of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
336 
In 1889, the last year for which statistics are given, 17,078 claims were 
paid ; the amount paid, on the basis of l.V dols. to vessels, and 3 dols. per 
man to boat fishermen, was 158,520 dols., which included claims for 1888 
held in abeyance. The number of vessels which received bounty in 1889 
was 833, with a tonnage of 32,716 tons, and the number of boats 16,230; 
the number of fishermen receiving bounty being 31,525. The total 
number of fishermen in vessels and boats who received bounties in 1889 
was 38,343. Since the year 1882 the total amount of bounty paid has 
been 1,253,262 dols. 
As might be expected from the vast area of the Dominion and the 
extent of its fisheries, many matters are described in the Report which can 
merely Be touched on here. The fisheries for white fish in the great Lake 
Winnipeg, complicated by circumstances connected with the Indians, who 
fish in it, are found to be decreasing, and certain measures are recom- 
mended by Mr Wilmot for their conservation. Regarding the herring 
industry, much is hoped for from the Report of the Special Commission, 
who investigated the cure and packing in this country and Holland,* 
and which has been circulated very widely. Opinions, especially regard- 
ing inspection, classification, and branding, were obtained from various 
Boards of Trade, Chambers of Commerce, &c, and were nearly all in 
favour of compulsory inspection of cure and quality, selection of herrings 
into grades, branding, &c. The principles of an Inspection Act are 
suggested as follows: — (1) That inspection of all herrings packed or im- 
ported shall be compulsory ; (2) that at least three grades of fish should 
be established ; (3) that a prescribed size and quality for the different 
packages be adopted, and that each package shall contain a required 
weight of fish, irrespective of salt or brine ; (4) that all herring below 
grade No. 3 should be branded ' Culls ' ; also that the inspectors should be 
appointed by the Federal Government, and fees paid by the packer or 
importer. It may be said that if the history of the great herring fisheries 
in Europe teaches anything, it is the paramount importance of the proper 
selection, curing, and packing of the pickled herring. 
Numerous recommendations have been made for the improvement of 
the lobster fishery — a fishery difficult to supervise from its remote and 
scattered operations. The following proposals have been made : — (1) A 
general close-time from 15th July to 1st January, both for fishing and 
canning ; (2) special additional close-times for canning or curing on the 
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, divided into three regions for the purpose, the 
open time being in each case a little more than one month ; (3) during 
the open season no restriction to be made as to the size of lobsters, canned 
or preserved ; (4) possession, sale, or use of ' berried ' females to be pro- 
hibited ; (5) no lobster to be caught under 9 inches (with the exception 
stated above) ; (6) the artificial propagation of lobsters. Attention is 
also directed to the unsatisfactory condition of the oyster beds, and 
measures suggested for their improvement ; and there are sections dealing 
with the Fisheries Protection Service, the Fishery Intelligence Bureau (for 
the collection and prompt dissemination of intelligence immediately useful 
to fishermen), on pound-nets, purse seines, &c. The Report by Lieutenant 
A. R. Gordon on the Fisheries Protection Service contains much interest- 
ing information and valuable recommendations, especially in the mackerel 
fishery, the lobster fishery, the bait question and fishery statistics, and a 
number of charts accompany the report. There is also a special report 
by Mr S. Wilmot, relative to the preservation of the white-fish fisheries of 
Lake Winnipeg. 
In the Report by Mr S. Wilmot, the Superintendent of Fish Culture, 
* Vide Eighth Annual Report, part iii, p. 364. 
