey: The main point is the . possibility of opening a 

 market in England for Canadian fish products, that are not now used 

 in the Old Country, and that opening a market under present condi- 

 tions might help us to establish a permanent market for the class of 

 fish which they have not used over there in the past. 



Prof. Prince referred to illegal fishing of certain fish products, 

 lobsters for instance, and to the general apathy of the public in regard 

 to illegal fishing. I do not think there is so much apathy of the general 

 public in regard to illegal fishing ; I think there is probably a little care- 

 lessness in regard to keeping to the regulations by the people who are 

 dependent largely for their living on the fisheries. The packers, the fish- 

 ermen and the people who are dependent upon them are the ones who 

 are careless about the regulations. This arises, I think, not so much 

 from an apathy or from a desire to evade the fishery regulations as 

 from the fact that in many localities, the regulations now in force do 



