48 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



been almost criminal, for it has not only ruined the rivers and injured 

 fish life but it has thrown away material which, to give one example, 

 could have produced ethyl alcohol of high proof at a very low rate, 

 one-third the cost of the production of alcohol from grain. 



_., .- ^. It seems to me the time has arrived when we should 



Classification . , , . . 



of Unutilized P^Y attention to the waste products of our waters and 



Aquatic turn them to profitable account. My subject does not 



only refer to fish, but to all the products of the sea 

 and of our waters generally, which may be turned to profitable account, 

 but which have not hitherto been utilized. These products may be 

 separated under three headings: first, aquatic products at present 

 utilized but of which the value could be vastly increased by better 

 handling; second, aquatic products which are recognized as utilizable 

 but which are not yet turned to account; and third, aquatic products 

 whose value has not been recognized generally as of any importance. 

 The terrible war now raging has called attention to the subject of turn- 

 ing to account all our resources, and fish products and food products 

 generally are likely to realize very much enhanced prices as they 

 become scarcer, so that we ought to take into account all the possibili- 

 ties of our aquatic industries. 



Reorganization of Herring Industry 



I should like to say a word or two about the herring and may say 

 first that the so-called lake herring are of course not herring at all. It 

 was suggested a few years ago that a Scottish herring industry might 

 be inaugurated upon the Great lakes. That, of course, is impossible 

 because the so-called lake herring are really a small species of white- 

 fish and wholly unsuited to the Scottish herring methods. The herring 

 industry of the British Isles is one of very great importance. The 

 Scottish herring industry in 1912 reported a catch of 250,000 tons 

 which brought no less than $10,438,770 or about one-third the total 

 value of our whole Canadian fisheries. As Dominion Commissioner 

 of Fisheries I have felt for many years the paramount importance of 

 reorganizing our herring fisheries in Canada on the lines of the British 

 and Scottish industries and many of you know that I have had some- 

 thing to do with the bringing out of Mr. Cowie, in accordance with 

 a plan which was cordially approved by the Minister of Marine. He 

 brought out a steam herring drifter and crew, with a staff of girls for 

 cleaning, selecting and packing the herring. Most of you know the 

 result of Mr. Cowie's work. 



