30 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



derive from their activities, as well as by the profits which accrue to 

 themselves and to the country from their industry. 



™ , , Work, having definite and important educational 



Department of values, has been done in recent years by the Dept. of 

 Fisheries Marine and Fisheries. The provision of better means 



of transporting fresh fish in good condition to the large centres of con- 

 sumption, and the information concerning, and illustrations of, good 

 cooking have increased the demand and thus tended to better the price 

 and enlarge the consumption. 



Educational Inspection, which helps to standardize packages, has 



Value of both a commercial value and an educational influence 



Inspection upon those who are connected with the occupation. 



That is all good work and in the right direction. It has been compara- 

 tively easy to do. It has had to deal with only a few people and these 

 usually all willing and anxious to have such things done. However, 

 great losses are still caused by careless handling of the fish, faulty 

 cleaning, imperfect curing and unsuitable packing. As instances of the 

 result of such methods the fact may be mentioned that, whereas Nor- 

 wegian mackerel sell for about $15 per barrel, Canadian mackerel, 

 quite as good when first taken from the water, sell for about $6 per 

 barrel. Scotch herring are in demand at from $10 to $15 per barrel, 

 while Canadian herring are in the market at from $3 to $4 per barrel. 

 The Norwegian and Scotch fishermen have had opportunities for prac- 

 tical training, in other words for education for their occupations, 

 whereas the Canadian fishermen have l^een left to follow antiquated 

 methods. 



jj , , They need and would readily accept and profit by such 



Modern forms of education as would develop intelligence. 



Methods ability and cooperating will in carrying out the pro- 



cesses connected with all these parts of their business. Present methods, 

 however, while they may have met past situations, are not suited to 

 present conditions of transportation and markets nor to the exacting 

 demands of present consumers. The recognition of a need for change 

 is itself a step in advance. That recognition has been frankly met by the 

 fishery authorities, by commercial interests and by consumers. There 

 is also coming into definite view a recognition by the fishermen them- 

 selves of a need for change in their methods. They, more than most 

 men, are slow of heart to believe in new methods and instinctively sus- 

 picious of the theoretical — as they think unpractical — and educated 

 leader. The problem now is how to catch the fisherman in the net of 



