FISH AND FISHERIES, 143 
CHAPTER XII. 
The Development of our Fisheries. 
THE following valuable and most suggestive observations are taken 
almost verbatim from the Report of the Royal Commission. It is not 
too much to say that nothing at all equal to them has been published in 
the Colonies. They comprise information from the most competent and 
most experienced persons on the subject of Fisheries which the Colony 
possesses. It is to be hoped that they will be studied, and made use of 
by those engaged in the fishing industry. 
We proceed then to offer a few suggestions as to the best mode of 
utilizing and improving the vast resources which the sea offers us. 
Fisheries are of two classes—those which are undertaken for the supply 
of the daily demand, and those which are undertaken at fixed periods, 
and for a short time only. To the first of these we shall give the name 
of “Ordinary Fisheries,” to the other “Special Fisheries.” The 
“Ordinary Fisheries” may be divided into “deep sea or line fisheries” 
and “ harbour or net fisheries.” 
Deep sea fishing is at present carried on in open boats, manned gener- 
ally by three fishermen. These people have no means of preserving 
from putrefaction the fish they catch, so that there is no temptation to 
them to go out to any of the many fishing-grounds off the coast, even if 
the description of boat in use were fitted for that purpose. But the 
very reverse is the case. The boats are small, afford no comfort or 
protection from wind and weather to the crew, and in fact cannot be 
used with safety except on a fine day and in close proximity to the land. 
Suggestions have often been made for the employment of decked boats 
of considerable size, with a well for the reception of the fish—a kind of 
vessel much used in the Channel and North Sea fisheries of England ; 
and we believe one or two such boats have actually been tried here, but 
entirely without success. Our fishes it would seem, the schnapper more 
particularly, will not survive in the well above a very short time, and 
are found to be bruised and made unfit for food by the process. 
The general use of ice, and the cheapness of its production, render 
now unnecessary such expedients as well-boats. Strong roomy vessels 
of 100 to 150 tons burden, with moderate steam-power and a good ice- 
house, and manned by ten or twelve fishermen, are what is best suited 
to our climate and coast. It might be unnezessary to have these fish- 
ing-vessels so large, or it might be advantageous to increase their 
tonnage; these are matters of detail not necessary for our purpose, 
which is merely to point out how our best fishing-grounds can be reached 
with comfort and safety to the fishermen and secure the perfect preser- 
vation from putridity of the fish. The steam-power, which would be 
only used as an auxiliary in going out to and in from the fishing-grounds 
when the winds were light or unfavourable, should be equal to a speed 
of at least 6 knots an hour. The engines and all connected with the 
victualling and bedding of the crew should be in the stern of the vessel, 
and the forepart, both on deck and beneath, should be given up entirely 
to the curative processes for the fish caught and for the ice-house. 
