398 
Part III. — Ninth Annual Beport 
run of fish on the Frazer Kiver. No less than 20,122,128 1-lb. tins were 
packed, of the value of 2,414,655 dols.— an increase of 11,288,184 lbs. 
over 1888. In the Appendices there are special reports on the saw-dust 
nuisance, and on the fish-breeding operations throughout the Dominion. 
The lumber-mills along the banks of certain rivers pour immense quan- 
tities of saw-dust into the rivers, with great alleged detriment to the 
fishings. 
III. NEWFOUNDLAND. 
In last year's Keport it was stated that the Government of Newfound- 
land had established a hatchery at Dildo Island for lobsters and cod, 
under the charge of Mr A. Nielsen, Superintendent of Fisheries. In 
their Report for 1890 the Commissioners describe the operations carried 
on by Mr Nielsen at the hatchery last year.* The hatchery is capable 
of turning out 300 millions of young cod every season ; but owing 
to the remarkably low temperature in the spring of 1890, spawning 
cod were not caught until late in June, and this circumstance pre- 
vented the hatchery working up to its full capacity. Nevertheless, 
Mr Nielsen succeeded in hatching in July 17,000,000 cod, which were 
planted in the waters of Trinity Bay. In the autumn it was reported by 
the fishermen that they repeatedly saw large shoals of very small cod-fish, 
from 1 to 2 inches long, such as they had never seen before, and Mr 
Nielsen has no doubt that these represent the fry planted in the summer. 
The Commissioners naturally regard the result as * satisfactory and en- 
' couraging, and as affording abundant warrant for perseverance.' They 
also point out that ' the highest authorities are becoming more and more 
' unanimous as to the desirability of the artificial propagation of cod and 
' other marine food-fishes by the million wherever the waters have been 
' exhausted,' and that such measures are more important than restrictive or 
protective measures. The number of lobster ova hatched, and the young 
planted in Newfoundland waters in the course of last year, was 406,005,300. 
Part of these were hatched at the Dildo Laboratory, and part in floating 
incubators at certain parts of the coast. It is proposed to enclose a large 
area of salt water, called Holyrood Pond, and to transform it into a sea- 
fish preserve. Mr Nielsen points out the difficulties regarding the insti- 
tution of a minimum size for lobsters, and suggests that the immature 
individuals may be best protected by dealing with the instrument of 
capture — the lobster-pot. An attempt is also to be made to test whether 
it would pay to introduce Newfoundland live lobsters to the British 
markets. 
A number of other investigations have been undertaken by Mr Nielsen 
regarding the cure and exportation of herring, the canning of caplin, the 
use of periwinkles as bait, &c. The Fisheries Commission also issued a 
Eeport by Mr Nielsen on 'The Cure of Cod-fish and Herrings,',! containing 
descriptions of the various methods employed in different countries in the 
cure and preparation of those fish. Two thousand copies were circulated 
among those engaged in the fisheries. 
IV. NEW SOUTH WALES. 
In this Colony a fully-organised Fishery Department has been in 
existence for some years. By the courtesy of Mr Lindsay Thompson, the 
* Annv/il Report of the Newfoundlavd FisTieries Commission for the Year 1890, 
St John's, Newfoundland, 1891. 
t The Cure of Cod-Fish and Herrings, by Mr A. Nielsen, St John's, Newfound- 
land, 1890. 
