THE SMELTS 
259 
State 
1919 
1924 
Pounds 
Value 
Average 
price per 
pound 
Pounds 
Value 
Average 
price per 
pound 
523, 967 
$94,496 
$0. 180 
627, 707 
3,835 
37, 698 
7,860 
11, 300 
$137, 430 
1, 630 
9, 823 
1,592 
2,410 
$0. 219 
.425 
.260 
.202 
.213 
New Hampshire 
39, 150 
10, 690 
.273 
Connecticut 
25, 217 
4, 466 
.177 
Apparatus employed in the smelt fishery of coastal waters of the New England States, except Maine, in 
1888 and 1908 
Year and apparatus 
New Hampshire 
Massachusetts 
Rhode Island 
Connecticut 
Pounds 
Value 
Pounds 
Value 
Pounds 
Value 
Pounds 
Value 
1888 
Hand lines 
8, 000 
$897 
2,200 
7, 400 
$150 
620 
Seines 
19, 300 
42, 200 
$982 
2, 153 
Weirs, pound nets and trap nets 
1908 
Hand lines 
36,000 
$3, 600 
2, 800 
255 
13, 000 
3, 200 
2,200 
300 
— 
8, 600 
1,500 
1, 100 
100 
Weirs, pound nets and trap nets 
2, 600 
300 
1,200 
100 
Canada . — The smelt fishery of Canada has attained considerable magnitude. 
During the period from 1912 to 1923, both inclusive, the largest catch for the Do- 
minion was taken in 1914, when 9,038,900 pounds valued at $713,501, were recorded. 
The smallest catch was in 1923, when 5,811,800 pounds were taken, but the value 
was considerably greater, being $789,361, representing a gain of $75,860. 
The Canadian Provinces that support any smelt fishery are New Brunswick, 
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec in the east, and British Columbia 
on the west coast. In the east, also, Newfoundland appears to have entered the list 
of northern smelt-producing localities. The smelt of British Columbia is a different 
species from that of the east. The largest quantities are taken during months when 
there is little or no smelt fishing in the east, and compared with eastern fisheries it 
is of far less commercial importance. 
The smelt fishery of Canada first became of note in New Brunswick, and that 
Province is still paramount in the fishery. The profits realized by New Brunswick in 
this fishery could but impress other localities where smelts were obtainable, so later 
other Provinces became interested in the industry. 
The history of the development of the smelt fishery of eastern Canada is very 
interesting, but whatever has been published pertains largely to New Brunswick. 
Very little has been written concerning the other Provinces, and most of the data 
pertaining to them consist of statistics. 
In 1849 Perley (1850, p. 135) said: 
The smelt ( osmerus eperlanus of Cuvier, and osmerus viridescens of Agassiz), is found in exces- 
sive abundance in all the Rivers and Streams flowing into the Gulf. In the latter part of winter, 
when in the best condition, they are taken through holes in the ice, and at that season are a very 
great delicacy; they are then frequently called “ frost-fish.” Immediately after the ice disappears 
