THE ATLANTIC COAST OF LABEADOE. 9 



Government, publishe^d a report of considerable length on their extent and character. From this 

 report we have extrae^ the following more important facts concerning the region : 



" The fishing-gronnds on the Atlantic coast of Labrador as far north as Sandwich Bay have 

 been occapied to a greater or less extent for one hundred and twenty years. Those extending from 

 Sandwich Bay to Cape Harrison (Webeck) have also been visited by fishing craft for a generation 

 or more ; but north of Aillik, about forty miles from Cape Harrison, the coast has only been 

 frequented by Newfoundland codflshing craft during the last fifteen years. . . . 



" The leading characteristics of the coast northwest of Aillik are as follows : 



" 1. The shore line is deeply serrated by a constant succession of profound and narrow fiords, 

 stretching from thirty to fifty miles into the interior. 



" 2. It is fringed with a vast multitude of islands, forming a continuous archipelago from Cape 

 Hillete to Cape Mugford, averaging twenty miles in depth from the mouths of the fiords seaward, 



" 3. Outside of the islands, ana about fifteen miles seaward from shore, are numerous banks 

 and shoals, which form the great autumnal, spring, and summer feeding grounds of the cod; while 

 outside the shoals there appears to be a second range of banks, which are probably their winter 

 feeding ground. 



"4. The island-studded area forms an immense codflshing ground, which covers between 

 Cape Harrison (Webeck) and Cape Mugford a boat fishing-ground (exclusive of the banks or 

 fihoals outside) nearly as large as the combined area of the English and French boat fishing- 

 grounds on the chart of Newfoundland. 



"For the sake of distinction, I have styled the area under review 'The Northern Labrador 

 fishing-grounds,' beginning at Cape Harrison (Webeck), and, for the present at least, terminating 

 at Cape Mugford." 



The following table by Professor Hind shows approximately the area of the boat fishing-grounds 

 about the island of Newfoundland, as compared with those of Northern Labrador. From this 

 table it will be seen that the area of the Northern Labrador fishing-grounds alone, exclusive of 

 the banks, is equal to about five-sixths the entire area of the British and French boat fishing- 

 grounds on the coast of Newfoundland. The area of the inner range of banks cannot be even 

 approximately stated. 



Comparative table of the Northern Labrador and Newfoundland FisMng-Grmmd areas. 



[In geographical square miles.] 

 Cape Harrison to Mugford, 260 miles, average 20 miles deep 5,200 



newfoundlajStd boat fishery. 



French shore, Cape Saint John via Cape Bauld to Cape Eay, 696 miles, by 3 miles deep, 



shore boat fishing 2 088 



South shore of Newfoundland hoat fishery. Cape Eay to Cape Race, 573 miles, by 3 miles 



deep, shore fishery 1719 



East shore of Newfoundland hoat fishery. Cape Race to Cape Bonavista, 294 miles, 3 miles 



deep, shore fishery __ ggg 



Northeast shore of Newfoundland boat fishery, Cape Bonavista to Cape Saint John, 225 



miles, 3 miles deep, shore fishery 675 



Northeast shore of Newfoundland boat fishery, among islands in Bonavista Bay and Bay of 



Notre Damo, 120 miles, 7 miles deep 840 



Area of British Newfoundland boat fishery ~4~116 



Area of French Newfoundland boat fishery g 088 



Total area of Newfoundland boat fishery 6 204 



Area of Northern Labrador boat fishery. Cape Harrison to Mugford "i^ioO 



