EFFECTS OF DYNAMITE EXPLOSIONS ON FISH LIFE 27 

 SESSIONAL PAPER No. 22a 



Experiment No. 3. 



Dynaiiiite, No. of sticks 2 



Depth of water, in fathoms 45 



Depth of dynamite down in water, fathoms 3 



No. of fish killed pollock 7 



Experiment No. 4. 



Dynamite, No. of sticks 4 



Depth of water, in fathoms 45 



Depth of dynamite down in water, fathoms 3 



No. of fish killed pollock 1 



In experiments 3 and 4 the pollock were schooling all around the boat, evidently 

 chasing squid, which could easily be seen in the water. The eight fish taken in ex- 

 periments 3 and 4 were all very large specimens. It was hoped that as the explosions 

 took place among considerable numbers of fish, a large ' catch ' would be obtained, but 

 such was not the case. 



Experiment No. 5. 



Dynamite, No. of sticks 2 



Depth of water, in fathoms 30 



Depth of dynamite down in water, fathoms Unknown. 



No. of fish killed pollock 8 



In this case the dynamite was simply dropped into the sea, but in most of the ex- 

 periments it was lowered a fixed distance by line. 



Experiment No. 6. 



Dynamite, No. of sticks 2 



Depth of water, in fathoms 30 



Depth of dynamite down in \\.ater, fathoms 30 



No. of fish killed 0 



The dynamite was attached to a heavy piece of iron and the explosion took place 

 at the bottom. There was no upheaval of water. The bubbles of gas, already alluded 

 to, came to the surface very quietly, and had to be closely watched for, in order to be 

 seen at all. This was characteristic of all the deep explosions. 



Experiment No. 7. 



Dynamite, No. of sticks. . ^ 2 



Depth of water, in fathoms 40 



Depth of dynamite down in water, fathoms Unknown. 



No. of fish killed pollock 5 



In this experiment it was at first supposed that no fish had been killed; but be- 

 tween fifteen and twenty minutes after the explosion, one fish was picked up; five 

 minutes later a second fish; a few minutes afterwards three more fish. They all ex- 

 hibited the same peculiarity, viz., that they made repeated and successful attempts to 

 descend into the water, but, within a few seconds they were compelled to come again 

 to the surface. 



