30 



MARINE AND FISHERIES 



6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 



objectives 3 and 6, and ocular 3 being used. On comparison with each other no dif- 

 ferences could be observed in their minute structure as a result of their different 

 n^.odes of death. One would expect that there should be differences, but none could be 

 discovered by the methods which were employed. 



KILLING OF SEAL. 



An interesting result was obtained at St. John, N.B., at the instance of the fish- 

 ermen. They often lose many salmon, through the depredations of sea-lions or seal. 

 These animals regularly frequent weirs and kill numbers of the imprisoned fish. The 

 fishermen naturally wished to know if seals could be killed by dynamite. Fortunately 

 one of these animals happened to come up the harbour just as our other experiments 

 were concluded. The men rowed out, and a blast of two cartridges was thrown towards 

 the seal just as he dived, forty or fifty feet away. After disappearing under water 

 he must have swam towards the impending explosion. When the tide went out, 

 greatly to the delight of the fishermen, he was found dead sixty or seventy yards away. 

 A deep hollow in the mud marked the site of the blast. Blood was oozing from the 

 eyes, ears and nose of the animal. Evidently he had been killed by fracture of the 

 skull. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



1. A serious result was clearly brought out in many of the experiments. Largo 

 numbers of immature fish were killed. Not one-third of those which came to the 

 surface in fresh water could be sold in the market. Of course, immature fish are killed 

 in other ways. Thousands of young fish perish in weirs all along our coast after every 

 outgoing tide. Fishermen frequently leave thfem to rot upon the shore. The responsi- 

 bility for this terrible destruction of immature fish rests in the first place upon the 

 apathy and cupidity of the fishermen, and in the second place upon the Dominion 

 government for allowing the slaughter to continue. Fishermen should be compelled to 

 return immature fish to the sea, because so long as this destruction of young fislv is 

 permitted in netting, it is manifestly unfair and inconsistent to prohibit dynamite 

 fishing on the score of its wasteful destruction of immature fish. 



2. The second serious objection is the great waste due to the numbers which sink. 

 It would be hardly fair to generalize upon the experiments at Canso and St. John. 

 It is much safer to publish the facts, and the facts are that about one-third of the 

 cunner sink, and that three gaspereau sink for every one that floats. As regards 

 pollock, cod, salmon and other marketable fish, further investigation is necessary if a 

 general conclusion is worth having. 



3. Further investigation is necessary also to determine more accurately the effects 

 upon the microscopic life of our inland and marine waters, for such microscopic life is 

 a necessary part of the sustenance of the finny tribes. 



Kingston, August 9, 1902. 



