Essentially an Arctic fish, the common halibut lives in the coldest wa- 

 ters of the Atlantic and Pacific. In the latter ocean, it is the object of a 

 fishery of the first importance in the coastal waters of Alaska. In the At- 

 lantic, it is found on the coasts of Europe from Iceland to the English Chan- 

 nel. But it is in the places of the great gatherings of cod that this species 

 is found most prevalent. Its geographic range corresponds very nearly to 

 that of the cod, with its maximum density in the coldest waters. 



Strictly a bottom fish, as are all the Pleuronectidae, the halibut is 

 characterized, as are other flounders, by its ability for mimicism, which 

 is, among this group, raised to the highest degree. A halibut lying on the 

 mud is almost black. If it happens to be on a sandy bottom, its dominant 

 color lightens instantly to agree with this new bottom. 



The "Bailai" or false -halibut, which one finds on the same fishing 

 grounds as the halibut, is distinquished by its size which does not exceed 

 60 centimeters for a weight of 2 kilograms. With its mediocre eating qual- 

 ity, it does not present any interest for the fishery. 



The herring abounds in the coastal waters of Newfoundland where they 

 fish for it nearly all the year. Up to the present, its fishery has always 

 been neglected on the banks, where it abounds equally at certain times. It 

 plays an important role in the history of the great fishery of Newfoundland 

 because of its importance as bait, and in the controversies between the 

 French and Newfoundlanders concerning its capture which occurred in the 

 19th century. 



The capelin ( Gadus minutus ), valued equally during the centuries as a 

 bait of first quality, holds a fundamental place in the industry of cod fish- 

 ing, is a little fish of the family Salmonidae, with black back and white stom- 

 ach, a little larger than a sardine. Very abundant on the coasts of New- 

 foundland, it is taken in enormous quantities at the islands of St. Pierre and 

 Miquelon at the time of spawning when it comes to deposit its eggs in the 

 coves of these two islands, at the extreme edge of the shore. 



With a regularity rarely disturbed, the capelin run, until recently, ev- 

 erywhere anxiously awaited, commences between June 10 to 15 and lasts 

 about a month. The tide rolling up on the shore carries such quantities of 

 this little fish that the sea loses its green color to become milky, and as 

 the tide falls leaves thousands behind on the flats. These fish, rolled up on 



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