March , 1954 Vol. 6 No. 9

[Mg -01 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANADA I

CONTENTS Islands MARCH, 1954 in the

FEATURES

Newfoundland Seal Hunt 3 Eighth Pacific Science Congress 6 Newfoundland's Changing Fleet 8

CANADIAN FISHERIES NEWS

Japanese Tuna Cleared 11 A F sels c. 11 Pacific Halibut Quotas was th 12 Canadian Commissioners set out 12 Research Board Directors Switch Posts of the Record B.C. Herring Catch 12 foundl Freda Lake Fishway 12 ocean Fishery Figures for January 14 dor. ' cleare to see]

FISHERIES NEWS FROM ABROAD terest Aims of United Kingdom White Fish Authority 16 sealin Development of Fishery Resources of India 17 five sl sealer

CURRENT READING 19 fax WI fisher that a also b

The contents of TRADE NEWS have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted although reference the the source would be appreciated. For further information regarding TRADE NEWS write to the to at St Director of Information and Educational Service, Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Can ada.

-2- Research worker tagging "white-coat".

Islanders Maintain Old Traditions 1 9 5 4 in the Annual The "Terra Nova" standing out from St. John's.

3 Newfoundland Seal Hunt 6 8 By MARK RONAYNE

FAR CRY from the Spring of 1857 when, his- The departure of the sealing fleet from St. 1 torians record, Newfoundland sent 400 ves- John's has always been a picturesque event and, al- selsA carrying 13,000 sealers to the sealfishery, though the fanfare has diminished somewhat with the

7 was the trio of Newfoundland motor vessels which years, such was again the case on March 6 when the set out for the traditional hunt in March, 1954. Two "Terra Nova," "Arctic Prowler" and "Arctic Seal- of these vessels, the "Terra Nova" and the "New- er," the latter two under Halifax registry, cleared foundlander," went to the "Front", the ice-capped for the hunt. Last minute visitors to the ships ocean off the east coast of Newfoundland and Labra- toasted the occasion with such time-honoured cries dor. The third vessel, the "James Spur r e 11 ," as "Bloody decks!"...."A bumper trip and a safe cleared from Curling on the west coast of the island return!" The waterfront was resonant with the fare- to seek a "trip of fat" in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. well cheers of several hundred people on the piers as the vessels, gaily clad in full dress of flags, Two other vessels ope r ate d by Halifax in- slipped their moorings and, amid a cacophony of terests but carrying Newfoundland masters and ships" whistles, sped through a light snowfall to- sealing crews also cleared from St. John's. These wards the keyhole-like entrance to this storied har- five ships signed on, altogether, approximately 263 bour, gateway to the Atlantic. sealers.

Once outside St. John's the sealers followed In addition, several other vessels from Hali- the "Cow path," the Islanders' term for the familiar fax were sche d u l e d to engage in the Gulf seal- s e al i n g lane which would take them north to the fishery, while reports reaching St. John's indicated Funk Islands and possible herds of seals. Failing that a fleet of about nine vessels from Norway would to find the seals in this area, as frequently happens, also be at the "Front". the ships maintained a northerly course through open water and icefloes in search of the herds. e ference Mr. Ronayne is Area Information Officer of The Newfoundland sealfishery centres around the Department of Fisheries of Canada, stationed to the two species of seals, the harp or "saddleback" at St. John's, Newfoundland. 7 da. (Phoca groenlandica) and the hood or "bladdernose" (Cystophora cristata). Their homes are within the and the fine leather manufactured from the hides of Arctic Circle, the hoods' on the east side of Green- adult seals. land and the harps' on the east side of Baffin Bay with a few on the west side of Greenland. As the season progresses, the breaking up of the icefields under the influence of winds and tides When the ice starts forming in these areas causes a segregation of the patches, the result being the 131 around September 20, the seals begin their long mi- that the sealers endeavour to locate them as quickly hull c gration which takes them down the coasts of Labra- as possible. In years gone by, the principal ingredi- "New:New: t dor and Newfoundland as far south as the Great Bank ents for a successful voyage were experience and her of Newfoundland. When passing the Strait of Belle luck, whereas nowadays the sealers are aided by seals Isle, the passage between Newfoundland and Labra- aerial surveys made immediately prior to, and for some time after, the opening of the hunt. But while this element of "by guess and by God" has been, to a. m. some extent removed, (opinions vary) the "ice hop- of Ed pers" still face hard work when they sign on for a strait voyage that may last a fortnight or a month. dor. was ( icefic EXTENSIVE RESEARCH Cove, By means of aerial surveys, supplemented by on-the-spot observations made on trips to the seal- fishery, the Fisheries Research Board of Canada more has compiled extensive data on this fishery in all more its phases. Further, as a result of informal dis- shipsv cussions between Canada, Norway, Denmark and vista France, standard opening dates for the killing of coast seals have been agreed upon. As announced by Hon. James Sinclair, Minister of Fisheries, on February 25, 1954, these are March 5 in the Gulf and March ice, 10 on the "Front". Prior to these opening dates, der t both sealing areas were patrolled by aircraft with prove Crew members heading for seal patch. Department of Fisheries personnel aboard. And tragi dor, some 01 the travelling mammals separate from In 1953 a total of seven vessels, including the the main bodies, proceeding through the strait and "Arctic Prowler" and the "Arctic Sealer", cleared down through the Gulf of St. Lawrence. from Newfoundland ports for the sealfishery. Their total landed catch was 80,336 pelts, consisting of ing v Richly fed in the bountiful southern waters, 189-1 fat and sleek, the seals start moving north again circ early in February. Towards the end of the month home they arrive once again in their natural environment the " of Arctic icefloes, 'bergs and "growlers" which, got j pressing relentlessly down from the north, gird this was part of Canada's east in fields of white during the casi( spring. ficul adva This is the "whelping ice" which the seals time mount to bear their young and which is a precarious other nursery for the pups until they are old enough to take to the water. It is during this period that the hunt takes place, the ships forging through the ice- less of fields in search of the herds and, on sighting them, durir the crew responding to the clarion command: "Over growtF the side, me blys!" sion "1 Grew member (left) signing on for trip to seal- tghreaynt: The harps, far outnumbering the hoods, may fishery places fingers on top of pen to signify be said to be the backbone of this industry. Sealers entry of his name in roll book. This old cus- tom is retained to avoid illegibility of signa- other claim that there are two bodies of harps, the turies "Southern Patch" and the "Northern Patch". The tures by having signing agent do all the writing. young of both species, called whitecoats, are prized for their fur and are the principal quarry. Other 74,615 young harps, 2,655 old harps, 798 young form important products of the fishery are the oil which hoods, 431 old hoods and 1, 837 bedlamers. (The Cur re: is extracted from the blubber of seals of all ages, term "bedlamer" is applied to a young seal, regard- weight

-4- hides of Newfoundland Vessel Lost At Sealfishery ing up of ind tides "Rafting" Arctic ice squeezing through Clarenville Shipyards and he was back at the ult being the bottleneck Strait of Belle Isle crushed the sealhunt again the following spring. 5 quickly hull of the Newfoundland sealing vessel M/V A dramatic moment of that voyage came ingredi- "Newfoundlander" on St. Patrick's day and sent when the M/V "Wimoda", owned by H.B. Dawe, mce and her to the bottom with her catch of about 7,000 . Cupids, was crushed by rafting ice and sank aided by seals. near Belle Isle, at the entrance to the strait. and for Her crew memb e r s were forced to set up .ut while The 440-ton vessel went down about 6.30 housekeeping on the icefloes until rescuers been, to a.m. , half a mile from the little fishing village could reach them. ice hop- of Eddie's Cove on the Newfoundland side of the an for a strait which separates the island from Labra- dor. When it became evident that the sealer Two other sealing ships south of Belle was doomed the crew of about 65 took to the Isle could see the castaways' campfire on the icefloes and made their way safely to Eddie's ice at night but could not punch through the Cove. heavy ice to pick them up. Captain Blackmore anted by pulled off the rescue by going around the north- ie seal- The ship's master, Captain Fred Black- ern end of the island. Canada more, son of owner Captain John H. Black- in all more, made arrangements to transport the The Strait of Belle Isle is a particularly al dis- shipwrecked sealers to their homes in Bona- treacherous sealing area. Icefloes forced into rk and vista and Trinity bays on the Island's northeast the strait under pressure of wind and current lling of coast. are subjected to terrific pressure as the strait >y Hon. narrows, particularly at the eastern end. Ves- .bruary Thus, once again the threat of "rafting" sels caught in this moving mass can only drift March ice, i.e. , pans of ice piling up in layers un- helplessly with it until a change of wind or cur- dates, der the pressure of winds and currents, has rent frees them. ft with proven a reality for a Newfoundland sealer. And for Captain J.H. Blackmore it was doubly Scarcely a year goes by in which one or tragic and ironic. more vessels at the sealfishery, both on the ing the "Front" of the Island (in the Northwest Atlantic) and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, are not lost or leared EARLIER LOSS Their severely damaged. Besides those mentioned On March 9, 1948, he lost his first seal- Ling of above, recent casualties include the M/V ing vessel, his particular pride and joy, the "Monica R. Walters" and another named the 189-ton M/V "J.H. Blackmore" under similar "Teazer" which were lost in the Gulf in 1948. circumstances . Sailing out of her owner's In the same year the M/V "Norma L. Conrad" hometown of Port Union, Trinity Bay, as was sustained heavy damages from ice at the the "Newfoundlander", the "J. H. Blackmore" "Front" but was towed to port. got jammed in heavy ice in Bonavista Bay and was crushed between ice and land. On that oc- On March 22, 1951, the M/V "Lady Mac- casion the crew experienced considerable dif- Donald" was stove in and sank in the Strait of ficulty in getting safely ashore. Despite his B e Ile Isle. On April 10 the 354-ton S.S. advanced age (he was in his seventies at the "Ranger", one of the last of the steam sealers, time) Captain Blackmore arranged to have an- succumbed to a raging storm off Baccalieu Is- other vessel, the "Newfoundlander", built at land on the east coast. (See also page 18.)

less of species, until it is about five years old, or old hoods, $4; bedlamers, $5. Last year crews of during what might be called the "teen-age" of the seven vessels mentioned above received shares growth. It is said to be a corruption of the expres- ranging from $44.72 per man to up to $175.07. These may be taken to be indications of the uncer- al- sion "bete de la mer," or "beast of the sea," which tainty of the hunt. Lify they were called by the Jersey and Breton immi- is - grants who settled along the Strait of Belle Isle and These individual "bills" were considerably la- other places in that general area in the early cen- turies following the discovery of the New World). augmented by the sale of "flippers," the seals' front ig4. paws, which make tasty dinners and pies. Flippers Shipboard hunters receive remuneration in the brought in by the first arrival home fetch as high as .oung form of a share of the total value of the ship's catch. $12 a dozen but the price declines to a third of that (The Current prices are: young harps, $8 per hundred- figure as other ships reach port and the increased ard- weight (112 lbs.); old harps, $4; young hoods, $9; supply has its inevitable devaluating effect. (Continued on page 18)

-5- A Canadian Delegate Reports On caught abandor would storage for ove

The Eighth Pacific Science Congress raising station ten fee . moved By JOHN P. TULLY There is no pasture land in the rice country, and eaten b' the hill country is too rough. The few oxen and wa- ponds, ter buffaloes are too valuable as work animals to be three ft WENT to the Eighth Pacific Science Congress in y used for food. It would help if there were more must b Manila in November, 1953. It was a great priv- ∎ fish, but this may not be the whole solution to the chang ilege to meet the 400 delegates from more than 40 pr oblem. wide sp3 countries. We compared notes and discussed prob- rice f a lems, and made personal friends of some of the In Mani 1 a my first job was to meet with a how". world's greatest scientists. panel of e x p e r t s , to help advise the countries it the Indo-Pacific Region, how to set up an oceano- This was a fabulous trip. I had a first-class graphic research programme to assist their fisher- air ticket with unlimited stop-over privileges, so I ies. The Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council had already used the opportunity to see as much oceanography been established by FAO to develop and modernize Here tI and fisheries as possible. I visited Hawaii, the these fisheries, by education, guidance, and tech- than in Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan. I was nical assistance. The fisheries are primitive and is for away nearly two months. I was an official delegate close to shore. They need oceanographic explora- "The d to the Congress, representing Canadian science in tion to find stocks of fish, and research to corre- (Thalia the field of oceanography. I was not representing late the movements of these stocks with the mon- which E the Canadian Government. I did not meet the am- soons. These people have no oceanographers and they u3 bassadors. Rather, I met scientists. I saw their no idea of how to set up an o c eanographic pro- 60,000 work. They gave me the greatest possible honour gramme. It was fairly obvious that they would have to the -- they took me to their homes to meet their famil- to hire some oceanographers from North America day. '1 ies. I met people, and saw how they lived. They or E u r op e to help them, and so it was recom- enough try. were wonderful. mended.

On November first I flew from Vancouver to VARIED TOPICS DISCUSSED Hawaii. In Honolulu, I studied the tuna research. oceano The next two weeks were filled with the Pacif- The Pacific Ocean Fisheries Investigation has com- a resul ic Science Congress, and trips to see the fisheries, bined oceanography and fisheries research. They organic agriculture, and science of the Philippines. No have been able to relate the occurrence of tuna to and the world-shaking discoveries were reported. The Con- the upwelling of deep water between the Equatorial source gress was devoted to the use of science to develoj Current and Counter Current. Then, because they have a food resources. The scientists were divided into could predict where and when upwelling would oc- land, a groups to hear papers on fisheries, oceanography, cur, they were able to locate new stocks of fish. Canada agriculture, forestry, geology, tropical medicine, This work is being extended into the northern mid- public health, and kindred topics. These papers Pacific Ocean. dealt mostly with the ways and means of improving partly After a week in "holiday-land" I went by way the harvests, the products, and conditions. All were in fam of Wake and Guam to the Philippines. Here I met a directly, or indirectly concerned with providing who cc new world. It was confusing at first, but presently more food, or better living for the people. The fa the basic picture became clear. South-east Asia is and till o v e r c r ow de d. There is not quite enough food Sea fisheries in the Philippines are small and The GI -- particularly protein. There is no top-soil. It primitive. There are a few traps, which are heart- -- a be has vanished under hundreds of years of over-farm- shaped enclosures made of bamboo poles set in the The se ing. Rice grows in the wet clay of the lowlands, mud of shallow bays. Long leads of bamboo poles and rig nourished on night-soil. Rice has less food value guide the fish into the vee of the heart. The traps pounds than the hard grains such as wheat, oats and barley. are serviced by double outrigger canoes, some of flesh a which have small motors. The small catch is seined used tc Dr. Tully is Oceanographer in Charge, or brailed from the traps each night, and marketed the vet Pacific Oceanographic Group, Pacific Biolog- in the immediate locality. corner ical Stati on, Fisheries Research Board of lates ; There is no offshore fishery. The U.S. Fish Canada, Nanaimo, B.C. combir and Wildlife Service demonstrated that tuna couldbe Thailal

-6- caught in the area. This 1 uc r ative fishery was Du r in g my two days in Hong Kong, I was abandoned by the Philippines because their people pleased and surprised to learn that fisheries re- would not eat the strange fish, and there are no search is a major concern in the colony. Refugees storage or processing facilities to prepare the fish from surrounding Red China have swelled the popu- for overseas trade. lation to more than double its pre-war level. The picturesque sailing junks operating in the harbour Some effort is being made to promote the approaches can no longer supply the demand for raising of fish in ponds. At a fisheries research fish. The Government is encouraging the installa- station near Manila, carp are hatched in ponds about tion of engines in the junks so that they can operate ten feet square. At the fingerling stage, they are farther offshore. It has also commissioned a small moved to larger ponds. When they are too big to be steel research ship to locate new fisheries for the try, and eaten by other adults they are moved to the rearing junks to exploit. and wa- ponds, which are about 100 yards square, and about ils to be three feet deep. These ponds are dug by hand, and e more JAPANESE METHODS must be alongside a river so that the water can be n to the changed from time to time. Such ponds are not My last ten days were spent in Japan where widespread because they are so expensive, and the the fisheries and research can only be described as rice farm e r s do not have the land or the "know t with a "terrific." The Japanese traps are made of nets how' tries in suspended from bamboo floats. The heart of the trap is a "pursed" seine. Every morning and even- 3Ceano- FISHERIES OF THAILAND fisher- ing the net is lifted by about 100 men. Eight boats already Early in December I went to Thailand (Siam). go into the trap and line up along one side. They de rnize Here the fisheries are considerably more advanced take up the seine net "hand over hand" working their tech- than in the Philippines. The principal sea fishery way across the trap till the fish are coralled in one ve and is f Dr mackerel in the Gulf of Thailand -- where small corner. The half- to five-ton catch of mack- cplora- "The dawn comes up like thunder, out of China erel, squid, sunfish and octopus, etc., is brailed corre- (Thailand) cross the Bay". They have bamboo traps into one of the boats. In Japan, "every fish is mon- which are serviced by sailing "junks." In addition, food." rs and they use purse seines from powered ships. About The boats are about 40 feet long and narrow; c pro- 60,000 pounds of fish are auctioned, and delivered they have a platform projecting over the bow, and d have to the Bangkok markets, before ten o'clock each the propeller in a tunnel to keep it clear of the nets. nerica day. This system is efficient but there are not The coastal tuna boats are longer, and the deep sea ecorn- ' enough sea fish to supply meat for the "back" coun- try. ships are 1000 to 1500 tons. All ships are powered, in excellent condition, and well manned. They haul I was asked to e x p 1 a in the organization of the nets and lines by hand because manpower is oceanography and fisheries research in Canada. As cheaper than machines for this purpose. Pacif- a result, a Joint Committee on Oceanography was eries, organized, in which fisheries, navy, meteorology, Fish provides practically all the protein for 3. No and the hydrographic service will pool their re- the Japanese. It is about one-quarter of the food Con- sources and problems. The Government wish to supply, and fishing and fish industries occupy about welop have a young Canadian oceanographer to go to Thai- one-third of the population. It is big business in d into land, and to send some of their graduate students to this country of 85,000,000 people. Every fisheries aphy, Canada. officer is a graduate of five years' study in one of .cine, the Universities of Fisheries, and is thoroughly apers I The "back" country protein problem is being trained in fishing methods. Every one of the 80 oving l partly solved by pond fish. The Thai farmers live prefectures has a fisheries research station work- were in family groups (compounds) of about 40 people, ing to improve the catch, methods, and use of fish. iding who cultivate rice in the surrounding low country. Even the meteorological and hydrographic services The farmers dig a pond about fifteen yards square and the Navy have oceanographic research sections. and three feet deep, which fills with ground water. There are more oceanographers and fisheries re- 1 and The Government provides a brood stock of Tilapia searche r s in Japan than there are in all North eart- -- a bony perch-like fish about ten inches in length. America. Their equipment is good and modern, n the These fish grow very quickly on a diet of pond algae and they are making research pay. Doles and rice bran. The farmers can take about 300 raps pounds of fish a month from the pond. They eat the Until recently there has been no thought of Le of flesh and feed the offal to a pig. The pig manure is conservation. All efforts are directed to locate and fined used to fertilize a kitchen garden. The waste from catch fish. They use echo sounders, and have de- eted the vegetables is thrown into a compost heap in the veloped a small Asdic (Sonar) to fit a 40 foot boat, corner of the pond. There it ferments and stimu- which is used to scout the fishing areas. The Jap- lates algae growth, which feeds the fish. This , anese range far afield, to catch fish wherever they Fish combined with rice growing, is mixed farming -- can be found. When they find a fish stock they ex- d be Thailand style. ploit it fully. (Continued on page 18) -7- merci A Single Vessel Can Now Operate as Purse Seiner, Long-liner, Dragger or Danish Seiner in for he

scene articl ing p Newfoundland' prese small tr a d fishir trap Changing ers enga subsi and 1 fast Fleet ies,

shore for 1 a1onE These winter fishing trips were more or less prov . experimental, Captain Smith explained. The idea has 1 was to get the vessel working and earning as quickly Cod being gaffed as it comes aboard. as possible while the remainder of her gear was being assembled for multi-purpose fishing. WIlr n try, fully rigged, the "Veteran Explorer" will be able mane OR THREE miles the tape winding off the fish- to engage in purse seining for herring, long-lining, a d v F ing vessel's depth recorder told of a ragged Danish seining, dragging and swordfishing. Final ods . ocean floor as broken, on a reduced scale, as the cost will be in the vicinity of $60, 000. attra crests of the rugged cliffs silhouetted in the distance idea: by the waxing sun. Then gradually the graph stopped LATEST DEVICES UTILIZED mune writhing and developed into a vertical line, indicat- ing a level bottom 84 fathoms below. All of these factors were taken into consider - ation when the keel was laid at Marystown, Placen- on t] tia Bay, in May, 1953, and in subsequent construc- For Captain Wallace Smith it also signified a s out tion and fitting stages. She is 59'11" in length, has likely place to catch codfish. "Look at that bottom," gain a 17-foot beam and an 8'6" hold depth. Her 170 h.p. he said. ti on: diesel engine can deliver up to 11 knots. Naviga- obta tional and fishing equipment include ship to shore "I bet you could play golf down there, it's so com fair," affirmed fisherman Mike Connolly. telephone, high speed echo-sounder with a range of 265 fathoms, which is said to be particularly suit- Ten minutes later c r e w m en on the M. V. able for locating schools of fish, an independent "Veteran Explorer" were paying outlong-lining gear deck engine to operate the long-lining gurdy, and a year as the v e s s el dodged slowly in the choppy seas power take-off from the main engine to operate vide stirred up by a wintry breeze. When all the lines other kinds of catching gear. fish , with their baited hooks had trailed out astern to sink mec fair to the bottom, and the last buoy and grapnel had Captain Wallace Smith, 53, is as versatile as splashed overboard, the "hands," with the excep- his boat. A Royal Navy veteran of World War 1, he muc tion of the man at the wheel, trooped into the galley has had considerable experience in the Newfound- two p 1 a for a warming cup of tea. land fisheries, particularly purse-seining, in which he gained first-hand experience during a visit to grot EXPERIMENTAL WORK British Columbia for this purpose. As master of The "Veteran Explorer", newest of Newfound- the M. V. "Western Explorer" he explored exten- land's burgeoning new fleet of 40-60 foot fishing sive areas of the Labrador coastline for herring. attr vessels, was not expected to produce optimum re- As the result of further exploratory work on the rest sults when she set out long-lining gear for the first west coast of Newfoundland, he discovered the vast vinc time off St. John's on January 10 this year. Nor herring schools in Port au Port Bay which, in re- stra were the subsequent trips off this east coast port cent years, have been the principal source of sup- pie)) and its unknown fishing potential expected to pro- ply for the Newfoundland Dehydrating Plant and her- ran duce bountifully paying catches. ring packers in nearby Bay of Islands. His corn-

-8- mercial fishing plans include experimental trips in 'for herring and other species.

1111116 The "arrival" on the Newfoundland fishing scene of the "Veteran Explorer" is featured in this article to illustrate the evolution that has been tak- d ing place in the Newfoundland fisheries during the present generation, a transition that has seen a small, but growing, number of fisherfolk break with tradition in favour of more modern methods of fishing. During this period the age-old Labrador trap fishery, in which every year scores of schoon- ers and large numbers of shore based fishermen engaged, has become but a shadow of its former substance. Similarly, the fabled Grand Banks hook and line fishery with its tall-rigged, white-winged, fast sailing schooners and picturesque nests of dor- ies, has all but faded into oblivion.

INSHORE FISHERY DIMINISHING Like a hardy perennial, the traditional "in- shore" cod fishery, which centres around small mo- tor boats, big traps and the annual glut of codfish along the coast, continues to employ the bulk of the or less province's fishing force. But this is a group that he idea has been diminishing with the years. quickly !ar was Expansion of the fresh fish processing indus- . When try, diversification of products with consequent de- be able mands for species other than the old reliable cod, -lining, advantages offered by mechanized fishing meth- Final ods ... these and other factors are slowly but surely attracting a segment of the fishing populace as new ideas are demonstrated to be practicable and re- munerative. isider- >la c en - Purse seining for herring and otter trawling istruc - on the fabulously rich banks off Newfoundland's h, has south coast were the first of the new methods to 0 h. p. gain in popularity. However, both of these opera- aviga- tions require heavy capital outlays. Fishermen may TOP: Fishermen baiting long-lining gear. shore obtain employment on such craft, but can hardly be- BELOW: Disentangling the trawl lines. inge of come owners of them. subsidies with a loan plan operated by the provincial r s uit- Government, to make capital assistance available mdent The introduction to Newfoundland, in recent to the fishermen. and a years, of long-lining and Danish seining has pro- perate vided a better opportunity for ambitious, energetic Since 1950 an extensive exploratory fishing fishermen to outfit for themselves along modern, programme has been carried out in both inshore and mechanized lines. While both operations are still offshore waters by the provincial Department of tile as fairly costly, the capital investment required is Fisheries and by the Fisheries Research Board of 1, he much less than that involved in the aforementioned Canada for the federal Department of Fisheries. :ound- two methods and, as the record shows, can be This has achieved two purposes: it has resulted in which placed within the means of many individual, or the discovery of new fishing grounds which had sit to groups of, fishermen. hitherto remained untapped, and it has served to ter of xten- train fishermen in the long-lining and Danish sein- These developments are not, by any means, ing methods. This experimental fishing is being •ring. attributable to mere chance. Rather, they are the m the continued. result of an extensive programme by both the pro- e vast vincial and federal Governments aimed at demon- Coincident with this, a system of shore train- in re- strating that the new methods can be profitably em- ing was inaugurated to acquaint fishermen with the : sup- ployed in Newfoundland. Tied in with this is an ar- operation of the new equipment and to familiarize I her- rangement which combines established bounties and them with the fundamentals of navigation necessary c om -

-9- for operation on offshore fishing grounds. Most to have new craft conform with this design. The recent development of this nature was the establish- merits of existing craft should be fully surveyed ment of a "travelling school," which is bringing by qualified persons with a view to development of courses in navigation and marine engineering to a suitable design and all information so obtained fishermen right in their own, or adjoining, home- should be made available to the builders". towns. Japan It would appear, from the many types of de- The encouragement given fishermen by way of sign and construction that they favour, that the New- The financial assistance in acquiring new mechanized foundland fishermen are, consciously or not, fol- March 1 1 boats and equipment can be said to be quite substan- lowing this recommendation. ing indus tial. Subject to definite specifications, the fisher- a number man-applicant can receive from the federal Govern- Long-lining has made its greatest strides at ation bur ment a subsidy, and from the provincial Govern- Bonavista, thriving fishing centre on the northeast ated as e ment a bounty, for the building of a boat. The pro- coast, which boasts both a fresh fish plant, a salt authoritie vincial Government also provides a bounty to assist fish plant and a fish meal plant. During 1953 a total the first fishermen in the purchase of diesel engines. All of 12 long-liners operated out of Bonavista, com- the blast told, the subsidy and bounties amount to about half mencing operations at various time s during the mination , the total cost. year. Two boats began fishing during the latter part of May, being joined by two in June, three in The fisherman himself is obliged to furnish July and five in August. During May to October (the 10 per cent of the overall cost of the boat, engine period for which figures are given in the Annual Re- and fixed equipment, and then he may borrow the port of the Newfoundland Fisheries Research Sta- remainder from the provincial Government Fish- Lon of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada) eries Loan Board. This Loan Board also makes they landed a total of over 2.7 million pounds of provision for loans to fishermen representing half marketable fish. the cost of catching gear for long-lining and drag- ging only. Fishing activities were somewhat restricted due to the limited capacities of the plants so that Both in design and structure the mushroom- the boats were obliged to remain in port on many ing new fishing fleet evidences a considerable degree suitable fishing days. Otherwise, total landings of multiformity. Some boats are patterned on the would have been substantially higher. Nova Scotia type of long-liner, four of which have been used extensively in experimental fishing around Danish seining has been confined solely to the Newfoundland and Labrador, and might be termed south coast with the boats landing at various fresh "long-liners proper". Other boats, by reason of fish plants in this area. A certain amount of long-g- their design, can be used in several types of fish- lining is also carried out along this coast. ing. There are also conversions of older fishing vessels. Of the entire fleet, the "Veteran Explorer" While final figures are not immediately avail- is undoubtedly the most versatile in design as well able, it is estimated that more than 20 long-liners as in destiny. She will also be by far, when fully (the majority of them new, the others converted) equipped, the most costly, her total cost being have come into existence during the past few years, double or more the cost of other new vessels. together with seven Danish seiners. Furthermore, the number of requests received by the province's Apropos of this heterogeneity, it is interesting Fisheries Loan Board for information concerning to note the following extract from the Newfoundland the assistance that is available indicates a continu- Fisheries Development Committee Report: ing interest by fishermen in the new methods. "The factors of economy in operation and safety of the crew should be borne in mind in de- signing and building vessels for the different types Drum-Seine Boat of operation from different bases. Larger craft will probably be required for fishing from shore A new type purse-seine vessel has appeared bases off the Funk Islands, for example, than for in the Puget Sound, Washington, salmon fishery. In caught long-lining up to twenty-five miles off Bonavista. place of the conventional turntable, this vessel uses ports I The Committee recommends that governments a large drum or reel mounted on the stern for set- of can should not at this time endeavour to standarize the ting, rewinding, and carrying the purse seine. Al- fishing craft but should keep under close study the though one such drum-seines has been fishing out of merits of the different types of craft developed by Bellingham for several years, the first general sion a the builders until it appears that the most suitable trend toward the use of this new method became car go types are being used. When qualified persons have noticeable at the start of 1953. The system origi- frozer developed craft of suitable design for efficient oper- nated in Canada, where a number of British Colum- cons4 ation and these are shown by tank testing to be safe bia fishermen have been operating drum-seine boats and are generally acceptable to the fishermen using successfully s inc e they were first introduced in them in a particular operation, steps may be taken Pacific waters several years ago. Re sea

-10- ign. The surveyed pment of anadian Fisheries News obtained the staff of the Board's Pacific Fisheries Experi- Japanese Tuna Cleared mental Station at Vancouver to co-operate in mak- s of de- ing sure that no contaminated fish would be allowed the New- The detonation of an H-bomb at Bikini on to reach the public, and consultations were held not, fol- March 1 brought repercussions to the Canadian fish- with several of Canada's leading authorities on nu- ing industry 26 days later. Following reports that clear physics and biomedical research. Telephone a number of Japanese fishermen had suffered radi- conversations between Vancouver and the Chalk brides at ation burns and that some tuna had been contamin- River atomic plant in Ontario ensured that geiger ortheast ated as a result of the blast, fisheries and health counters of the proper type would be available. t, a salt authorities on the Pacific coast prepared to inspect Equipment in readiness at Vancouver was endorsed 3 a total the first arrivals of tuna imported from Japan since by Dr. A. Cipriani, head of biomedical research at a, corn- the blast. The tuna was found to be free of conta- Chalk River. Dr. Gordon Shrum, head of the phys- ring the mination. ics department at the University of British Columbia e latter and a member of the Chalk River Board of Direc- three in tors, was in close touch with the inspecting team ber (the which was on the dock to meet the "Oregon Mail." ual Re- A telephone call from Vancouver to Ottawa brought ch Sta- further advice from Dr. E. A. Watkinson, head of canada) the health radiation section of the Department of unds of National Health and Welfare.

The inspecting team consisted of Dr. R.A. ;tricted MacLeod and J. Boyd of the Pacific Fisheries Ex- so that perimental Station, Miss A. Suiker of the British 1 many Columbia Medical Council, F. Davies of the Depart- endings ment of National Health and Welfare and H. Mann of the federal Department of Fisheries. r to the Representatives of press, radio and. TV were fresh on hand with the inspecting team when crew mem- f long- bers swung open the heavy steel door leading to the tuna s hi pment. Geiger counters, held at the en- trance to the bin, showed negative results and the avail- team of specialists then climbed on to- the stacked, liners frozen fish to cover it, foor by foot, with the sen- e rted) sitive instruments. After nearly an hour in 10-de- rears, gree temperature the scientists were able to report rnore, that the shipment showed no evidence of radio-ac- ince's tivity. Samples of canned tuna, from another bin, rning were also inspected and were given a favourable ntinu- report. The frozen tuna was later released for un- I loading and canning.

Dr. R. A. MacLeod testing tuna with geiger counter. Pacific Halibut Quotas eared For several years shipments of Japanese The opening date for halibut fishing in all V. In caught tuna have been landed at British Columbia areas of the Pacific coast this year will be May 16 uses ports for canning. Last year a total of 27,750 cases and the catch quota for the main Canadian halibut set- of canned tuna fish was packed from such imports. fishery, Area 2, is increased by one million pounds Al- to 26,500,000 pounds. Alt of The first shipment since the March 1 explo- feral sion arrived in Vancouver on March 26, part of a This was announced at the conclusion of the :ame cargo on S.S. "Oregon Mail." It consisted of 771 annual meeting of the International Pacific Halibut rigi- frozen tuna with a gross weight of 29,000 pounds, Commission, held in Seattle, Washington, in Janu- Lum- consigned to a Vancouver tuna canner. ary. The Commission was the first agency for in- ■ oats ternational regulation of a fishery in history and d in Dr. J. L. Kask, Chairman of the Fisheries its outstanding s u c c e s s in the restoration of the Research Board of Canada, instructed members of formerly depleted halibut fishery of the Pacific coast has been an inspiration to fishery conserva- Dr. Needier has been director of the Atlantic In fisherie tion work throughout the world. Biological Station for many years, and is considered one of Canada's leading fisheries scientists on At- points In addition to the above mentioned extension lantic fishery problems. He has represented Canada ficers i of catch quota in Area 2 the Commission recom- as scientific adviser to a number of international last ye mends extending the fishing season to a later date commissions concerned with fishery investigations danger in the s um m e r . This is another step towards in Atlantic waters. He takes to British Columbia were in achievement of the Commission's long term goal of his background in international fishery matters and dam wa attaining •a maximum sustained yield. his experience in directing diverse fisheries studies with the on the Canadian Atlantic coast. 01 Canadian Commissioners Dr. Hart, Director of the Pacific Biological a fishwE Station, goes to St. Andrews with along background for J. F of scientific research and administration. He has M. Hou, been closely identified with studies of Pacific her- Mr. Fie ring, groundfish and Pacific salmon in recent years were in and will be able to draw on this experience in taking levels, over the Atlantic salmon investigation and other high wa problems of fisheries conservation and manage- extensi' ment. Record B.C. Herring Catch The greatest herring fishing season in British Columbia's history ended at midnight on March 16. Canadian members of the International North When the 20 purse-seiners operating in the Queen Pacific Fisheries Commission are shown above at Charlotte Islands area made their final hauls a that body's first meeting held in Washington (Trade grand total of over 210,000 tons of herring had been News, Feb., 1954). They are (left to r ight): Dr. taken from coastal waters since this fishery opened Stewart Bates, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and last summer. It was the first time that the final Commission Chairman; J. M. Buchanan, Vancouver; herring catch season's total ever reached the James Cameron, Pender Harbour, B. C. and R. T. 200,000 tons mark, although fishermen came close to it in 1951-1952 with approximately 198,000 tons. Hager, Vancouver. Photo courtesy "Pacific Fish- This year the end came suddenly when the federal erman." Department of Fisheries called a halt three days before the time limit which had been extended on R.B. Directors Switch Posts March 8. The herring fishing fleet had moved into the Queen Charlottes area after catch quotas had Two station directors of the Fisheries Re- been taken or areas closed for conservation in other search Board of Canada, Dr. A.W.H. Needler of parts of the coast. They found herring almost im- St. Andrews, N.B. , and Dr. J.L. Hart, of Nanaimo, mediately. By early March a considerable catch B.C., will exchange positions on July 31. had been taken and the condition of the herring in- dicated that a good fishery was probable. Normally this fishing would have closed on March 10 under • ordinary fishing regulations, but such was the quan- tity and condition of herring in the area that the De- Mr. F partment of Fisheries, on March 8, issued a fishing were extension to March 19. However, the "easy" catch- J. Dys es came to an end on March 15 and the stop order March was issued for the following day. summ men t forwai Freda Lake Fishway time f When obstructions occur in British Columbia sists Dr. Needier, Dr. Hart. salmon spawning streams the area fishery inspector of Kle is ready to make a quick survey. If the trouble is termil falls. Dr. J.L. Kask, Chairman of the Board, said of a major character the officer's report goes to by a in announcing this change that it is in line with the fisheries engineering-biological specialists, who eighte Board's policy of moving its key scientists to dif- plan and execute remedial measures. Frequently the fi ferent parts of Canada from time to time, so that the fisheries field officer comes across spawning from the Board's seven research and experimental sta- stream problems which he can take care of himself. the tc tions may obtain the fullest possible benefit of their This he does, using anything from hand tools to this fi varied experience. blasting powder.

-12- he Atlantic In a recent report G.S. Reade, supervisor of considered fisheries at Prince Rupert, lists 35 stream trouble giikery ./Voted ists on At- points which were set to rights by fishery field of- ted Canada ficers in the northern district of British Columbia The whittling of lobster pegs is a pastime that ternational last year. The great majority of these potential brings monetary returns for many residents along estigations danger points were log jams, but beaver dams also the western coast of Nova Scotia. Used to plug the Columbia were in evidence and in one case a swimming pool claws of lobsters after they have been caught to utters and dam was removed when it was found to interfere prevent them from damaging each other, the pegs es studies with the passage of spawning salmon. find a market both in Canada and the United States. West Pubnico is a typical peg-whittling community. Of particular interest was the construction of Here young and old alike, knife in hand, shave Biological a fishway at Freda Lake, B.C. by fisheries inspec- pieces of wood to the desired size to while away ackground tor J. Fielden, assisted by fellow fisheries officer their spare moments. He has M. Houghton and patrol boat crews. Early last year cific her- Mr. Fielden found that falls, nine feet in height, :ent years were impassable to all species of salmon at normal in taking levels, although some managed to get through at A veteran sealing captain, Kenneth Barbour, and other high water. Spawning areas above the falls were is the eyes of Newfoundland sealing expeditions. manage- extensive and important. After a careful survey From an airplane he searches the ice floating south- ward from Arctic waters for seals. Upon sighting the seals and their pups he broadcasts their position h to the ships of the fleet, saving hours of search by the vessels themselves. Capt. Barbour joined the n British sealing fleet at the age of 12, and has been sealing (arch 16. for 60 years. Although now most of his sealing work he Queen is done from a heated plane cockpit, he still likes 1 hauls a the sea. had been y opened the final ched the A three-week twine net weaving course for Tie close fishermen and prospective fishermen was held at i00 tons. Lockeport, N.S., by the Nova Scotia Department of federal Trade and Industry. Similar courses are being held - ee days in other fishing areas of the province. The Depart- .nded on ment also operates a permanent school on naviga- Ived into tion at Lunenburg, N.S. , and also has a mobile unit )tas had for providing instruction on marine engines. Capt. in other L. Van Derzwan, Netherlands fish net expert for lost im- 50 years, is in charge of the net weaving classes. e catch -ing in- ormally under Concrete dam at Freda Lake fishway_, A minimum net mesh size of 41- inches be- e quan- tween knots for the State of Washington's offshore the De - Mr. Fielden drew plans of a fishway which, later, trawling fleet was established in January by the fishing were examined and approved by fisheries engineer Washington Department of Fisheries. Trawlers catch- J. Dyson of Prince Rupert. Work commenced on operating out of Washington ports must convert cod ) order March 13, 1953, and thereafter during spring and ends to the new size by January 1, 1955, and the summer, as water conditions allowed, the fisheries body of the net by January 1, 1956. Nets being used men took time whenever possible to push the work at present by the fleet have a mesh as small as 3 forward. It was completed in the fall of that year in inches between knots. A complete conversion is to time for salmon spawning runs. The fishway con- be brought about within two years. lumbia sists of a channel 40 feet long cut in the east bank pector of Klewnuggit Inlet, commencing at Freda lake and able is terminating in a resting pool near the foot of the oes to falls. About five feet of water is retained in the pool Plastic is now being used by a Swedish net who by a concrete dam 25 feet long, five feet high and factory in the manufacture of a yarn for use in trawl uently eighteen inches thick. To make the cement forms nets. Chlorinated phenols and cupric salts are used Lwning the fisheries men salved 400 board feet of lumber in impregnating ordinary cotton yarn before it is nself. from abandoned buildings in the vicinity. Many of covered with plastic. Fishermen reported to have lols to the tools used were borrowed locally. The cast of tried the nets claim that they are five to seven times this fish ladder was just under $200. more durable than ordinary nets. Fishery Figures For January MD Fresh C SEAFISH: LANDED WEIGHT AND LANDED VALUE Fresh H (Newfoundland Included) Kipperec January, 1953 January, 1954 Frzn. FL Atlantic Coast '000 lbs $000 '000 lbs $000 Frzn. So Cod 12,920 426 14,075 456 Fresh W Haddock 6,855 346 4,475 184 Lobster, Pollock, Hake, Cusk 1,478 24 902 12 Sardines Rosefish 2,251 50 1,842 40 Sockeye, Halibut 108 23 82 20 Plaice & Other Flatfish 3,477 113 1,650 46 Herring 3,886 46 4,772 49 Sardines 1,187 24 102 3 Mackerel 4 - 4 Fresh F Swordfish - Dre Salmon - - Gro Smelts 2,091 393 1,242 133 Her Alewives 3 - 1 Salr Other Fish 515 17 190 6 Oth( Lobsters 1,936 922 1,718 769 Total F Clams & Quahaugs 304 15 162 8 Whi Other Shellfish 124 53 37 11 Total Atlantic 37,139 2,452 31,254 1,737 Tull Pacific Coast Picl Pacific Cod 321 17 422 23 Oth( Halibut - - Total F Soles & Other Flatfish 188 15 206 12 Total Fr Herring 5,123 64 59,095 739 Smoked Salmon 24 6 18 4 Cod Other Fish 49 2 151 3 Oth( Shellfish 1,319 78 563 28 Total Srr Total Pacific 7,024 182 60,455 809 Salt Fisl Total Both Coasts 44,163 2,634 91,709 2,546 Wet By Provinces Oth( British Columbia 7,024 182 60,455 809 Dri( Nova Scotia 20,548 1,697 17,880 1,353 Ottu New Brunswick 4,556 452 1,560 148 Bon Prince Edward Island 321 37 133 6 Pic] Quebec 173 22 124 15 Oth( Newfoundland 11,541 244 11,557 215 Bloc Salt Fisl PROCESSING OF ATLANTIC CATCH PRICES PER CWT. PAID TO FISHERMEN JAN. 15 Shop In Per Cent of Total Catch January, 1954 1953 1954 Ban (Newfoundland Not Included) Halifax Lab Cod Steak $4. 50-5.00 $4.25 - 4.75 Total Sa Fr &Fz Fr & Fz Non- Market Cod 3.50-4.00 3.75-4.25 Fillets Wh or Dr Cured Canned Food Haddock 5.75-6.25 5.25-6.25 Halibut (medium) 28.00 18.00-28.00 New God 75 9 16 Yarmouth Haddock 76 18 6 Haddock 6.50 5.50 Sp Pollock, etc. 13 44 43 on new f Black's Harbour Rosefish 2 98 - of high ( 2.00 2.00 Halibut 2 98 - - Sardines umbia f Plaice 99 1 - - St. John's, Newfoundland Fishe] Herring - - - - Cod 2.25 2.25 Pacific Sardines - - - 100 Haddock 3.25 3.00 unusual] Mackerel - 100 Rosefish 2.00 2.00 species Shell Meat Vancouver which li Ling Cod 10.00 land, B. Lobsters 99 1 Gray Cod 5.00 5.00 Clams 5 34 - 61 Soles 6.00-9.00 7.00 T1 Oysters 100 - - - Salmon Redspring 30.00 27.00 men on1

-14- MID-MONTH WHOLESALE PRICES, JAN. 1954 CANADIAN FISH EXPORTS Montreal Toronto Winnipeg Fresh Cod Fillets lb .279 .305 - Total Value in Thousands of Dollars to End of Jan. Fresh Haddock Fillets lb .382 .408 - .232 .249 .257 Kippered Herring lb (Iri'cl4dingife*fo4isiland) )54 Frzn. Halibut, Dr. lb .371 .347 . 333 $000 Frzn. Salmon,Coho, Dr. lb .478 .469 .430 1953 1954 456 Fresh Whitefish lb .401 184 Lobster, Fancy case 43.12 42.85 43.20 Fresh and Frozen Fish 3,796 3,330 12 Sardines, Smoked case 8.46 8.20 8.80 Whole or Dressed 2,171 1,736 40 Sockeye, Salmon, A. case 18.38 17.26 17.20 Pacific Salmon 234 244 20 Whitefish 465 355 46 STOCKS AS AT END OF JANUARY Pacific Halibut 254 216 49 1953 1954 Other 1,218 921 3 ('000 lb) ('000 lb) Filleted 1,625 1,594 Fresh Fish (Incl. Newfoundland) Atlantic Cod 478 490 Dressed Halibut 5,451 7,684 Flatfish 482 300 Groundfish Fillets 9,986 6,472 Other 665 804 133 Herring 7,385 6,819 Shellfish 1,022 1,170 Salmon 8,096 10,039 Lobster (Alive & Meat) 884 1,136 6 Other 6,648 7,735 Other 138 34 769 Total Fresh Sea Fish 37,566 38,749 Cured 1,900 2,156 8 Whitefish, Dressed or Smoked 141 161 11 Filleted 1,116 444 Herring 89 115' 1,737 Tullibee, Round or Dressed 1,165 376 Other 52 46 Pickerel, Dressed or Filleted 745 902 Salted and Dried 1,531 1,789 23 Other 2,652 1,187 Cod 1,181 1,594 Total Fresh Inland Fish 5,678 2,909 Other 350 195 12 Total Fresh Fish 43,244 41,658 Pickled 228 206 739 Smoked Fish (Incl. Newfoundland) Herring 79 95 4 Cod and Haddock Fillets 1,313 663 Mackerel 72 54 3 Other 1,506 917 Other 77 57 28 Total Smoked Fish 2,819 1,580 Canned 1,149 1,038 809 Salt Fish (Excl. Newfoundland) Pacific Salmon 1,203 973 2,546 Wet Salted Cod 9,648 11,276 Sardines 195 36 Other Wet Salted 1,499 3,246 Lobster 41 16, 809 Dried Cod 4,978 4,237 Other 10 13 1,353 Other Dried 1,006 1,269 Miscellaneous 189' 777 148 Boneless 413 580 Meal 36 405 6 Pickled Alewives (Barrels) 14,598 12,922 Oil 81 257 15 Other Pickled (Barrels) 9,422 23,400 Other 72 115 215 Bloaters (18 lb boxes) 222,298 292,915 Exports to United States 6,221 6,058 Salt Fish (Newfoundland only) JAN.15 Exports to Caribbean Area 1,352 1,007 Shore 28,592 29,346 354 Exports to Europe 547 1,038 Bank 1,419 Exports to Other Markets 236 368 Labrador 6,452 7,551 5-4.75 Total Salt Fish (Newfoundland) 36,463 36,897 Total Value 8,356 8,471 5-4.25 5-6.25 vessel, "Investigator No. 1," located the shrimp )-28.00 New Shrimp Beds population during research work in the area. Within a day or so 13 shrimp trawl vessel had reached the 50 Spectacular shrimp catches have been made area and for some days fishing returns were high. on new fishing grounds as the result of the discovery The fishermen shared a total catch of 30,000 pounds of high quality commercial shrimps by British Col- .00 in one week of fishing, which netted the trawlermen umbia fisheries scientists. Late in January the approximately $4,000. Bad weather interfered tem- Fisheries Research Board of Canada, from the porarily with the new fishery, but it is expected that .25 Pacific Biological Station at Nanaimo, announced an a permanent and productive' shrimp fishing area has .00 unusually heavy concentration of this crustacean been added to the B.C. coastal fishing grounds. .00 species in the Cape Lazo "gully," a marine trench which lies parallel to the east coast of Denman Is- COVER PHOTOGRAPH: From the crow's nest, .00 land, B.C. high above the deck of the whaling vessel "Nah- .00 mint," whales off the British Columbia coast .00 The announcement was broadcast to fisher- can be spotted, and identifieel, 'five miles away. .00 men on the Pacific coast when the Research Board's Fisheri s News From Abroad Th ing" is Aims Of U.K. White Fish Authority in India, don. It The White Fish Authority in the United King- the staff of the Department of Scientific and Indus- four Jai dom has now been in existence for two and one-half trial Research at Torry Research Station, Aber- will take years. In a recent issue of "World Fishing" the deen, on problems of fish research. We set up this trawler! Authority' s Chairman, Admiral Sir Robert L. year a representative Technical Committee to re- station Burnett, summarized what had been done during view the results of research and their application to that time and reviewed the plans and schemes which improving the preservation of fish at sea. We are T1 the Authority has in mind for the future. Following planning, in collaboration with H. M. Government about R are excerpts from his summary: and the distant-water trawler owners, to carry out ally to t an experiment on a commercial scale on freezing at "The Authority's functions are defined as 're- sea the early part of a trawler's catch. T organizing, developing and regulating the white fish down a industry and of keeping generally under review mat- "We have sponsored too the survey recently develop ters relating to this industry'. But a wide state- carried out of fishing grounds off Greenland, in or- country ment of this kind does not take us very far; for a der to replace other grounds no longer available to has be( proper understanding of the job we must examine the British vessels. the cliff powers conferred on the Authority by the Act to en- able them to carry out their duties. HELP FOR INSHORE FISHERMEN "The Authority may encourage and give fi- has ins ies Re! GRANTS AND LOANS nancial assistance to voluntary co-operative ar- rangements among inshore fishermen for selling, adequa "We may make loans for capital expenditure purchasing gear, etc., and other objects. centre incurred in providing, acquiring, reconditioning or search improving fishing vessels or gear. We issued an "Where the Authority think it necessary to set up offer to make loans for fishing vessels in May, make proper provision for the fishing industry, they land S 1952, but as we expected, there was little response. are empowered to provide and operate processing fisherf The Authority had realized that because of the high plants. cost of vessels it would be almost impossible for small owners to earn enough to ensure replacement "All these things we may do on our own initia- out un' within a reasonable period. We put this view to the tive. If we decide on more extensive measures, we the Sta Government and it was accepted by them. The re- have to proceed by way of regulations or schemes, and hi- sult was the Act of 1953 which empowered the Au- which, as I have said, are subject to the approval prelirr thority under the terms of a Government Scheme to of Ministers and Parliament. Before we put regu- ries. make grants for building new fishing vessels and, in lations or schemes forward, we are required -- and certain cases, for new engines, as well as to pro- rightly so -- to consult the sections of the industry vide loans. The scheme came into force last Au- that are concerned. wegia gust, and up to the end of October, the Authority wegia received 88 applications for assistance from owners FREEZING AND HANDLING Trava in England and Wales, and 35 from owners in Scot- "The Authority hope to bring out soon a re- ermai land. Fifty-one applications have been granted, vised Freezing Scheme to provide reserve supplies ter ec and we are dealing with the others as expeditiously of fish for release in the winter when catches are as possible. normally lower than in the summer. The Scheme U.K "The Authority may make loans for capital announced last year was opposed by some sections expenditure on processing plants; we are about to of the industry, including the National Federation of (Cont provide loans to inshore fishermen on gear for new Fish Quick Freezers. This body, however, stated step, vessels or where there is a change in the methods that they objected not to the principle, but to the the of fishing. We consider that there are more im- terms of the scheme, and we agreed earlier this ing o portant fields where financial help may be of great year to postpone our plans so that new proposals ings value in re-organizing and developing the industry; could be put forward by the freezers. They have varic for example, in pr ovi din g ice plants at certain done this, and we are now discussing the revised tions places or wholesale depots. If we decide to go ahead proposals with them and with other sections of the their with this plan, we shall, however, have first to seek industry, in the intention that an agreed scheme will ants . the necessary powers. be working next summer. that "The Authority were empowered under the "We have been considering for some time We a pOWE 1951 Act to carry on research and experiment. We regulations to improve the quality of fish and the have at present five scientific officers working with way in which fish is handle d . As a preliminary fair, (Continued on next page.)

-16- Development of Fishery Resources of India

The method of fishing known as "pair trawl- As a first step in this direction, two Tranvancore- ing" is shortly to be undertaken for the first time Cochin fishing boats were sent to Norway for exper- in India, according to "The Fishing News," of Lon- iments on mechanization. The State Director of don. It will be carried out under the supervision of Fisheries then went to Norway to get background d Indus - four Japanese technicians and two engineers, who knowledge of the Norwegian fisheries and the ad- 1, Aber- will take charge of two Government of India fishing ministrative set-up. t up this trawlers which are attached to the deep-sea fishing to re- station at Bombay. The budget estimate for the first year of the :ation to scheme is Rs 2,700,000 ($540, 000 Canadian) to be We are The fisheries of India, at present contribute provided by Norway and Rs 1,160,000 ($212,000 e rnment ,; out Rs 180,000,000 ($36, 000, 000 Canadian) annu- Canadian) to be provided by the Government of India arry out y to the national income. and the State Government on a 50-50 basis. ezing at The Indian Planning Commission has laid Arrangements have been made to construct a down a certain order of priority for the organized factory to build fishing boats equipped with motors 7ecently development of marine and inland fisheries in the at the Norwegian-aided fishery development project , in or- country. The main difficulty in developing fisheries centre at Travancore-Cochin. The necessary ma- lable to has been the lack of adequate trained personnel in chinery is .to be sent from Norway. the different States of India. M. Seren, Chairman of the Indo-Pacific The Indian Ministry of Food and Agriculture Fisheries Council, recently made a vigorous plea give fi- has instituted training courses at the Inland Fisher- for better utilization of the fisheries resources of Live ar - ies Research Station at Barrackpore. If there is an the area. He spoke at the Regional Conference of selling, adequate demand from the States a similar training the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United centre may be started at the Marine Fisheries Re- Nations, held in Bangkok. Fish, he said, was sec- search Station at Mandapam. It is also proposed to ond in importance only to rice. Fish marketing had 5ary to set up a small fisheries extension unit to assist in- only begun to receive attention; the need was for development of transportation, handling and pro- - y, they land States to demons t r at e approved methods to es sing fisherfolk. cessing of fish and expansion of fishing operations.

The first group of experts from Norway, sent Plans are afoot in the State of Uttar Pradesh initia- out under the Norwegian aid programme, arrived in to make it one of the major fish producing areas of es, we the State of Travancore-Cochin several months ago the country. It is at present exporting a small quan- 'ernes, and have been investigating conditions and making tity of fish to West Bengal but when plans for fish )proval preliminary surveys for the establishment of facto- production go into full swing it is expected to build t regu- ries. up a sizable export market. -- and Ldustry According to D. Lund, Project Director, Nor- An air lift is being organized to fly fingerlings wegian Indian Foundation, the essence of the Nor- from the three large government hatcheries to any wegian aid scheme for the Fisheries Department in district where needed. Specially designed trans- Travancore-Cochin is to make the individual fish- port boxes will be fitted to planes and automobiles. a re- erman more effective in his work by giving him bet- Fish culture in private and community ponds is be- tpplies ter equipment and training him in modern methods. ing encouraged in 36,000 villages. are cheme collection of the levy (now Id. on every stone of fish ctions U.K. WHITE FISH AUTHORITY ... sold at first hand) without which the work of the Au- Lion of (Continued from preceding page) stated thority would come to an end. to the step, we issued this summer, Codes of Practice on "What we have done is only a beginning. My r this the 'Handling of Fish on Shore' and on the 'Freez- colleagues and I are very conscious that we have a )osals ing of Fish'. We are conducting all the time cost- long way to go in our task -- let me repeat it -- of have ings investigations into the earning and costs of the 're-organizing, developing and regulating the white wised various sections of the trade. Traders in some sec- of the tions have voluntarily co-operated in disclosing fish industry'." e will their books and records to the Authority's account- ants; in other sections, however, so many refused Admiral Burnett's article pointed out that the that the sample obtained became unrepresentative. foregoing did not include several projects which time We are therefore making Regulations to enforce the were still in the "backroom" stage and which it id the powers given to us by the 1951 Act. To be quite would not be right for him to mention at the present inary fair, I must mention too our most unpopular job, the time. lage.) -17- have been removed by the development of naviga- NEWFOUNDLAND SEAL HUNT .. . tional devices, better accommodations and provi- (Continued from page 5) sioning for the crew, and the support of spotting Planes. But there still remain the blizzards and Fairly large numbers of seals are also taken „, frosts and the ever present threat of rafting ice. each year by landsmen when the ice is either on or by Kenr. close to the shore. A small number of seals were Nevertheless, whether it be the lure of ad- Dubuque taken in this fashion just off St. John's last year venture or profit, or a combination of both when onshore winds pressed the ice tight to land these factors, the sealer's life continues to exert a pow- Ir and, blockading the port, brought seagoing traffic erful influenc e for there are always more men 1950, it] to a standstill. wishing to sign on for a trip than there are berths iginal I available. ✓ and, at Histories of both versions of sealing, by ship the firs and from land, are studded with tragedy and hu- mour, success and failure. Both represent adven- lengths ture, daring and the hardest kind of work. To men- Two More Sealers Sunk the pop tion but a few disasters at sea: in 1823 the schooner In addition to the loss of the "Newfound- value f "Active" was lost with 25 men on Baccalieu Island, lander" described on page 5 of this issue, two freshwi two of her crew on the lookout saving themselves by other sealing vessels of the Canadian fleet have jumping ashore as she struck; in 1852 when the gone down. There was no loss of life in either brig. "Hammer" ran ashore in a snowstorm at Cape case. to the Broyle only two of her 39-man crew survived; in One March 31 the "Truls," 260 tons, out leading 1898 48 men of the S.S. "Greenland" perished on of Halifax, sank off Cape Breton after ice had other I the ice when caught in a severe snowstorm; in 1914 broken her hull, slid over her deck and pushed "Handb the S.S. "Southern Cross" disappeared with her her under, carrying 7,000 pelts with her. Cap- approp crew of 173 men off Cape Pine while returning from tain Kristoffer Maro of Lunenburg, N. S. and tional the Gulf with a load of seals, the S.S. "Newfound- his 22-man crew leaped to safety aboard an will, at land" lost 77 men on the ice in a snowstorm, and accompanying sealer, the "Titus," which came ing all the schooner "Georgina", after losing her master up alongside the doomed vessel just before she icism and six men when a heavy sea washed overboard went down. ted, it carrying away masts, bulwarks, stanchions and Four days later a St. John's vessel, the to corn boats, barely made St. John's under jury masts on "James Spurrel," 70 tons, foundered after she in p r c June 7. had struck a half-submerged ledge off Codroy fishes Tragedy has also occurred many times in the on the southwest coast of Newfoundland during ranks of those sealing from the land, such as in a gale. The 15 men aboard, including Captain 1867 when 10 women and two men were drowned Job Kean of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, got Publis when the wind changed while they were on the ice ashore in dories. The "Truls" was on her sec- searching for seals, and in 1891 when 22 landsmen ond trip of the season to the ice and there were no pelts aboard. perished in Trinity Bay. History records many ing" e such sad happenings. worke: PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS ... ever b Success and failure are typified in the experi- (Continued from page 7) ural h. ences of the S.S. "Walrud" and the S.S. "Xanthus" has ha in the Spring of 1890 when a large body of seals was I was received by His Imperial Highness, the M, sighted off St. John's. The "Walrus" secured two Emperor Hirohito. In an hour and a quarter's con- and, 1 loads from this patch within sight of St. John's versation, we discussed the failure of the sardine larger while the "Xanthus" got jammed in the ice just off fishery, and the possibilities of depletion. He was shark: port and her crew got very few pelts. most interested in our idea that fish stocks should is pop be conserved to provide a continuing supply. cellen Out of the sealfishery have come such expres- sions as "The Green Bay Spring when women and I arrived home a few days before Christmas. dogs made 10 pounds a man". Sterling was the cur- I returned to a land of plenty, where frantic exploi- tion tc rency of Newfoundland at that time and the seals tation is not necessary for survival. The Far East fold ai were so numerous in Green Bay that the men, is old and crowded, the land resources have been a mot . women and children hauled thousands ashore. The exploited -- to extinction in many places. The Greek spring of 1832 is known as the "Spring of the Cats" standards of living are low because there are not purpo, because of the large number of immature seals that enough resources to provide better. There are too ing fi were brought in. many people. Bound by tradition, they often resist Dr. H changes from rice to the foods that could be made centai This has been but a brief glance at the New- more plentiful. In some places, science is slowly sions foundland sealfishery past and present; to consider but surely improving the situation and attitude. In under it in detail would require volumes. In this modern other places, science merely helps to exploit the to hea age, much of the danger, hardship and speculation accepted food resources to extinction. 1 would

-18- naviga- Lnd provi- Current Reading f spotting zards and • ig ice. "Handbook of Freshwater Fisheries Biology,„! and sometimes us ing dnyamite themselves, Dr. by Kenneth C. Carlander (Wm. C. Brown Company, Hass and his colleagues were able to prove their re of ad- Dubuque, Iowa,). thesis about sharks and also to obtain the remark- ∎ oth these able photographs which illustrate the lively and en- rt a pow- In the issue of Trade News for November, tertaining text.

-lore men 1950, the writer was privileged to review the or- re berths iginal Handbook of Freshwater Fisheries Biology and, at that time, lauded the work because it was "Chalk Stream Flies" by C.F. Walker (The the first time that he had seen such a large com- MacMillan Company of Canada Limited, Toronto, pendium for freshwater fishes. The summaries of Ont., $5.00). !k lengths, weights, ages and fecundity information,, found- the population data and the bibliography had great The author of this book says that in recent e, two value for any laboratory concentrating on work on years, with a few shining exceptions, angling writ- Lt have freshwater fisheries in North America. ers have tended more and more to neglect or even either decry the study of aquatic flies, until it now seems The addition of the first supplement suggests to have become almost the standard practice to fur- to the reviewer that the title may have been mis- nish the reader with a list of, say, a dozen of the Ls, out leading in that fish only are discussed and not the "best" patterns, while leaving him completely in :e had other biological phases of limnology. Perhaps the dark as to what insects they are intended to re- >ushed "Handbook of Freshwater Fishes" would be more present. As a result of this, a generation of anglers Cap- appropriate. The supplement also raises an addi- is growing up who may or may not know the names 3. and tional problem of co-ordination. Perhaps the author of the patterns in their fly boxes, but in many cases rd an will, at a later date, issue a revised version includ- are quite unable to identify these with any of the nat- came ing all the material. Even though there maybe crit- ural flies, which apart from the Mayfly they cannot -e she icism that some obvious references have been omit- always even recognize. ted, it is still felt that the arduous and exacting toil 1, the to complete such a volume has been well worthwhile r she in providing a ready reference on the common The purpose of the book is to restore river- odroy fishes in North America. — A. L. Pritchard. side entomology to its proper place in the angler's uring scheme of things, and to link up the natural with the artificial flies. The author fulfills this purpose Lptain "Men and Sharks," by Hans Hass (Doubleday admirably. The writing is clear and easily under- 1, got Publishers, Toronto, Ont. , $4. 50). sec- stood by the non-scientist. Mr. Walker, taking a leaf out of the bird watchers' book, calls himself a were Of recent years the development of "skindiv- "fly watcher" rather than an entomologist. There ing" equipment has made it possible for research are four excellent colour plates, in which the nat- workers as well as sportsmen to get closer than ural and artificial flies are portrayed side by side, ever before to the creatures of the sea in their nat- • a feature especially valuable in a book of this kind. ural habitat. Dr. Hans Hass, a Viennese zoologist, Also provided are two useful tables, one of the in- has had a great deal of experience under water in sects described, with their corresponding artifi- :hne S S the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Caribbean cials, the other showing the principal character- and, like many others, he is c on v in c e d that the 's con- istics of the various natural orders of flies. sardine larger inhabitants of the oceans , particularly He was sharks, are not nearly as dangerous to humans as is popularly believed. The photographs in this ex- should "Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of cellent book seem to bear him out. Canada, Vol. XI, No. 2," (Subscription rate, pay- able in advance, $3.00 per volume in Canada and ;tmas. "Men and Sharks" is an account of an expedi- the Unite d States and $3.25 in other countries. Lxploi- tion to the Isles of Greece, carried out with a two- Copies obtainable from the Secretary, Fisheries r East fold aim -- to gain scientific knowledge and to make Research Board of Canada, Ottawa). been a motion picture with the emphasis on sharks. The . The Greek coastal waters turned out to be ideal for this re not purpose. For years Greek poachers had been catch- This issue is made up of papers presented at re too ing fish by using dynamite and were still at it when a symposium of the Canadian Committee on Fresh- resist Dr. Hass' party appeared on the scene. Only a per- water Fisheries Research held atOttawa on January made centage of the fish killed or stunned by the explo- 3, 1953. The papers are on "Odour perception and ;lowly sions were taken by the fishermen. Many remained orientation in fish," by Arthur D. Hasler; "Hearing e. In underwater to be eaten by sharks, which had learned in Fish," by H. Kleerekoper and E. C. Chagnon, it the to head for the sound of an explosion, knowing there and "Temperature reception and response in fish," would be easy prey. By accompanying the poachers by Charlotte M. Sullivan. He is the most challenging of game fish, among the most prized of food fish . . . a livelihood to fishermen, a philosophy to anglers. He is the

Atlantic Salmon . . . SaImo the Leaper.

Commercial fishermen along the coasts and estuaries of Quebec, Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland depend on catches of salmon to provide an important source of income. And flash- ing salmon streams in these Provinces yearly attract thousands of sports- men who spend millions of dollars on transportation, equipment, guides, food and accommodation.

On this continent the Atlantic Salmon is found, today, almost entirely in Eastern Canada. His welfare is therefore a special responsibility of Canadians. The Department of Fisheries of Canada, working with the Provinces, is now doing extensive research on the habits and needs of the Atlantic Salmon. His numbers must be increased, his environment improved, his value maintained and developed.

This vital work will serve the man who sets a net at sea, the man who wets a line in a wilderness stream and all those who benefit from both. It will preserve one of the most beautiful and gallant of fish ... Salmo the Leaper.

Yi DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES I F 411 A P. .4 -ON ((( (Alf, MINIS itR . , ■ WO.' "4'1