14 



FISHING-GROUNDS OF NOETH AMERICA. 



The first three estimates given in the above table are exactly as Professor Hind states them ; 

 but the fourth estimate has been extracted from his enumeration of the entire French shore. Cape 

 Saint John to Cape Ray, via Cape Banld, which lies at the outer entrance to the Straits of Belle 

 Isle, on the Newfoundland side. The table given in his report on this region includes the entire 

 French shore in a single item. According to the same authority, the length of the fishing season 

 along the different portions of this coast and the mean date of arrival and departure of the cod 

 for the same are as follows : 



Table showing the approximate mean date of arrival of cod, mean date of departure, and mean length 

 of the fishing season for cod on the eastern side of Newfoundland. 



Lati- 

 tude. 



47 30 



48 20 



48 30 



50 00 



49 30 



51 00 

 51 30 



Locality. 



Conception Bay 



BonavistaBay 



Notre Dame Bay 



Cape Saint Jolin to Partridge Point 



White Bay 



Cape Eogne Harbor 



Cape Bauld to Cape Onion 



Mean date 

 of arrival. 



Mean date 



of close of 



fishing. 



Mean length 



of fishing 



Beason. 



Jane 1 

 Jnne 10 

 June 20 

 June 20 

 Jnne 10 

 June 10 

 June 20 



Nov. 20 

 Nov. 10 

 Nov. 10 

 Nov. 1 

 Nov. 1 

 Nov. 1 

 Oct. 20 



143 days. 



With reference to the construction of this table Professor Hind says : " In framing these 

 tables IJiave been careful to eliminate extreme seasons, for the cod have been known to approach 

 the shore during an exceptionally early season a fortnight or three weeks sooner than during the 

 average of years. Although squid are abundant along the entire eastern coast, they are prin- 

 cipally taken as bait to sell to the United States bank fishermen, toward the southeastern extremity 

 of the island, in Conception, Trinity, and Bonavista Bays. Within the past few years this region 

 has also been resorted to by a few American vessels, who obtain cargoes of squid, principally by 

 purchase, to sell to the French fishermen at Saint Pierre. This traflQc has also been participated 

 in to some extent by the provincials, and small steamers have occasionally been employed to 

 collect cargoes at Conception and Trinity Bays, and, perhaps, farther north. Capelin also abound 

 between Saiut Johns and Cape Race, and are taken by the natives for the same purpose as the 

 squid. The principal localities furnishing this bait are Saint John's, Broyle Harbor, and Bay of 

 Bulls.* The United States fishermen visit this coast only to obtain bait." 



Notwithstanding the privileges granted by the Washington treaty, and the award made by 

 the Halifax Commission in payment for the right to fish in these, as well as in the other, provincial 

 coast waters, United States fishermen have been frequently interfered with in the matter of fishing 

 for bait along the southeastern shores of Newfoundland, and the natives have even gone so far as 

 to refuse to sell bait to them, while at the same time they have threatened armed resistance to any 

 persons who should attempt to fish for bait in waters adjacent to the shores. This direct violation 

 of existing treaties has often resulted in the loss of much time to the fishermen, who bave been 

 obliged to go elsewhere in search of bait. 



THE SOUTHERN COAST. 



The fisheries carried on on the southern coast of Newfoundland are for cod, herring, capelin, 

 and squid, and to some extent also for halibut. Herring are taken by the natives to supply the 

 winter trade in frozen fish and to sell to the bank fishermen as bait, and for the latter purpose 

 capelin are also taken in large numbers. The shore fishing-grounds for cod extend along the entire 



