NEWS BULLETIN Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries; Deputy Minister: Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII JANUARY, 1946 No. 195

OVER $16,300,000 GAIN IN '45 FISHERIES MAY SHOW HUNDRED MILLION FISH EXPORTS DOLLAR PRODUCTION RECORD FOR LAST YEAR

Canada's export trade in fisheries products topped all previous value Record Marketed Value of $89,400,000 in 1944 Substan- totals by a wide margin in 1945 and totalled more than SS0.225,000. As tially Exceeded in '45 though Totals Not Yet cordpared with the 1944 export business there was an increase of Certain—Big Gains in Sea. Fisheries- 25 per cent., and a little more, or Year Went Out with Flourish nearly S16,400,000. The increase over '43 was well above 823,000,000. The figures given are from records When fisheries production figures for compiled by the External Trade the year's production from the fresh- Branch of the Dominion Bureau of 1945 have been made up they will show water fisheries show any large off-sets Statistics. Roughly, three-quarters that the year was another record- to the sea fisheries gains, and, for that of the year's increase over 1944 breaker as regards mark-eted value matter, they may easily add to those trade was in the business in fresh return from commercial oper- increases. and frozen fish, which amounted in ations in the Dominion. Freshwater production, though impor- all to slightly more than 844,230,000. Marketed value retuna may hit the tant, is very much smaller, of course, The bulk of this fresh-and-frozen hundred million dollar mark and it will, than saltwater production. What it business was with the United States at least, be well beyond ninety million, amounted to last year will not be known though more than 20,000,000 pounds as compared with 1914's total of slightly until reports have been issued by pro- of frozen fish went to Great Britain more than SS9,400,000, which had been vincial authorities, who administer the under supply between agreements • much the highest figure reached in the fi.sheries Ottawa and London. Exports of in nearly all the freshsvater canned fish, mainly salmon and % history. producing areas of the country. . herring, increased by about 82,630,000 How great the • gain was in 1945 Preliminary sea fisheries figures show and were valued, all told, at cannot be accurately estimated until catch gain in British Columbia, Quebec, 823,865,000. There was an increase the work of collecting, checking, and Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia of more than S1,330,000 in the value compiling the year's final statistical but some decrease in New Brunswick, of exports of cured fish (dried, schedules is completed, and that is a the latter state of affairs being chiefly pickled, salted, smoked) and this job which will take some time yet. It due to smaller landings of sardines and branch of the business done abroad involves dealing with literally Inkndreds herring. Des:pite its drap in aggregate amounted to. close to $11,800,000. of schedules from federal fisheries offi- catch, however, New Brunswick was in cers stationed in the field, from fish line with the other four provinces in companies and associations, and from having landed value increase to its FISHERIES SETS UP provincial fisheries services. credit though the gain was modest. ECONOMICS DIVISION Preliminary and unrevised reports Nova Scotia and British Columbia, the show that in the se•a fisheries—leaving biggest producers, were the biggest con- production frein the commercial fresh- tributors to landed value gain, with an Ian S. McArthur Named Chief of New water fisheries out of account for the increase of over $3,500,000 to the credit Fisheries Department Service for time being—the 1915 catch was about of the former and the British Columbia 1,200,000,000 pounds and its value to the gain running around $3,000,000. Economic Research , as landed and before prepar- ation for market, was over $49,000.000. Year Closed Well Created a short time ago, the post Compared with 1914 results, there was December sea fisheries closed out the of chief economist in the headquarters thus a gain of more than 95 million year with a flourish. Gains were general, set-up of the Dominion Department of pounds in catch and a gain of about both on the catch side and in landed Fisheries has recently been filled by the 86,900,000 in landed value. value. Total landings, unrevised figures, appointment of Ian S. McArthur, for- Final, revised reports will change the exceeded 72.500.000 pounds, an increase merly chief of the Agriculture Statistics figures somewhat, of course, possibly of some 21,000,000 over the catch for Branch of the Dominion Bureau of cut the increases but, at the worst, will December, '44. Their total landed value Statistics at Ottawa. Mr. McArthur, not reduce the gains sufficiently- to was something under $2,500,000, a gain who was with the Department of Agri- endanger the present statement that not very far short of $700,000. culture for several years before joining '45 fisheries operations set a new record British Columbia gets the credit for the bureau's staff, was selected by the both as to landed and marketed value. much the bigger part, roughly 16,500,000 (Continued on page 4) Nor is it likely that returns covering (Continued on page 3) 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

LOBSTER CANNING CANADIAN FISHES UNDER STRICT CONTROL Twenty-Eighth in a Series of Non-Technical Articles Maritime Province Cannery Pack for '45 with Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Lifted Above '44 Total by P.E.I. Gain Shellfish and Their Place in the Nation's Fisheries Canadian lobster canners, all of them on the Atlantic coast, have to watch their THE CUSK (Brosme brosme) fish have different preferences as regards sea bot.tom-the cusk liking bard, rocky p's and q's. Not so well known to most people, the cusk belongs to the same fish family as spots, the hake the softer muddy or Most of them, at least, would do 'that sandy sea floors. Incidentally, cusk when anyway, of course, for they take pride in the , the , the hake, and the -the family the scientists speak hooked on rocky ground will often curl doing a good job, but any canner who their bodies in asnong the rocks and in took a different attitude would find that of as Gadidae. But there's not very much resemblance between the cusk and this way resist more strongly the pull `there's a law'-and it's enforced. Its of the fishermen's gear. main purpose is to make sure that con- these other species. The latter are not sumers who buy Canadian canned lob- bad looking but the cusk's best friend Market Forms and Markets: ster get a good product. would scarcely call it handsome. Some- Most of Canada's cusk landings go what eel-like in looks, it has fins running Lobster canners can't operate their into the fresh-and-frozen trade, much almost around the whole length of its the greater part of the Dominion's busi- plants without having government per- body and its brownish or greenish skin mits. They can't get permits unless ness in fish in these market forms being if often rather unattractively mottled. done within Canada and in the United their canneries have passed a prescribed However, handsome is as handsome does and detailed grading test made by a States. Some cusk are used in preparing and one thing the cusk does is to prove dried salt fish and dried salt boneless trained fisheries officer under federal reg- itself a first rate food fish when put on ulations relating to the canning of fish fish. (Canadian products of the `dried' the human's -table. and shellfish. class, with cod the raw material for most of the output, are normally exported in And a lobster cannery doesn't pass Where taken: large volume to the United States and the test unless it is found to merit at The cusk occurs on both sides of the to the West Indies and other southern least 75 marks out of a possible 100 on north Atlantic, its American range from areas. In some prewar days there was the score of construction and equip- Greenland, on past Labrador, Newfound- also substantial exportation of rnent and at least 85 out of 100 for land, and the Maritime Provinces, and to European areas). Small quantities of operating methods and plant sanitation. southward to the Massachusetts coast. cusk are marketed as smoked fillets. Fifty per cent may be the pass mark in On the European side the fish are found some schools but lobster canneries have off the Scandinavian peninsula, around to do a good deal better than that. the Faroe and Orkney islands, off Iceland Nor is it enough to pass the test at and Spitzbergen, and in some other Like This the beginning of the lobster season. localities. So far as Canadian cusk Tastes Nice Say Children Canneries must measure up to standard catches are concerned, nearly all of them throughout the season's operations, and are made off western Nova Scotia, examinations by fisheries inspectors see though there are also small landings in \early everybody knows that cod to it that they do. southwestern New Brunswick. As a liver oil is very good for people, especi- For instance, during 1945 the hundred matter of fact, cusk are quite common ally for young folk, but nearly every- and forty-one lobster canneries at work off different parts of the Maritimes but body knows, too, that very often children in the Maritimes were inspected 647 though quite common they are nowhere dislike the taste. Most youngsters, how- times by officers of the Dominion De- in great abundance. The largest produc- ever, will be more ready to take the partment of Fisheries, which administers tion reported in any year since cusk oil without protest if it has been prepared all the sea fisheries in that part of the catches were shown separately (until a for them in this way: Put a quart of world. Six hundred and forty-seven? few years, ago cusk and hake were the oil and a pint of molasses in a That's not so many in a year, someone grouped together in statistics of Cana- saucepan sufficiently large to allow for may say, there must have been long dian fish landings) was about 1,400,000 the mixture's expansion while cooking. periods when plants went uninspected. pounds but about half that quantity, or (Remember, though, do not stir the in- But that's not the way it was. There less, is the annual production. gredients). Cook the mixture on a low are different lobster seasons on different fire for an hour. Then remove it from Methods of Fishing: parts of the coast but no season in any the heat and beat, while cooling, for area where canning goes on is longer Canadiân fishermen take most of their 15 minutes. Then put it in jars and than two months, or a few days over cusk catch by hook-and-line fishing, on keep them in a cold place where the that. Maritime canneries operated in trawls set primarily for cod and haddock. temperature remains the same. '45 underwent 4.5 inspections, on the Some cusk also enter the landings made average, during the short season. by steam trawlers, vessels which each drag a large, strong net along the sea Canning of lobster in Canada, where Production Up a Bit bottom on the fishing banks. Cusk, by practically all of the world's lobster All told, the number of cases of canned the way, do not seem to consort very canning is now done, began slightly more lobster put up, in the three provinces much with hake, notwithstanding they than 100 years ago at the New Bruns- The two wick town now known as RichiSucto. (Continued on page 4) belong to the same family. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3

LOOK FOR HALIBUT IN FISHERIES MAY SHOW—Con. pounds, of the catch increase but, on SHIFTS ARE MADE IN ADDED ATLANTIC AREAS the other hand, the Maritimes account- B.C. FISHERIES STAFF ed for much the bigger share of the dollar increase or over 8500,000. In New District 1 Supenisor —Ncrthem Exploratory Fishing by Federal Long-Line Nova Scotia alone the landed value Supervisor to Divisional Offi Vessel with View to Expanding betterment was 990,000. British Co- ce- lumbia fishermen lifted their dollar _ Over-age Officers Retire return by S170,000. In New Brunswick — Fishing carried on by J. J. Cowie, the increase w-as about 8112,000. Prince With a record of 20 years' good work diesel-powered vessel built on order of Edward Island figures were higher by in the federal fisheries service to his the Dominion Department of Fisheries 811,000 than in December, '44. credit, R. W. McLeod retired on Jan- for experimental and demonstration Features of the month were the larger uary 31st as district supervisor for the operations, has established the effective- returns from the Nova Scotia cod fishery, Dominion Department of Fisheries in ness in Atlantic waters of the Pacific the lobster fishery in Nova Scotia and District No. 1, British Columbia, which long-lining method of catching halibut, New Brunswick, and the herring fishery includes the Fraser River and Howe and this year the ship will go looking for on the Pacific coast. Sound areas. Prior to joining the fish- grounds where there are halibut stocks eries staff, Mr. McLeod had served for which have not hitherto been brought quite a number of years with the Royal into production. Or, phrased another During 191244 over 20 fishing vessels Canadian Mounted Police. way-, the vessel will put to the test, by of the type known as seiner-packers Two other departmental officers in experimental fishing, a .belief that in were added to the British Columbia British Columbia who, like Supervisor addition to the shallower waters where fleet, their construction aided by subsidy McLeod, had rea-ched retirement age, Atlantic halibut fishermen have made given through the Dominion Department also went off duty at the end of Jan- some catches in the past there are deeper of Fisheries. uary—Inspector T. K. Lightly, North area.s which tnay advantageously be Vancouver, and Captain J. S. Menchions, fished by using the long-line method for of the fisheries patrol boat Merrysea. taking the fish and power equipment Power boats used in the fishing in- Capt. Menchions had been in the depart- for hauling the line. dustry on Canada's Atlantic coast in ment's service for 29 years and 1914 numbered slightly more than 5,900. Inspector Lightly for 15. Up to the pre.sent Canada's Atlantic In 1914 the number exceeded 10,200 Mr. McLeod's place in District 1, catch of halibut has been taken by trawl and the boats were worth approxi- which has New Westminster head- lines, set .and hauled by hand. With mately 83,000,000 in all. quarters, is being taken by Supervisor long-lining, deeper waters can be fished Thomas Taylor, who has been trans- and, using a "gurdy" or power device for fened from the department's Western pulling in the line, hauling in the gear In 1941, the year of record production Division office at Vancouver. In turn, can apparently be done at least three of canned salmon in British Columbia, Supervisor Frank Warne, of District No. tintes as fast as by- hand-power. In the pack was nearly 2,243,000 cases. 2, Prince Rupert, has replaced Mr. Taylor other words, if deep water halibut In several other comparatively recent at Vancouver. A veteran of the Great stocks are available a long-liner can years the output has also exceeded War and father of a young man who fish them successfully- and, using a gurdy, 2,000.000 cases. gave his life in the second war while bring the catch aboard with much less serving with the R.C.A.F., Mr. Warne time and labour than when gear must has been in the .Fisheries Department's be hauled by hand. Know what the `beshow' is It's the Black cod of British Columbia service for some 25 years and in various Gcmd Market Demand waters,- `beshow' being the name some- field positions has gained wide experi- times used for the fish by Indians. In ence. Another veteran of the Great British Columbia, of course, produces the Pacifie fishery of the United States War, Inspector I. Urseth, of the Bella by far the greater part of Canada's hali- the fish is perhaps more commonly Bella area, has been temporarily assigned in some of the pro-war but catch, but known as sablefish. to the Prince Rupert post. He has been years the Atlantic landings made up in the fisheries service for 20 years or so. 20-25 per cent of the Dominion total. In taking charge as supervisor for Latterly, the Atlantic percentage has Lobsters intended for shipment alive District 1, Mr. Taylor is returning to been a good deal smaller, but during the are frequently held in floating tanks the district headquarters where he began past few years, for reasons arising out known as 'cars' or perhaps `floats' for his departmental work as a clerk over 27 of wartime food needs, the East Coast some time after they are ca,ught. y-ears ago. In the interval between then fishermen were largely concentrating Through this practice the fishermen are and now he has had experience in many their attention on certain other fisheries. enabled to take advantage of changes branches of fisheries service. Incident- This year's exploratory fishing by J. J. in marketing conditions The cars, so ally, all through his time with the depart- Cowie is counted on to give some reli- constructed that the water can circulate ment he has been resident in New able indication of the possibility of freely through them, are moored or Westminster, though his work took him expanding Atlantic production of halibut, anchored in some sheltered spot. Some- elsewhere. a fish, by the way, which is always in times, too, lobsters are held for longer Replacing Inspector Urseth in the Bella brisk market demand and not likely to periods in 'pounds' which, roughly, Bella area Inspector R. C. Edwards bas be brought into over-supply. consist of fenced-off sections of small trnnsferred from Bella Coola. For been The exploratory fishing will actually coves where the lobsters live under the time being, Patrolman F. W. Under- be one part pf a study- of halibut migra- conditions approaching those on the hill, a returned man, is handling in Bella Coola. (Continued on page 4) grounds where they are caught. inspector's duties 4 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

LOBSTER CANNING—Con. FISHERIES SET UP—Con. connection with cost studies, for in- during 1945 was 59,684, roughly 650 more Civil Service Commission for promotion stance, the important thing is to kneels than in the preceding year. Final check- to his new position with Fisheries. why production costs vary as between ing may change the figures a little, up During the war years, or from early in different operators and different areas, or down, but not very much. Although the war at least, work in the economics and here, of course, the knowledge of the total pack was larger than in 1944, the field was carried on for the Fisheries technical men comes in. gain was really in Prince Edward Island Department by Stewart Bates, formerly In the marketing field, the division where 23,000 cases were packed, as of the Dalhousie University faculty at will have to concern itself with questions against 21,000. Lobster camaery output Halifax, under special appointment. arising in connection with the proces- in Prince Edward Island, by the way, has Previously there had been no economist sing, storing, shipping, and selling of risen steadily in the past three or four on the departmental staff. Following Mr. . Market surveys to ascer- years. Bates' retirement from the department tain current practices and costs would Nova Scotia pack, 20,540 cases, showed some months ago—he is ncnv associate not in themselves, be enough. Positive a decrease of 40 or 50 cases in '45. In director-general of ecenomic research for conclusions will have to be drawn from New Brunswick a drop of slightly more the Department of Reconstruction—it the facts, and recommendations made than 1,300 cases brought the provincial was decided to establish the post of chief as to ways of improving marketing production down to 16,140. economist in Fisheries and Mr. Mc- methods and lowering costs. Where im- Most of the lobsters which go into Arthur's selection for the position was provement necessitates more efficient cans are caught in what is generally made toward the close of 1945. facilities, the division will need the co- operation of technical men and research called the 'Spring season', though actu- During its earlier days the work of the people, and information, too, to ally the season's fishing runs into early new Economics Division under Mr. Mc- as the availability of credit meeting im- Summer. Spring season pack last year Arthur will be of a somewhat general for provement needs. In study fish was slightly more than 51,000 cases, Fall exploratory nature but the division ob- of the cons-umption season pack under 8,700 cases. jective is to study all economic aspects field the division will re- quire to obtain information from con- of the fishing industry with the dual sumers and retailers of fish in order to LOOK FOR HAL1BUT—Con. purpose of assisting in securing a higher discover what the problems are which tions and growth in Canadian Atlan- standard of living for those engaged in have to be overcome in lifting Canada's tic which is being undertaken by the industry and providing the consum- waters present relatively low domestic federal Fisheries Research Board. ing public with high quality fish products rate of the fish consumption. Information of this 'I'horough knowledge of the life history at reasonable cost. Obtaining much order is essential to the solution of the fish concerned is essen- more comprehensive statistical material and habit of the problems. tial to the continued sound development than is at pre.sent available will be an conservation of any fishery. essential part of the job. Though sta- and adequate Unofficial but apparently authentic Getting such knowledge, in the interest tistics in themselves mean little they are report has it that the first salmon nation and the fishing industry, the tools of the economist. of the haddies put up in this country were Board's is a main part of the Research Problems will have to be studied by prepared by a Scotsman. in Montreal, Operations Cowie since her job. of J. J. the division according to their immediate who had been familiar with haddock been supervised, for construction have need. Quick, spectacular results are smoking in his homeland. the Fisheries Department, by the board's scarcely to be expected but, as a fund of Atlantic Biological Station, St. Andrews, information is gradually developed by Practically all of Canada's output of N.B., and the station will "carry on" in the division, and steadily enlarged, canned sardines cornes from southwestern this regard this year. The ship, by the worth-while suggestions in the interest New Brunswick where canning was begun way, is modelled after a British Col- of the fishing industry and the public about 60 years ago by two fishermen. umbia halibut vessel. should be possible, and in an increasing In 1944 the output of the sardine can- measure. 25 In 1914 British Columbia commercial neries was nearly 526,800 cases of slightly less fishermen used about 2,400 power boats, Major Areas of Study pounds each, with a value of than $2,500,000. As a matter of fact, valued at $1,020,000. In 1914 the num- The work of the division may be the '44 production has once or twice ber of such boats in use exceeded 6,500 divided between economics pro- the of been exceeded. and they had a total value of nearly duction and the economics of marketing. 85,360,000. Of these latter craft 267 had On the production side studies may be diesel engines, a form of equipment not made of the efficiency of different fish- • For a great may years in the history of the in use in such boats in 1914. ing methods and different gear, the most of the industry the great bulk — was efficient scale of operations in different Dominion's canned lobster output Much the great,er part of Canada's areas, the relation of capital investment shipped to Great Britain. Since 1940, production comes from north- had led snielt to the use of labour, costs incurred by however, when war conditions principally the eastern New Brunswick, individual fishermen, the use and avail- Great Britain to halt the importation area. Most of the catch is of Miramichi ability of credit, co-operative effort, and of canned lobster and a number the United States, which has of the sold in so on. Research of this kind should not other products, prac.tically all buyer of Canadian frozen market in been a big only yield a picture of actual conditions Canadian output has found smelts for decades past. but also provide the basis for trustworthy Canada and the United States, princi- pally the latter country. If any people think that '' conclusions and practical recommenda- particular species of fish they're tions. In such studies, of course, it will is a were wrong. Finnan haddies are haddock be necessary for the division to work Years ago many fishing nets Nowadays, however, which have been split open, dressed, closely with those who have technical made by hand. usual thing. lightly brined oisalted, and then smoked. knowledge of fisheries operations. In machine-made nets are the Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES. M.P. Deputy Minister Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII FEBRUARY, 1946 No. 196 RIVER OPERATES GEAR ARTFUL DODGER TRICKS. OF B.C. HERRING: FOR -YUKON FISHERMEN CUT CANADA. SEA CATCH AT YEAR'S START Drivén by Water's Current Fish _ Wheds Atlantic Landings of ^ Fish and Shellfish Show January Feature Yukon River.Fishing-Territory's Gain but Pacific Total Drops When Herring Commercial Catch Small More Elusive in - Northern B. C. Areas -

Vagaries of one partiéular - species of Salmon, Lake ti to 2,400,000 pounds. Landed A value rout, and whitefish, fish in the.: tsaters: of one particular with a - few other species grouped in total topped $700,000, , which meant a section of one . Particular. • province catch reports as "mixéd = fish", make gain of about 5140,000. Most of the explain, in . chief part, . why . the up commercial fisheries production in credit for Nova Scotia's gains belon." Dominion's total sea- fisheries landings to" the cod and other groundfish; with the Yukon Territory but, as a matter in. January . were smaller than in lobsters and scallops entitled to a of fact, in that -part January, 1945;- share, too. of Canada is only of local significance. For some reason of :.their own, New' Brunswick operations were also Total catch in 1944, taken by 38 fisbèr= herring -showed up in lessened abun- more productive than in the '45 month; men, was something more than 28,000 dance off British. Columbia's northern though the increases here were not pounds-salmon made up a little more coast-that's the story in a nutsbell or, great. Provincial landings rose. to than half of it-and its value was perhaps . more appropriately, a peri- 4,740,000 pounds and landed value was 53,100, roundly stated. Record produc- winkle shell. over:$230,000. A disappointing feature tion in the territory, in 1915, was 363,200 The. Pacific province herring landings in the province was a - reduction in pounds, with a value of over 563,700 but. for the month, roughly : 38,500,000 smelt catch.. Production by the smelt thè highest-figûres reached in récent pounds, shoRed a décrease .ôf 32,600,000 fishermen was about 1,235,000 pounds, years were 52,600 pounds and S6,650. pounds or more, with " môst ' of the a deçréass of '300,000 pounds. diierease Though only. a half a dozen different in northern waters. Over Janua.ry•Ashing is always small scale. kinds of fish enter into the territory's against that big redûction, there wâs in Prince Edward Island and virtually^ a net ' gain in the landings commercial landings four or five times from the negligible in Quebec. In the Island Dominion's other. sea fisheries but it that number, at' least, are present. in . province smelts made up nearly' all of . was not,' big. enough to offset, the: Yukon waters.:, Scientists who made a the month's catch, which amounted to herring decrease. preliminary survey of the a little more than 300,000 pounds; but,. fish resources Resùlt,'a. net drop of over 30,5^0,000 of the area for the federal Fisheries at that, the smelt landings were not pounds in the aggregate catch of sea quite as large as in '45. Research Board in. 1945 collected fish 'and shellfish on the two coasts of On the Pacific coast the northern specimens of nearly 30 different species. the country. herring were the chief "sinners", as- Among those. collected were all five Résult, ' too, a drop; though' not a already pointed out. For that matter, species of Pacific salmon, though their. big one, in the total - dollar return to if. British Columbia figures are to show distribution was not uniform-some- the fishermen, East and West: sharp change one way or another in tsere found only in çertain waters, All those calculations and comments any January it is always the herring are based on unrevised reports to the some only in other areas. Whitefish fishery which will be mainly` respon- Dominion included five or six species; Rainbow, Department of Fisheries.' sible. None of the other fisheries in Steelhead and. Dolly Varden trout, as The figures don't show-the exact situa-. progress. on Canada's Pacific coast at well, of course, as the Lake trout, were tion in any instance but 'they may that time *of year,- though some - of. found; the loche or Freshwater ling, be taken as showing , the position them are of considerable import.ance,- the Northern pike, the grayling, the generally. yield catches running to big figures Reckoned from these reports the inconnu, the Northern sucker, the such as are common in herri:ng fish- total Northern chub, the Spoonhead sculpin, Dominion catch went a bit ing. All told, the British Columbia above b1,900,000 pounds and total and several others. The species varied production from the various sea fish= landed value was S1,3S0,000. The in distribution and in abundance and, eries during this year's January was decrease on the latter side of the of course, some of those named are 40,365,000 pounds, as against 73,730,000 account was 560,000 or so. fish which are never of value, either pounds in January, 1945. Landed commercially or from the angler's point Ups and Downs value return to the fishermen totalled of view, in the Yukon or anywhere In Nova Scotia the aggregate pro- slightly. more than $400,000 but that else. vincial catch, not far below 9,500,000 meant a decrease of approximatelÿ (Continued on Page 4) pounds, showed an increase of close S`200,000. 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN BIG FISH DELIVERIES CANADIAN FISHES MEET BRITISH NEEDS Twenty-Ninth in a. Series of Non-Technical Articles Many Million Pounds More Going Forward with Reference to Various Canadian Elsewhere Under United Nations Fish and Shellfish and their Place Relief Plans in the Nation's Fisheries

The Lake Trout average, the weight of the fish entering into the commercial catches is probably As part of its program for help- (Cristirotner namaycush) around 10 pounds and the length two ing to meet food needs abroad Canada Perhaps it is a bit unfsnr to use the feet or so. undertook to supply the British Food sinister word "alias" in connection with Ministry with 73,800,000 pounds of a decent creature like the Lake trout In exterior colouring Lake trout vary canned salmon and canned herring but the fact is that the fish does go from almost black to grayish or very from British Columbia's 1945 produc- by more than half a dozen names. Lake light green. Similarly, there are varia- tion, and the great bulk of the ship- trout and Salmon trout are the two t.ions in the colour of the flesh. Some- times the tissues are fairly deep pink, ments have already been made. most generally used but in New Bruns- sometimes pale ivory, sometimes any Deliveries up to the end of February wick people call the fish the togue, in one of the sevemi shades between the included more than 59,770,000 pounds parts of Quebec the touladi, in some of salmon and close to 6,550,000 pounds other two. These differences, says one other Quebec areas and sometimes in of herring. Canadian authority, Dymond, are prob- Ontario the Gray trout. Once in a ably. determined in part by heredity 'Forty-five supplies for thé United while, perhaps not very often, the fish and in part by environment. Some of Kingdom from Canada's fisheries also is called the namaycush and occasion- the fish "are probably by nature lighter included 19,300,000 pounds of frozen ally the Great Lake trout, too. In in flesh coloûr than others. On the fillets (mainly cod fillets) from the northern British Columbia some of the other hand, it is probable that the kind Atlantic provinces and 2,642,000 pounds Indians have a naine for it which, in and amount of food eaten also influ- of frozen Pacific halibut. In addition, a+augh conversion into the white man's ences flesh colour." - moreover, to the canned salmon being tongue, seems to be so-pi. supplied the Food Ministry, between Scientifically, the fish belongs to the Where Taken: three and four million pounds from last Salmonidae family. That means that Lake trout are North American fish, year's pack are also being made avail- it has a good many relatives, in one with wide distribution over the con- able- to another British agency, the degree of relationship or another, among tinent. They occur in Labrador, in one London Food Council. Even at that, Canadian fish. The closest is one or two sections of the Maritime Prov- however, more canned salmon from '45 known by the scientists as C.namaycush inces, on through Quebec and Ontario, production has gone on the domestic siscouet, which, by the way, is practi- and thence westward and northward. cally confined to Lake Superior though market than at any time since the In the western provinces their distri- occasionally taken also in Lake Erie early days of the war-about 14,500,000 bution is in northerly waters rather and Lake Huron. The whitefish and pounds as compared with 9,600,000 than those in the southern areas. They the Lake herring belong to the same are present, too, in the Northwest pounds from '43 output, for instance. family, though the two species to Territories and the Yukon. In the These figures take into account, of different branches of it. So do the United States the fish are found in course, only the deliveries to the Atlantic salmon and the five species of Maine and in some of the western British authorities under agreements Pacific salmon, the Speckled trout, the states and in Alaska. Incidentally, the made between Ottawa and London. Rainbow trout, and a number of other statement that Lake trout occur in the They leave out of the reckoning fish, among them, as interesting ex- Maritime Provinces should be qualified entirely the many millions of pounds amples, the inconnu of the Northwest by the explanation that they are in- of fish foods supplied to other coun- Territories and the Arctic char. digenoas to only one area or perhaps tries under various plans of the United Most trout, of course, are game fish two areas in that part of the Dominion. Nations for meeting urgent world food but Lake trout enter mainly into the They are native to SheTba+ooke Lake in commercial fishery. They will take the western Nova Scotia and the population needs.. Under these latter arrange- book, both in and when some in waters of the Chamcook Lakes region ments the Dominion - undertook to baits are used, but their importance in of southwestern New Brunswick is prob- make available Atlantic canned fish of Canada is as commercial fish. They ably also indigenous. More than half of various kinds as well as dried, pickled, run, in general, to bigger sizes than any Canada's commercial landings of the and smoked fish and some British of the other species of trout. Those fish, sometimes two-thirds of it, is Columbia canned pilchards. The under- living in large lakes usually grow to taken in Ontario waters, principally in takings apply to the production year larger size than those in smaller waters. Georgian Bay and other parts of Lake running from last July until the end Occasional specimens weighing as much Huron and in Lake Superior. Sas- of • next June. Big quantities have as 75 pounds, or perhaps even more katchewan is much the largest producer already been delivered. . Still larger than that, have been taken by the among the other Lake trout provinces. deliveries would have been made had fishermen's nets and 20- or 30-pounders In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick the Shipping•situation been less difficult. are not uncommon though, on the (Continued on pape 4) FrSHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3

WANT SOME LOBSTER PASTE? • FIND SAND ROLLER ROLLS SAFEGUARDED FISHERIES AS OR PERHAPS IT'S TOMALLEY ALL THE WAY UP TO YUKON MUSTARD GAS WAS DUMPED

Usage may change the meanings of Incidental and chance by-product of Getting rid of two or three thousand words in the course of years but Law important fisheries research in Canada's tons of mustard gaz, Dominion authori- can do the same thing much quicker. northwest in the past couple of years ties dumped recentlY off the Atlantic As, for instance, in the case of "lobster was the commercially unimportant fact coast, but at a spot well away from paste" and "tomalley". that the Sand roller, or Trout perch, any fishing grounds and under condi- The terms were often employed in- has rolled its range a great many miles tions which made it sure no harm terchangeably in Canada's Atlantic farther than people knew. This little would be done the fisheries. Actually, Coast fishing districts as indicating a fish, with its peculiar habit of rolling the dumping took place in the general paste-like lobster by-product suitable up underwater piles of sand or even vicinity of Sable Island but many miles for such purposes as sandwich filling, stones, was known to occur as far west away from the fishing grounds of that but that loose use won't do any longer. as Alberta but scientists of the federal area and at a place where the water Now, under amendments made last year Fisheries Research Board found, in 1944, was far deeper than normal fishing to the canned fish and shellfish regula- that its range extended a thousand miles depth. tions laid down under the federal Meat farther, to the Mackenzie River delta The gas went out to sea in containers and Canned Foods Act, the two terms in the Northwest Territories, and last loaded on one of the war-developed mean two different things—two different year they found the fish in the Yukon landing craft—Landing Ship Tank is products but both of them very tasty. Territory, too. the official designation—which was Basically, lobster paste and tomalley Meanwhile, they found out much towed by a couple of tugs and, like are the same in that each of them is more important things than that, chief the gas, the LST never came back made from roe, liver, and leg, thumb among them the fact that Great Slave from that voyage. At the appointed and body meat, and other edible parts Lake, 700 miles or so north of spot, something like 200 miles out from of the lobster. Both of them also go Edmonton, could sustain a substantial shore, lawful scuttlers went to work to market in tins. But in other respects commercial fishery. As a result of this and in due course the cargo and boat they're different. latter finding, fishermen moved in to went down, down, down to the bottom Under the regulations no ingredients Great Slave last summer and sent out of the deep, deep sea. Asa matter of other than the raw material from the to market, in a short fishing season, fact, the LST didn't take kindly to lobster may legally go into tomalley. something like 1,500,000 pounds of fish, the scuttling idea and before it would Lobster paste, on the other hand, may principally Lake trout and whitefish. take the downward plunge several have spices added to it. Artificial Research, in other words, is paying rounds of shells had to be fired into it, colouring, too. Some "filler" consisting dividends from Great Slave in an in- at the waterline, by an escorting•mine of cereals or edible fats may also be crease in national fish production. sweeper. added to the paste, though the amount The point as to the extended range Gradually, very gradually, the gas will of these materials may not exceed two of the Sand roller (scientifically the seep out from its metal containers as per cent by weight of the finished fish is known as Percopsis omiscomaycus they become corroded in time on the product, and the whole must be ground or, by some authorities, as P. guttatus) ocean floor but the nature of mustard to a smooth consistency. is itself of some minor acadenzic or gas is such, the scientific authorities In order to guard against deterioration scientific interest but of no commercial have found, that in a large body of in quality through delay in processing significance since the fish amounts to water it is rapidly converted into harm- operations the regulations also provide nothing either commercially or in the less products. Thus, the seepage will that each batch of tomalley put up, and valuable sport fisheries. It's just one do no harm to any fish which may each batch of paste, shall be canned of many little fish Nature put into chance to wander from the distant fish- within two hours from the time the raw ing grounds and come sniffing along on North American waters for some un- exploration bent. material was steamed or boiled. known reason. Perhaps Nature intro- duced it to serve in making meals for Whitefish, the most important species other fish which, in their turn, do have Under the provisional fur seal agree- in Canada's freshwater fisheries, are for ordinarily taken by gill-nets set from some value to Man. But now, ment, made between Canada and the boats in summer fishing and by gill-nets whatever the knowledge is worth, it is United States after the four-power set under the ice in the winter time. established that the Sand roller or Pelagic Sealing Treaty ceased to be Some use is made of stationary pound- Trout perch—call it by either name, if operative a couple of years or so ago, nets in some areas. you will—has a range extending from the Dominion will receive 20 per cent., Lake Champlain on through to the instead of 15 per cent., of the annual Drying and semi-drying fish oils have Prairie Provinces, on all the way north take of seal skins at the Pribilof Islands, been successfully used to prevent the and west to the Mackenzie and Yukon which are owned by the United States. rusting of iron pipes and girders stored well as northerly to parts With seal skins worth a good many doors. Usually, when put to systems, as out of each, a five per cent increase in this use, they are made up into a black of the Hudson Bay region. In the dollars paint with asphalt base and then United States the range goes as far Canada's share of the pelts means applied to the girders or piping. southward as Kansas. something. 4 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

FLSHING INDUSTRY BEHIND RIVER OPERATES GEAR—Conc. FISH MUST SHARPEN WITS CONSERVATION MEASURLS No Power Costs Here MORE Featuring commercial fishing on the SKILLS GETTING THEM Yukon River is the use of a device Steadily increasing ;sense of respon- known as the fish wheel, which depends Pacific Coast fish have to be pretty sibility on the part, of commercial only on the water's current to m.ake it smart these days to escape capture. fishermen and.. fish plant operators as go. Salmon are the fish which it seeks, So do fish in other parts of Canada, regards fisheries conservation is noted though incidental catches of some other for that matter. For the simple reason by one- of the 'British Columbia field fish. are also made. The flow of current that the men who go after them are officers of the Dominion Department of makes the wheel go 'round and as its getting smarter or, at all events, are Fisheries in the course of his report for blades swing through the water and using better vessels and gear, more 1945. Testimony • of the same kind come to the surface they scoop up mechanical gadgets. Competition is could be given by other officers, both any fish which have chanced to swim generally keener, too, in the fisheries East and West. - against them at the right moment. than it 'has sometimes been. The fisli .wheel is operated on a. • With prices firm and fish demand at Or let one of the senior British an exceptionally high level, the British llow-square raft which is moored a ho Columbia field officers of the Dominion Columbia officer points out, it was not few yards out from the river bank at Department of Fisheries sum up the surprising that there was the occa- a spot where the current runs strong. case in this extract from his annual sional case of some would-be profit- In the middle of the raft is a 3-foot report for 1945: grabber trying to "beat" the conserva- upright post and from it swings a 12- "The whole fishing industry has tion- rules or regulations laid down by foot wooden axle which has bolted to developed into a highly competitive field the fisheries authorities. That sort of it, radially, several wooden frames, of endeavour. In order to meet such thing was to be expected, human nature som. Climes three or four of them, each conditions new boats and gear have being what it is. But unscrupulous shaped in the form of a scoop about been developed to an tmprecedently chaps who tried it Were the excep- 10 feet square and covered with chicken high point of efficiency. Modern fishing tions. The great majority of fishermen wire. vessels are speedy and seaworthy and and plant operators, .the inspector 'As these blades or scoops are rotated fitt,ed with mechanical contrivances bY added, showed themselves more than the current each : dips, in turn, about enabling them to handle gear easily and ever aware ."of the, necessity for pre- six feet under the water. Swinging up quickly-. Many are equipped with serving the fisheries' •future and, con to the surface they bring their catch radiophones, crews are expert fisher- sequently, a readiness in co-operating in with' them and, as the revolution con- men and navigators, the whole organiza-. and a sympathetic'attitude toward con- tinues, the fish slide from the scoops is of deadly efficiency in the tion servation measures." towardthe axle and are diverted thence capture of fish." Of course, uncontrolled, go-as-you- by .Sloping gutters into collecting boxes please exploitation of any fishery may set below. Divisional headquarters are main- always rnake for bigger earnings for tained by the Dominion Department of the- time being. But, in Most fisheries Fisheries at Halifax, N.S., and at Van- at least, it means smaller returns for CANADIAN FISH—Conc. couver, B.C., with a "chief supervisor of fishe. ries" in charge in each case. the fishing industry a few seasons later, fishing for. trout is restricted entirely and if is carried The western chief supervisor has British reckless .exploitation to . Columbia as his territory, the eastern far enough it means depleted stocks officer the Maritime Provinces. In each and vanished returns. It is mainly Fishing and Marketing: area there are several district sUper- because this is the case that regula- Commercial fishing for Lake trout in visors, stationed at suitable points, and tions are laid. down under. Dominion Canada is done by means of gill-nets under each district supervisor a number law to govern the fisheries, both com- and pound:nets. The greater part of the of fisheries inspectors are employed. mercial fisheries and sport. fisheries. In catch is taken in the summer months major purpose; the regulations are con- but in the Prairie Provinces, as a. whole, The five species of saltnon taken in servation measures, designed to main- most of the fish are caught in winter British Columbia's fisheries are known, tain the country's fishing resources when the nets are set through the ice. respectively, as chums, cohoes, pinks, and ens-ure, for to-morrow, satisfactory Total Dominion catch fluctuates, of sockeyes and springs. They are all returns for thé commercial fisherman course, from year to year. In 1944 the much the same in food value but the and good sport for the angler. Wise landings were about 4,960,000 pounds. particularly rich red colouring of its fishermen of both groups respect the The fish are marketed in the fresh and flesh gives the sockeye salmon a market regulations in their own. interest, if for frozen forms. Much of each year's catch advantage. no other reason. is exported to the United States. Shipments of frozen Atlantic Coast Capital investment in .Canada's fish- Machinery can be pretty smart. For cod and pollock fillets to the United ing industry in the last two years of example, a machine in use in one Kingdom from Canada's 194.5 produc- peace, 1938 and 1939 (actually, of British Columbia fish cannery can fill tion, under Ottawa-London agreement, course, the last two or three months of 132 half-pound cans to the minute. represented something like 58 million '39 was wartime) averaged nearly Other fish canneries have similar pounds of fishermen's catch. In fillet $47,950,000. In 1942 the investment was apparatus which operate at similar weight the shipments totalled over over $62,400,000. speed. 19,300,000 pounds. FISHERIES NEWS B ULLE TI.N . Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Deputy Minister: Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII MARCH-APRIL, 1946 Nos. 197-198

CANADA' S F I SHER I ES IN THE WAR

This issue of the News Bulletin to the Orient, and the manufacture of Those are big figiires but taken only by will be given over, or in main fish meal and oil. part at all events, to an outline of themselves they leave a good deal of The huge British Columbia expansion the wartime accomplishments of the the achievement story untold. They of herring canning following the out- Dominion's fishing industry. Lesser must be viewed in the light of the fact, details will be omitted from the break of war was a remarkable achieve- already indicated, that the industry account but major points set down. ment but, for that matter, the whole operated with a labour force which had A number of figures will necessarily production record of Canada's fishing been reduced by 10 per cent or so from be included, all of them roundly industry was remarkable. peacetime level and operated also with stated, but readers will probably find It was remarkable, not because there a fishing fleet of reduced size. them of interest, and useful for pur- was any such over-all increase in output The important point in connection poses of record. For the most part as occurred in the case of canned herring the data have been taken from with the requisitioning of fishing vessels material worked up by the Eco- production; to look for anything of that for national defence purposes is that the nomics Division of the Dominion kind would have been ridiculous; but craft taken were among the most cap- Department of Fisheries. over-all production was remarkable able producing craft which the industry because it showed upward trend and was possessed. That made their diversion First, an attention-catcher, consider at such huge figures in spite of the fact from the fisheries a much more serious a condensed report on wartime produc- that the working force in the fisheries matter, from the standpoint of fish pro- tion of canned herring in British was reduced by enlistments, etc., and duction, than their actual number might Columbia. the fishing fleet reduced by the diver- have suggested, though, at that, the During the seven-year prewar period, sion of a substantial number of vessels number exceeded 100. 1932-3S, British Columbia's canned her- to certain purposes of national defence. Many Canadian industries, of course, ring output, or 'pack', averaged slightly During 1939-45 the fishing indus- ran into manpower-shortage difficulties less than 15,000 cases a year-48-pound try produced more than 4,129,000,000 during the war. Some had difficulty, cases. pounds of fish food products! too, in obtaining needed additional During the seven-year wartime period, During the same seven years more machinery or equipment replacements 1939-45, the Pacific province pack aver- than 2,755,700,000 pounds of fish or parts. The fishing industry, however, aged more than 1,014,000 cases, with the food products were exported itom had both those obstacles to encounter the Dominionl 'high' mark, in 1942, going above and, added to them, the actual diversion 1,537,000 cases. The figures leave out of account alto- of essential equipment to other uses. Wartime production, then, was nearly gether the production and exports of On top of that, moreover, on various 70 times as great, on the average, as non-food fish products, such as meal and parts of the sea coast the fishing prewar output. oil. Inclusion of commodities of this industry carried on its vital production Virtually all of the wartime pack was class would add fairly substantial task in the face of continuing peril of supplied to the British Ministry of amounts to the totals. enemy attack upon the fishing craft. Food, with some of the herring going It is also to be remembered that the The peril was great but, to their high to UNRRA in the latter months of the figures are given in terms of product credit, it could not deter the fishermen fighting. weight. If production were expressed from going regularly about their part in Canned herring supplied to the United in terms of raw material, or catch, its national war effort. -Nations by Canada also included some total would be much bigger for the fish from the Atlantic provinces but simple reason, of course, that it takes Production Brcafidoum. by - far the bigger share came from more than 100 pounds of raw material, Fish and shellfish which entered into British Columbia. In prewar years more or fish as it cornes from the water, to the '39-'45 output of fish food products, herring canning was done in the Atlantic produce 100 pounds of finished goods. In and, for that matter, enter Canadian region than on the Pacific coast, though the processing of dried salt fish, for output whether in peace or war, fall production was not large, but the great example, something like 300 pounds of into five main classifications or groups expansion of operations of this kind raw material are required to produce and the products themselves into a simi- from '3S onward was on the West Coast 100 pounds of fish ready for market. lar number of divisions. One of the where, before the war, most of the catch During the seven war years the fishing main groups consists of 'groundfish', so from this fishery went into the manufac- industry turned out these four billion called because they are bottom-dwellers. ture of drysalt herring, for shipment pounds and more of fish food products. (Continued on page 8) 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES FEBRUARY-MARCH SEA Thirtieth in a Series of Non-Technical Articles with FISHERIES VALUE UP Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Shellfish and Their Place in the Nation's Fisheries Combined Landings for Two Months Drop but Dollar Return to Fishermen Rises The Witch MINT MONEY FROM LIVERS (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) IN MODERN FISH INDUSTRY Aggregate February-March production Sometimes known by fishermen as a from Canada's sea fisheries showed sole, the Witch is one of several decrease, ys compared with output in varieties of Atlantic flatfish entering Perhaps it's true that scientists think the corresponding period of 1945, but into Canada's commercial catch, though more of science than they do of money, aggregate return to the fishermen in but, at least, they often make money it is not taken in large quantity. In landed value of catch showed gain. for other people. For the fishermen of Total landings for the two months, some years the landings have run to British Columbia's Skeena River district as calculated from unrevised reports half a million pounds or so, in other in 1945, for instance. Dogfish livers gathered by the Dominion Department years they have totalled much less than brought those fishermen over 5285,000 of Fisheries, was something more than that. It is a small-mouthed fish with last year, halibut livers another 593,000 73-5 million pounds and total landed rounded tail, and a lateral line which or so, and livers from half a dozen value a m o u n t e d to approximately is nearly straight. In shape it is other kinds of fish added several $2,965,000. Those figures spelt a drop elliptical, when seen from above, rather thousand dollars more-and the money of over 22-4 million pounds and an came along because scientists had than rounded. The upper side of the increase of close to S170,000. found out in recent years that certain body runs from brownish to blackish In February there were decreases on fish livers are valuable sources of both sides of the account in each of in colouring and the underside is vitamin oil. What happened in the the three main producing provinces- greyish or what might be termed a Skeena-Prince Rupert area last year British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New dirty white. In size R'itch usually was happening, too, in some other Brunswick-but, some gains in Prince measure from about 12 to 20 inches fishing districts, though perhaps in most Edward Island and Quebec. The from tip to tip and the common weight of themm the liver production was on biggest reductions had to be marked is from one to two pounds. They feed a lesser scale. This transformation of against the Pacific herring fishery. on small bottom-dwelling creatures and fish livers into dollars had happened in In March, on the other hand, British spawn in the summer or early autumn. other recent years, and it will con- Columbia's herring figures were very Witch like deep water, and soft tinue to happen, although money much larger than they had been twelve bottom, and have been found at depths returns will fluctuate with prices. months before, and that was the main as great as 800 fathoms and more. Up to 20 years or so ago, the cod was factor in lifting the month's sea Where Taken: the only fish which was known to carry fisheries totals for the province well 'round with it a liver which could be above those for March, '45. riarch Virtually all of Canadas catch of turned to use in promoting or protect- also brought sharply-increased returns Witch is taken by Nova Scotia fisher- ing man's health. (The health-giving in Nova Scotia but decreases in New men though the fish are present in properties of cod liver oil were known Brunswick. At that time of year other Maritime Province waters and long before vitamins were christened). Prince Edward Island fishing opera- parts of the Quebec area. Their North Then science found that halibut livers, tions are never more than small-scale American range is from Newfoundland too, were vitamin rich. Later, dogfish, and though '46 catch and landed value southward to the vicinity of Delaware soupfin sharks, half a dozen or more for the province increased, the figures Bay. Related species are present in other fish, were also found to carry affected Dominion totals very little. waters of northern Europe. . vitamins in their livers and, as a con- There was no March sea fishing in sequence, a new source of earnings was Method of Fishing: Quebec and, for that matter, almost opened up to fishermen. And Canadian none in February. The Canadian catch is taken almost fisheries scientists, by the way, working By coasts, the March totals were: wholly by steam trawlers operating on under the federal Fisheries Research Pacific-17-8 million pounds and offshore grounds; Steam trawlers, of Board, had'important share in uncover- 5298,000; Atlantic-27 million pounds course, are powered vessels which make ing the fish liver secrets which are now and S1,725,000. Pacific landings were their catches by dragging a large, turned regularly to the advantage up nearly 14•7 million pounds and strong net along the sea bottom. of numbers of the Dominion's sea landed value showed a gain of more fishermen. than $110,000. For the Atlantic coast Iiow Marketed and Where: -in this case the three Maritime Witch are marketed both fresh and Age of fish is sometimes determined Provinces-the net increases were 2•4 frozen, for the most part in filletted by counting markings which appear on million pounds and close to $330,000. form but some of them. as whole fish the scales-markings somewhat similar or, in fisherman's phrase, "in the round". to the rings which may be seen on the In Various Provinces Ordinarily, they are sold in Canada and cut surface of a tree stump. Some- Cod fishermen had most to do with the United States, but during some of times, however, fish age may be better bringing about net increase in Nova the war years most of the catch was determined by examination of the car Scotia's total catch for the month. supplied to the United Kingdom in bones or otoliths, which add additional Cod landings exceeded 16•5 million frozen form. layers year by year. (Continued on page 4) FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3

CANADA'S FISHERIES—Con. IVhere the Fish Went 1941, the first year of the agreements The group includes such species as cod, Out of the 4,129,160,000 pounds of with the Food Ministry, two-thirds of halibut, haddock, pollock, as well as a food products prepared by- the industry the salmon canned in British Columbia, number of others of le.sser importance. in the war period something more than where virtually all of Canada's salmon A second group is made up of 'pelagic' two-thirds, or 2,755,703,000 pounds, was- canning is done, was delivered to the fish, or fish which spend most of their shipped out of the country. In value British authorities; and in 1942 all of time in the upper or surface waters of these export shipments came close to the pack, except certain supplies needed the ocean—herring, mackerel, pilchards, 8345,000,000, only 850,000 less than that. for Canadian service purposes and for etc. Another group takes in 'estuarial' distribution, by the Dominion's Red fish—salmon much the most Shipments to the United King- Cross among people from tlais country important dom totalled 612,226,000 in pound- among them. Inland or freshwater fish held prisoner by the enemy. In each of age and 899,093,000 in value. the make up the fourth group and shellfish Shipments to the United States next three years the great bulk of the fifth. were 1,568,017,000 pounds, with a the output continued to go to the Food Broken down according to these clas- value of $190,317,000. Ministry, though an increasing quantity sifications the seven-year production of Countries other than the United was reserved for civilian use within the fish foods, and their value, was as fol- Kingdom and the United States Dominion and certain supplies were lows, with the quantities shown in received 575,460,000 pounds and the made available for Red Cross use and thousands of pounds or, in other words, deliveries were worth 855,510,000. for Canadian service purposes. with the final '000 omitted in each case Much the larger part of the sup- In the earlier part of the war the in the 'Lbs.' column: plies made available to the United British authorities asked in particular Kingdom consisted of canned fish- for Canadian canned salmon and canned G round fish herring but in 1943 512,056,000 pounds, valued at 884,595,000 they asked that Lbs. arrangements also be made to supply 1,018,081 113,587,000 —and, in turn, nearly all of the canned fish consisted of salmon and herring. large stocks of frozen fish, though they Pelagic still required, as well, all of the canned 1,3.57,914 83,301,000 The second largest item in the shipments was fresh and frozen fish. All told, herring and salmon that could be sup- Estuarial plied. (In 1939-42 Great Britain had 893,294 135,160,000 these latter deliveries amowpited to 93,286,000 pounds and in money the fish obtained a substantial aggregate quant- In land ity of frozen fish from Canada but not 602,420 64,411,000 represented $13,552,000. Except in small part, these deliveries were made up of under any formal arrangement between fish Shell the two countries). Steps were taken by 257,451 51,684,000 frozen cod and other groundfish from the Atlantic provinces, frozen British the Dominion in '43 to meet the frozen Food products prepared from species Columbia halibut, and some frozen flat- fish case and a 'set-aside' order was classifications are divided fish from each coast. made which, in effect, reserved a certain in these five part of the production for delivery to into Fresh and Frozen, Smoked, Salted, In 1939 and 1940 the fish supplied to the Food Ministry. A similar plais was and Canned. During 1939-45 nearly all Britain by Canada went through the Inland products were in the usual commercial channels, but from followed in 1914 and 1945. In the three of the years the shipments to the United King- Fresh and Frozen division—the ordinary 1941 onward there was a different situa- dom amounted to more than 52,100,000 in tion. 1941, condition. Most of the shellfish were In in order to provide addi- pounds, with value close Fresh and Frozen, though there were tional food supplies for the civilian to 88,700,000. important quantities of Canned—princi- population of the United Kingdom and Exports to Britain during the seven 1,200,000 pounds of pally canned lobsters and clams. Rela- for British armed services in i(arious years also included tively small quantities of Salted and theatres of war, the Dominion Govern- smoked fish, valued at S135,000, with all of the deliveries going forward in 1939- Smoked products were prepared from ment undertook to bring Pacific Coast quan- but most of the estuarial canned herring output (already increased 40, and over four times as large a estuarial fish 5,684,000 pounds. catch went into cans and Fresh and sharply since war's outbreak) up to the tity of , or Frozen, with Canned leading the way by point of maximum production and to All save a relatively small part of the salted fish was shipped in 1943-5 when a wide margin. Groundfish and pelagic direct the exportation of canned herring Board plan for meet- fish entered into all four product divi- and canned salmon in such a way as a Combined Food would most effectively serve the end in ing a general condition of salted fish sions. The bulk of the groundfish out- shortage was operative. The fish in this put, however, was in the Fresh and view. To fulfil this undertaking the Canada, Salted sections, most of the Dominion Department of Fisheries, act- class shipped to Britain by Frozen and the shipments in 1933-12, was production in the Canned and ing for the Ottawa Government, entered including pelagic S811,000. Fresh and Frozen divisions. into contracts with the Pacific canning valued at Aggregate value .of these supplies was trade for the purchase of canned salmon Shipments to United States 8448,113,000 and, by quantities and and canned herring in the quantities values, the outputs in the respective required for the British Food Ministry. Thanks mainly to proximity, the product divisions were as follows: Similar contracts were made in the fol- United States has for many years been Canadian and Frozen (both whole fish lowing years, and they were also the chief single outlet for Fresh it was to be and fillets)-2,286,630,000 pounds and extended to include canned herring and fisheries products and Smoked (whole fish and sardines from the Atlantic area. expected that wartime shipments across S212,116,000: in value, fillets)-125,396,000 pounds and S14,555,- As has been said, nearly all of the the border would represent, filletted, and dried) canned herring put up in '39-'45 was more than half of the total exportation 000: Salted (pickled, already shown, that —551,039,000 pounds and 841,464,000: supplied to the Food Ministry. In 1939 of food fish. As Canned-1,166,095,000 pounds and $180,- and 1940 more than half of the salmon total exportation amounted almost to 008,000. pack went to the United Kingdom; in (Continued on page 4) 4 FISHERI -ES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADA'S FISHERIES—Con. only and did not deal with the related Payment for the fish supplied to $345,00Q,000 and of this big sum the ship- product, pickled fish—pickled herring, UNRRA comes from the funds of that ments to the United States accounted mackerel, etc.—which are important organization, but Canada, of course, is for nearly $190,350,000. (Inclusion of food in West Indian areas. In 1943, a contributor to UNRRA's financial non-food by-products would somewhat therefore, Canada's Food Requirements support. increase both the world and United Committee, on the advice of a majority of the country's pickled fish exporters, States totals, of course, but, as pre- FEBRUARY-MARCH SEA—Con. viously pointed out, this article is con- approved a programme for allocating cerned with food fish products only.) pickled fish and smoked herring bloaters. pounds, as against 11.6 million in Sales of fresh and frozen fish made up Direction of this programme, which was March, 1945. The cod, lobster, and much the largest part of the business continued in 1944 and 1945, has been in scallop fisheries were responsible for the gain in landed value with the United States, or 8149,861,000. the hands of the Salt Fish Administra- total for the tion. province. In the case of cod the This figure `breaks down' into $60,151,000 fishermen's money return increased by for freshwater fish, 832,831,000 for cod, In 1944 increasing need for relief sup- more than 8200,000 while lobster halibut and other groundfish, S31,462,000 plies led to a Combined Food Board value decision to allocate the total Canadian showed a gain of close to 8135,000 and for shellfish—principally lobsters, $14- scallop value 223,000 for salmon and other estuarial and United States production of canned a gain of nearly 865,000. fish and the exportable surpluses of cer- The sardine fishery was the March species, and 811,248,000 for pelagic fish. "sinners" in New Brunswick. Sardine S.alted fish deliveries to American tain other areas. The decision involved fishermen's landings were under 600.000 were valued at 821,835,000, the control of exports in accordance with markets pounds, as compared with 4-3 million 812,793,000, smoked approved allocations, the co-ordination canned fish at and pounds in March, '46. The big drop products were worth 85,855,000. of contract arrangements with the over- all scheme, and restriction of domestic was not necessarily of any significance Shortages and Relief sales. The programme is still operative. as to sardine stocks, just "one of those things" which happen occasionally in 1 As the war continued, various food Supplies for Relief all fisheries. Production from other shortages and emergencies occurred and New Brunswick fisheries showed net Canada's fisheries made important con- It would require too long and detailed gain, but not enough to offset the 1 tribution toward meeting these situa- an array of figures to show where all sardine decrease. tions, latterly- by making large supplies these allocated stocks of fish have gone On the Pacific coast the March of fish available for UNRRA and some and the quantities obtained by each of feature, as compared with results in the countries receiving shipments. other relief purposes. In '45, was a great increase in herring By 1942 or the early part of '43 salted place. of such an array there will be catch, but the catch in March of last fish, a staple protein food in the Carib- given here only some figures relating to year had been relatively =all. Gains bean and Mediterranean areas, was in the fish made available for relief pur- were fairly general in the other Pacific extremely short supply as a result of the poses. fisheries, though there were some withdrawal of Norway and Iceland from In 1943-44 there was grave need for exceptions to the rule. world trade. At the same time, inflated food in Greece. To help meet it, prices in some of the importing countries Canada made a gift to the Greek people were diverting supplies from areas which of 1,100,000 pounds of salted fish. In Salmon running to the Puntledge were in greater need. To meet the situa- 1944 the UNRRA needs began. From River area of Vancouver Island have the output of the fisheries 'production tion the Combined Food Board, repre-. Man to thank for passage to additional d sentative of the United States, Britain, year' 1944-45—that is, the year running spawning grounds. A fishway built on and Canada, worked out a programme from July, '44, to the end of the follow- the river by the Dominion Department for the allocation of available supplies ing June—the Dominion made available of Fisheries has opened up 70 miles of of wet-salted and dried groundfish to UNRRA the following supplies: waterway for salmon heading for the among the various countries which stood Salted fish-2,300,000 pounds; pickled spawning beds. It's proving an efficient in need of this food. fish —4,800,000 pounds; smoked fish, fishway, too, the fisheries inspector for Under this plan, which Canada, one herring bloaters-800,000 pounds. the district reports. of the principal producers of salted fish. There were also allocated to UNRRA accepted, the total salted fish output of 13,583,000 .pounds of canned fish (flake the Dominion, Newfoundland, and one fish, herring, mackerel) but, in strict If greater size compels respect, the or two lesser producers was apportioned accuracy, some small part of this quan- male soupfin sharks of North America's tity consisted of stocks from '43-'44 pack. t] to claimant countries at fixed prices and Pacific coast must watch their fi in the quantities agreed upon as fair Additional large quantities have been demeanor toward the females. On the after consideration by the board's allocated to UNRRA and other relief average, the females weigh something the output for the current si Fisheries Committee. To implemmt its purposes from like 67-68 'pounds and the Males a tl part in the undertaking Canada set up production year ending in June, and mere 45 or so. Sometimes the former a Salt Fish Administration in August, substantial shipments from some of run close to 100 pounds. fi 1913, and established procedure for the these apportionments have already been categcry. The made. These are the allocations for the control of exports in this IC programme was first applied to the pro- year, 71,500,000 pounds in all: Eggs of freshwater fish are heavier duction of the 1943 season and has been Salted fish-3,000,000 pounds; pickled than the water and sink to the followed, perhaps with some modification fish-12,000,000 pounds; smoked herring bottom. On the other hand, the eggs il in details, in the subsequent years. —1,800,000 pounds; canned fish-49,700,- of sea fish may be on the bottom or The Combined Food Board plan, how- 000 pounds for UNRRA and 5,000,000 they may be sufficiently 'buoyant to ever. had reference to salted groundfish pounds for other relief agencies. float at or near the ocean surface. tc FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Deputy Minister Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII MAY, 1946 No. 199

95 PER CENT OF B.C. CANNED SALMON CANADA HELPS FRANCE TOP QUALITY 1945 INSPECTIONS SHOW RESTORE TROUT STOCK Only 90,000 Cases Out of More than 1,723,000 Found Grade B or Second Standard by Inspection Million Eggs from Selected Speckled Trout Laboratory-Not a Single Case Below. Sent French Authorities by Fisheries Requirements Department

Out of well over 1,700,000 cases of cases of salmon or the equivalent of that Speckled trout of a superior Canadian British Columbia canned salmon in- quantity, "cases" meaning containers strain will help re-stock the streams of spected last year by the Pacific Canned holding 48 pounds each. Of the total France. . Fish Inspection Laboratory maintained number 1,633,336 cases were found by Gift from Canada as represented by by the Dominion Department of Fish- the laboratory to be eligible for certifi- the federal Department of Fisheries, a eries not a single one failed to come cation and the remaining 90,000 were million trout eggs from fish developed up to Grade B. standard, at least. put in Grade B. Included in the 90,000 by selective breeding at the department's Ninety-five per cent were up to top Grade B. cases were 7,0S6 of tips-and- hatchery near Antigonish, N.S., were standard. tails and minced flakes, two products shipped recently to France to assist the And this canned salmon inspection is which, ttnder the regulations, may not restoration of resources which suffered no hit-or-miss, rough-and-ready, rule-of- be rated higher than Grade B. in any from wartime's effects. The little fish thumb sort of business. It's done by circumstances. Certified stock goes to which will hatch from the eggs will soon permanent departmental employees of market, by the way, with the word be trying their fins in French waters and scientific training and includes the "Canada" embossed on the tins but the looking to the day when they'll have application of definite tests based on embossing does not appear on cans of grown to fine, big, gamey fellows like carefully devised methods. Grade B. fish. the Canadian forbears from which they The inspection system has been in Pinks made up most of the fish put have sprung. operation for quite a number of years in Grade B. last year but, then, pinks Acknowledgment of Canada's courtesy now. New or improved techniques and made up more than 45 per cent of all in supplying the new stock has been tests have been brought into use from the salmon submitted for inspection and made to Hon. H. Francis G. Bridges, time to time as experience and research all but a tenth of them were of certified Minister of Fisheries, by Count A. de dictated. If through some mischance or rating. Some 4,800 cases of chums were Hautecloque, the French ambassador at laxity in cannery operations some poor Grade B., and a few cases of springs Ottawa. "I wish to tell you", the quality salmon did happen to be put and cohoes. Apart from tips-and-tails ambassador wrote 18Ir. Bridges, "how up in British Columbia it wouldn't have aüd minced flakes, only 182 cases of sensible I have been of the sentiments much chance of slipping by the labora- sockeye fell below certification quality. which have prompted your action toward tory inspection nowadays. my country and to express to you, on Practically all of Canada's output of my own behalf, as on, behalf of my canned salmon comes from the Pacific Each wrapped in its own individual felloR--countrymen, my keenest thanks coast and, under federal law, only two wrapper, substantial quantities of for that generous present which will be classes or grades of the fish are per- cooked, quick-frozen lobsters are very valuable for the re-stocking of the mitted to be marketed-fish certified by shipped from Canada's Atlantic coast rivers of France." the laboratory people as being fresh, to United States cities. Last year, for firm, well-packed, and in good merchan- instance, one New Brunswick producing Sound Heredity table condition and, second, Grade B. company sent about 80,000 pounds of stock, which means salmon which, lobsters in this prepared form to cities The Speckled trout (Saluelinus fonti- though not quite up to certificate of mid-west states. The shipments nalis) from which the eggs were requirements, is sound, wholesome, and were by express. obtained were parent fish developed at fit for human food. the Antigonish hatchery through careful Any cases of sahnon which do not selective breeding. Early rapid growth, measure up to Grade B. level are subject Pacific Coast fishermen were paid eatly maturity, and large egg production to confiscation under the regulations. bounty by the Dominion Department were the characteristics which the breed- Among all the cases inspected last year of Fisheries on the destruction of 1,941 ing methods had sought particularly, and there wasn't one unfit for market. hair seals last year at the rate of $5 successfully, to develop in the fish. per seal. The purpose of the bounty Pairs of trout which showed these "Canada" means Top Stock system is to cut down the damage the characteristics were selected and mated To give exact figures for 1945:' All hair seals do in the salmon and other and their progeny segregated. Future told, the inspections covered 1,723,336 fisheries. (Continued on page 4) 64bs3 . FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES NEW `HIGH' IN DOLLARS FROM P.E.I. FISHERIES Thirty-First in a Series of Non-Technical Articles with Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Shellfish and Their Place in the Nation's Fisheries Marketed Value of 1945 Production in Province Tops Biggest Figures Reached The Pike-Perch or Pickerel pike-perch has white, firm, flakey flesh Previously (Stizostedion vitreum) and is one of Canada's more important food fishes. As a usual thing the fish Though probably quite innocent of frequents waters of moderate depth and any intent to deceive, this fish is guilty Prince Edward Island cracked all its spawns, in early spring, on hard or of false pretences in answering to the records for dollar return from the fish- gravel bottom in shoal waters. From name of pickerel. It isn't a pickerel. eries last year when the total marketed the very beginning of life it shows provincial catch was It's a perch. value of the voracious appetite and the youngsters approximately 83;108,000. As a word, "pickerel" is really the are not above gobbling up their own diminutive of pike, just as cockerel is Final revision of the '45 statistical little kin. Minnows and other kinds of reports may possibly cut down the the diminutive of cock, but the fish small fish are staples in the pike-perch as S. vitreuin and total-for that matter, of course, revision known scientifically diet. commonly included by laymen as among may work the other way-but there is the pickerels is actually a member of Where Taken: no likelihood that it will bring the figures the perch family, or Percidae, not a Among the Canadian provinces Mani- down to the previous provincial "high", member of Esocidae, the family to which toba is much the largest producer of which was set in 1943 when marketed the pikes belong. Fisheries biologists pike-perch, and as a usual thing has value amounted to a trifle less than say, therefore, that in lay speech the fish more than half of the country's annual $2,861,000. As compared with 1944, last should be known as the pike-perch, not catch to its credit. Ontario is also a year's market return showed an increase as the pickerel. The biologists use the big producer and landings of substantial of about $509,000. hyphenated name partly because this size are made in Saskatchewan and All told, last year's landings from the one of the perches is somewhat pike-like Alberta. Smaller quantities are taken island's commercial fisheries (all of them and partly to distinguish it from the in several other areas. (Ontario fisher- saltwater fisheries) was 33,500,000 pounds, common yellow perch. men, by the way, also land large quan- as shown by reports to the Dominion tities of a fish generally known as the A word of reminder may not be amiss Department of Fisheriees, and they were blue pickerel and known to the biologists before anyone reads farther. There are worth to the fishermen, as landed, as the blue pike-perch. The fish_ is several species of Canadian freshwater $2,308,000. Compared with 1944 results, another of the perches, a relative, so fish, in addition to S. vitreum, which these figures show a catch gain of nearly S. vitreum.) The pike- in one locality or another are called to speak, of 6,300,000 pounds and $510,000. perch occurs also in the Northwest pickerel-some of them properly so- Territories, the Hudson Bay region, and and, adding something more to the possi- Lobster Figures Higher Labrador. In the United States it bilities of confusion, S. vitreum itself is ranges from Vermont westward to the Lobsters, of course, continued to hold quite often known popularly by such upper Mississippi Valley and southward the top Prince Edward Island spot as names as wall-eyed pike, and yellow to Alabama and Georgia. In the United money-makers. The catch was worth, pickerel. Among French-speaking Cana- States, incidentally, the fish is known by. on the market, close to S1,544,000, or, dians, by the way, the name doré is a wide variety of popular names, not in other words, it came not far short of ordinarily used for this species. only as the wall-eyed pike, for instance, making up half of the dollar marketed Other fish often marketed as pickerel but also as the jack salmon, the blowfish, value zeturn from the fisheries as a include two species of pike which never okow, and green pike. whole. Lobster landings, about 8,115,000 grow very large, and in these cases the Fishing Methods: pounds, were roughly 1,500,000 greater term "pickerel" is correctly used since Pike-perch will take the hook, both than they had been in the preceding these fish are little pike. Sometimes the baited hook and the fly, and showing year. small specimens of the common pike, which is normally a fish of good size, considerable gamey-ness, is of some There were increased landings from Canada's are also referred to as pickerel. The importance as a sport fish. such other fisheries as those for smelts, name sand pickerel is occasionally, commercial catch, however, is landed hake, mackerel, and quahaugs or hard- though incorrectly, applied to the sauger, mainly by gill-nets set from boats or, in shelled clams, as well as from one or two a member of the perch group. some localities, by stationary pound- others. In the valuable oyster fishery nets. In Manitoba and Saskatchewan As for the pil:e-perch, its exterior production showed a decrease, not a most of the catch is taken in winter coloration may be described as, in very big one, but the money return fishing when the nets are set under dark olive, with fine brassy increased. There was a similar state of general, the ice. mottlings forming indistinct oblique bars affairs in the herring fishery-fewer fish on the body. In maximum length the 11arketing and Dfarkets : taken but more dollars made. Clam landings-they fish may run to about three feet and the Canada's pike-perch figures shrank a bit. Over a million than 14,240,000 pounds maximum weight is, say, '2b pounds, averaged more pounds of mussels were dug and put annually in the two years 1943-44-are though ordinarily the specimens enter- into cans, with a marketed value of a marketed in the fresh and frozen forms, ing into the Canadian catch weigh much No mussels with some of the fish filletted. A large little more than $30,000. less than 25 pounds. (It is always to were handled in 1944, though substantial be remembered that different individual part of the annual catch is exported to landings had been made in some earlier fish of the same, species may vary con- the United States and the remainder siderably in colour, weight, etc.). The sold on the domestic market. years. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3 ATLANTIC REDUCTIONS PULL DOWN APRIL BIG JUMP IN WEST SEA FISHERIES POUNDAGE AND DOLLARS COAST TUNA FISHING British Columbia Catch and Landed Value Show Small Gains for Month but Decreases on East Coast '45 Landings in B.C. Ten Times Aimual Bring Net Drop on Each Side of Account Average for 1939-44

April sea fisheries catch increased in Quebec: Catch-580,000 pounds, de- British Columbia, as compared with crease 2,900,000 pounds; landed value— Tuna fishing used to be small-scale landings in April, 1945, but there was $5,000, decrease $10.500. business in British Columbia but a decrease in the Atlantic area—result, a Prince Edward Island: Catch-298,000, different state of affairs has been net reduction. pounds, decrease 140,000; landed value developing in the past couple of years. The same situation occurred as regards —$8,700, increase $3,300. Last year's landings by tuna fishermen dollar return to the fishermen in landed of the province were close to 1,430,000 Drop in cod catch tells most of the pounds, as value of catch. story of the decreases in Nova Scotia compared with average annual All told, the month's landings of sea catch of less than tenth that size in the •aggregates of catch and dollars. Had- preceding six fish and shellfish, as shown by unrevised dock production for the province in- seasons. reports gathered by the federal Depart- creased. Pollock catch was also up. For that matter, if it had not been ment of Fisheries were slightly more Herring were taken in decreased quan- for expanded operations in 1944 the than 32,000,000 pounds and their value tity.. Lobster landings were down some- average for '39-'44 would have been a to the fishermen, as landed, was slightly what but even at that they brought good deal smaller than it was. A jump more than 82,200,000. In April, '45, the fishermen 81,015,000 in landed value to landings of over 460,000 in 1944 lifted the figures were 43,719,000 pounds and or only about $13,000 less than the the six-year average, only to be followed $2,360,000. larger catch of the preceding April. by an increase of 200 per cent and more In all four Atlantic provinces catch Scallop landings and their landed value in last year's production. was smaller than in April of last year total fell off. Seventy- -five British Columbia fishing and in each of them except Prince In New Brunswick the sharp reduc- boats went out after tuna last year- Edward Island landed value decreased, tions in catch and value totals were some of them boats of the salmon too, though, as a matter of fact, it traceable to the lessened landings of type, some of them halibut was a marine plant, not any fish or herring and sardines. The herring catch boats which came into the tuna fishery shellfish, which saved the day in the of something more than 900,000 pounds after the halibut season was over, some island. was less than half as large as it had of them craft which had been built In British Columbia, on the other been a year ago. Sardine landings were especially for tuna fishing. Good boats hand, the landings of more than 4,750,- about 1,125,000 pounds, as campared are needed in this fishery since .tuna 000 pounds showed a small increase-- with over 4,400,000 pounds. are taken well off shore and with further roughly, 700,000 pounds—and they increase in production in mind the as Quebec's production for the month- brought the fishermen $315,000, April is never a very busy month in British Columbia fishermen are tending against less than S290,000. The Pacific to put larger craft into use in this to bigger the sea fisheries of the province—con- gain in catch was chiefly due sisted only of herring and, as already particular branch of the fishing industry landings from the herring and lingcod shown, it was small. so that operations may be carried on in fisheries, though April, by the way, is tuna waters which Canadians have not one of the main herring fishing In the fisheries proper Prince Edward hitherto not fished. on the West Coast. Lingcod Island production showed decrease in months The 1945 catch, valued at a little and salmon were the biggest contrib- landed value as well as in catch but Irish moss lifted the dollar return. under $300,000, only a couple of utors to the British Columbia landed thousand under, was frozen in British value increase. April is not a large- Herring, some flatfish, and a few barrels of oysters made up the landings of Columbia but ultimately was sold to scale production month in the salmon United States canning plants. Certain fishery but the catch this year, 380,000 fish and shell and, in net result, there was decrease both in catch and dollar war-created conditions made it imprac- pounds, increased by about 100,000 ticable for British Columbia canners to pounds. Its landed value was approxi- totals. However, the Irish moss har- raked carry on tuna canning last year. mately $72,000, a gain of S19,000. vesters in the fishing district nearly 450,000 pounds of the moss during Tuna, by the way, are taken in some against much less than In East Coast Provinces the month, as Nova Scotia waters as well as on the that a year ago, and it represented Dominion's West Coast, with the eastern By provinces on the Atlantic coast close to $5,600, an increase of better commercial catch ordinarily running to the catch and landed value figures for than $4,500. something like a half a million pounds the month, and the decreases or increases a year. The Nova Scotia fish, however, as compared with April, '45, were Production of canned Fraser River belongs to the species known scientific- approximately as follows: sockeye salmon in 1943 was slightly ally as Thunnus thynnus while the prin- Nova Scotia: Catch — 22,800,000 more than 72,500 cases, as against cipal Pacific tuna is the Yellowfin, or pounds, decrease 4,770,000 pounds; 474,000 cases in 1912. The great Neothunnus macropterus. In addition. landed value — $1,805,000, decrease difference simply emphasizes how widely to its standing as a commercial fish, S125,000. salmon runs may fluctuate from year tuna also rank high as sport fish. Speci- New Brunswick: Catch — 3,560,000 to year, although, as a matter of fact, mens running to hundreds of pounds in 4,547,000 pounds; the Fraser sockeye run in 1942 was weight have been taken by anglers—but pounds, decrease tough battles. landed value—$68,300, decrease $53,600. altogether exceptional in size. not without long, 4 FISHERIES NEIVS BULLETIN

Ton-Size Sea Lions Harry FISHERIES EDUCATION CANADA HELPS FRANCE—Con. Oulachons of Few brood stock was picked from the off- Ounces SUPERVLSOR CHOSEN spring of the pairs which gave the best results from the standpoint of vitality- "Pick on something your own size" and survival percentage. Prime stock does:n't mean a thing to Pacific sea lions. War Veteran Heads New Division of was thus developed for breeding pur- There's nothing sporting about them. Education Set Up by Federal Depart- poses. That, of course, is only a different Sometimes they may weigh a ton or ment of Fisheries way of saying that there is sound more but they prey even on such little heredity back of the trout which will soon be hatching fish as the oulachons, which weigh a in France from the 7 few ounces each, and that is why federal Carman C. Wilson; who lias service Canadian egg shipments. fisheries officers went lion hunting not in two wars to his credit, was recently As for the shipments, they consisted long ago at Kingcome and Knight appointed to head the division of educa- of eggs which had reached the "eyed" inlets on the British Columbia coast. tion which has been established by the stage of development and they travelled by steamer from Halifax to the Fisheries Oulachons enter into the commercial Department of Fisheries at Ottawa. He and fisheries and they also have important was selected for the position by the Fishculture Branch of the French place in the domestic economy of coastal Ministry- of Agriculture, making the Civil Service Commission, following the voyage in trays Indians, who use them for food purposes _ examination of a number of applicantÉ. set in carrying cases and, indeed, because the fish are oily, built especially for the purpose. .Neces- Plans have been on foot for some sary insulation was supplied, in the main, sometimes as candles—hence, the second time to expand the department's pro- name for the species candle-fish. by moss. On shipboard some of the •gramme of education and Mr. Wilson's cases were put in "cold rooms" for the • The hunting riflemen met with con- job, in brief, will be to supervise work trip, special arrangements had to be siderable success at Kingcome and of this kind and look after the necessary made for others because of insufficient Knight, both in ending the career of arrangements. His headquarters will "cold room" space. Advice as to the some of the animals and in scaring the be at Ottawa though various steps in methods of looking after the eggs others away from the runs of spawning the programme will be taken in different in transit—maintaining proper tempera- oulachons. As a result, a good many parts of the country. • turcs, and so on—was given the steamer of the fish were enabled to make their • One of the main plans which the people by experienced members of the way to the spawning grounds instead of department has in prospect is the exten- fish culture staff of the Canadian ending up in lion stomachs. That was sion of the educational work it lias department. the immediate result. The later result and fish been doing among fishermen will be a larger-sized new generation of processors. Another step will be the oulachons than would otherwise have •training of new appointees to the depart- Total number of plants producing been hatched. ment's field service, which it is intended canned fish and shellfish in British Col- These sea lion hunts at suitable points : to expand. Various other steps are umbia last year was 63. Of this num- are fisheries protective measures entirely. also planned, though details have not ber 32 were salmon canneries. •They have no other purpose than to yet been finally. considered. Individually, sea herring are less valu- able than a number of other species of help in maintaining the stocks of fish Mr. Wilson is a graduate of the on which so many British Columbia Canadian fish but there are so many of University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, them that they now rank second only people depend for livelihood. Sea lions and also took work at the University are very ravenous creatures. Leave the to salmon in point of total annual of Mount Allison, Sackville, N.B. He marketed value return. herds completely uncontrolled and they served overseas damage in the first Great War. would do great to the fisheries. He also enlisted in the' second war and for several years organized and admin- They're not peculiar in this respect, istered educational work among the but British Columbia ling cod are no soldiers at the Petawawa camp in respecters of international boundaries. Salmon, whitefish, and trout are the Ontario. In the course of his civilian One fish tagged by- fisheries research chief fish taken commercially in the days he was a school principal both in workers in British Columbia, and set Yukon Territory- but. so far the catches Saskatchewan and Quebec. free again, was caught 2 years later have never been large. In 1943 only 34 in the vicinity of Port Discovery in men in the territory went fishing as a the State of Washington. business. Their total catch was a little Tagging of various fishes is carried less than 16,000 pounds and the fisher- out as part of the Dominion Depart- Protective cases which cover the eggs men shared a return of $2,500. ment of Fisheries program of improving laid by the fish known as the skate are the fisheries. The work is done by sometimes called "mermaid's purses". fishery scientists in their study of the Tendrils attached to them cling to migrations of the various species, which Betw-een the time the Pelagic Sealing bottom stones until the eggs have gives valuable information as to fish hatched and the baby fish make their Convention was signed, in 1911, and the life and habits. close of the fiscal year 1940-41 Canada way out from the covering. received a total revenue of S1,757,411 under the convention. The convention Atlantic salmon sometimes return In British Columbia fisheries circles ceased to be operative in 1941 but has from the sea to freshwater as spawning the naine 'Blueback' is applied to imma- been replaced, so far as Canada and the • fish when they are four years old but ture Coho salmon but on parts of the United States are concerned, by a pro- in most spawning streams they are United States coast it is used for Sock- visional fur seal pgreement between the five, six or seven years old when they eye salmon. Most of the Canadian Blue- two countries. corne back. back catch goes into cans. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Deputy Minister Ilon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII JUNE, 1946 No. 200

70 PER CENT OF CANNED FISH GRADED OTTAWA FISH DEPUTY IN MARITIMES RATES 'FANCY' QUALITY HEADS F.A.O. DIVISION Good Showing Made by Canned Products Graded by Official Inspection Laboratory-Technologists on Dr. D. B. Finn Named by United Nations Laboratory Staff Aid Canning Industry in Organization as Director of Maintaining Sound Operating Fisheries Section Methods Deputy minister of the federal Depart- ment of Fisheries since early in 1940, Maritime Province canned fisheries cent of the lobster paste graded as Dr: D. B. Finn has been appointed by products graded for quality by the Fancy stock, though, as a matter of fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization Atlantic Fish Inspection Laboratory not a nreat deal of this produet is put of the United Nations as director of its showed up well last year. up and only about 1,100 cases were fisheries division, which is designed to Canners submitted to the laboratory, submitted to the laboratory. Over 70 operate as a world-wide intergovern- operated by the federal Department of per cent of the chicken haddie; flake fish, mental fisheries organization. He assumed FiJierics, a total of 341,582 cases of fish and herring were in the Fancy bracket. the duties of his new post in June but and shellfish to be graded according to About 60 per cent of the lobster was in his services will continue to be available quality standards set up under federal that class, too, and between eight and to the Ottawa department• from time to law and the laboratory technologists nine per cent showed up still better- time until his successor as deputy mini- found that, taking the goods as a whole, Extra Fancy. ster has been appointed. nearly 70 per cent merited rating as Fancy stock: About 22 per cent were in I1c1pirog Quality Production FAO's fisheries division will be con- the Standard class. Only eight per cent cerned with improvement in the econ- One of the factors, by the way, which of the goods-slightly leU than that as omic position of fisheries producers and contributes toward quality production with world production and world *con- a matter of factr-«ere Sub-standard, a of canned fisheries products in the term which means, broadly, that the sumption of fish products. Expansion of Maritimes is the laboratory's practice outlets for fish will be among its pur- goods in question, though sound, whole- of sampling the output: of every cannery poses. In addition, it will serve the some, and fit for human food, fell short during the operating season. Several world's fishing industries in a technical of meeting some of the quality require- samples of each of the various types of advisory capacity. Its headquarters are ments. Stock which the laboratory put canned fish being packed are withdrawn Washington, D.C. - among the "rejects" made up less than at from each plant during the proca,sing one per cent of the big total. Resident in Canada since early boy- operations and thoroughly examined by Under the regulations relating to the hood, though born in England, Dr. Finn the trained laboratory staff, which is g . rading and labelling of canned Atlantic served as a senior scientist with the under the direction of Dr. Ernest Hess. fish and shellfish special labels are federal Fisheries Research Board for a (The main laboratory, by the way, is authorized for graded goods. Each label number of years prior to his appoint- at Halifax but two seasonal sub-labora- .shows the grade of the product-Extra ment as deputy minister of the Fisheries tories are now also maintained, one at Fancy, Fancy or Standard-together Department. Following graduation from Charlottetown, P.E.I., and the other at with a crown which has above it the the University of Manitoba he joined Shcdiac, N.B.). If the samples are of word "Government" and, below, the the staff of the Pacific Fisheries Experi- satisfactory quality there is reasonable word "Inspected". Labels showing these niental Station, then at Prince Rupert, prcsurnption that the canneries turning designations may not be used on and shortly afterwards was appointed its them out are following sound methods. director. Subsequently, he left the fed- urraded goods. However, if samples from any plant The products submitted for grading eral service to direct a scientific depart- are found to show defects, additional last year included something more than ment for a large British Columbia lots are drawn from the plants' output, company but gave up that 162,200 cases of canned chicken haddie, fisheries at weekly intervals, for examination nearly 50,200 cases of mackerel plus position to enter Cambridge University, and, meanwhile, the cannery proprietor working - especiaflly in bio- some 12,500 cases of mackerel fillets, where, or manager is advised by the laboratory 57,700 cases of canned herring, more chemistry and bio-physics, he obtained as to the probable cause of the lack in degree of Doctor of Philosophy. than 16,100 cases of lobster. Canned tlie quality and the means of remedying Returning to Canada in 1934 he was flake fish, lobster paste, and a few cases the fault. This plan of making additional appointed by the Research Board as of tuna made up the other lots. checks on production from a plant director of the Atlantic Fisheries Experi- One striking fact was that less than where there is something a bit astray mental Station at Halifax and retained t9iree per cent of the mackerel fillets were below Fancy grade. Nearly 78 per (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 2) 67149 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES CHIEF BIOLOGIST NAMED . BY SOCKEYE COMMISSION Thirty-Second in a Series of Non-Technical Articles

with Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Dr. Richard Van Cleve, a leading Shellfish and Their Place in the fisheries scientist of the Pacific coast, Nation's Fisheries has recently been appointed by the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission as its chief biologist and The Abalone gills inside. Its outer surface usually has will be in charge of the continuing (HaIiotis kemtscAatkana) reddish markings or shading and the intensive program of biological research Landed only from British Columbia inner surface is lustrous with a coating which has been a major branch shore waters, so far as Canadian fishing of motl,er-of-pearl. This coating gives of the commission's work since that is concerned, the abalone is an edible value to the thicker shells of some body was set up eight or nine years ago. mollu.-^k which has a shell on the upper -pecies of abalone which are used as the Created under a treaty between Canada surface of its body but no shell at all raw material for making buttons, knife and the United States, the commission on the under side. In technical terms, handles, tourist trade novelties, etc., but, is charged with the responsibility of then, it is a univalve, or one-shelled for some reason or other, Nature makes preserving and improving the sockeye mollusk, as contrasted with a bivalve, the shell of the British Columbia salmon fishery of the Fraser River such as the oyster or the clam, which abalone so thin that it is not well suited system in the interests of the two has its shell in two sections or "valves", to these other uses. As for the body of countries. Its membership is made up one covering either side of the body. the abalone, it seems at first glance to of three commissioners named by When stationary, though it is able to consist entirely of the large, flat "foot" Canada and three named by the United move about, the abalone clings•to some by which the mollusk moves itself but States. Its headquarters are at New piece of rock by means of its soft under actually, as a scientific observer has Wesminster, B.C. ^zide or, more explicitly, by means of the pointed out, the "foot" is "continuous A graduate of the University of suction power of its relatively large with the large muscle which passes Wa.ahington, Seattle, Dr. Van Cleve has "foot". upward and attaches itself to the shell". been. actively engaged in fisheries Where Taken research in Pacifie waters for about 20 ;Species and Ranges years. For a number of years be was a In British Columbia the abalone is member of the scientific staff of the Though there are several different found on the Nrest coast of Vancouver Pacific halil,ut commission or Inter- ?pecies of abalone, each with its own Island, along the Queen Charlotte Island national Fisheries Commission. More particular scientific name, only one, shoi-es, and at some places on the main- recently lie has been chief of the Bureau spoken of scientifically as 11. kemtschal- land coast from Johnston(, Strait north- of Marine Fisheries of the State of kana, is taken in British Columbia com- tisard. Quite po.^sibly it occurs el^.e^rlicre. California. In his new position his office mercial fishing. Landings have so far Its provincial whereabouts have not yet will be at New Westminster. been small, but perhaps might have been the subject of any complete study. been increased if the fishing industry Methods of Fishing had not been more concerned with >tZen fishing for abalone find them at fisheries of greater importance. The range extreme low-tide level, and below it. OTTAWA FISH DEPUTY-Corr. of this particular species extends from Sometimes the catch is taken simply by Alaska southward to Monterey, Cali- picking the abalone off the rocks by titis poAtion until his appointment to fornia, or thereabouts. At least four or hand, sometimes a long knife is thrust the depttty ministership at Ottawa. five other species also occur on various down into the water and slipped between From 1939 onward he acted also as parts -of the Pacific coast between one of the abalone and the rock to chairman of the federal Salt Fish Board Alaska and 'Mexico. On the other side which it is clinging. Until a few years which had been established. of the world, in the Channel Islands ano ago some of the landings were made Wartime brought him various special on the coasts of France and perhaps by divers working beyond low-tide level. duties, and added as well, of course, to some other sections of continental AI1ore recently, however, that method the ordinary tasks of the deputy minis- Europe, another member of the abalone has not been followed on the Canadian ter's post. He was responsible for the group is also taken for food purposes. coast although commonly employed in direction of Canada's procurement pro- California. ' gram relative to supplies of fish Appearance, Size, Etc. products for the United Nations and Abalone taken in British Columbia Marketing served as federal lobster controller, waters are generally smaller than those Ïears ago, in the United States, chairman of t.he Canadian Food Require- landed from California areas, where, by abalone meat was prepared for market ments Committee, Canadian representa- the way, the United States commercial by drying and smoking and was exported tive of the fish and fish products catch is concentrated. If smaller, they to Hawaii and parts of the Orient but committee of the Combined Food Board. are al=o ^aicl to be quicker in movement this method of marketing has dis- When FAO was set up lie became the but not so tenacious in their hold upon appeared. Most of the British Columbia chairman of its technical committee on the rocks to which they -attach them- catch goes into cans, although across fisheries. selves. In length their shell averages the border fresh abalone "steaks" are Dr. Finn is a Fellow of the Royal four or five inches and in shape it is quite familiar. As indicated already, the Society of Canada and a Fellow of the something like an oval saucer. It has British Columbia catch is small. In one Canadian Institute of Chemistry. He several small holes in it, often spoken recent year, for instance, it was about is a member of the Bio-cbemical Society of as "breather holes", which serve to 20,000 pounds, in another something of Great Britain and of the Canadian allow passage of water over the abalone's less than that. Physiological Society. 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES CHIEF BIOLOGIST NAMED BY SOCKEYE COMMISSION Thirty-Second in a Series of Non-Technical Articles with Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Dr. Richard Van Cleve, a leading Shellfish and Their Place in the fisheries scientist of the Pacific coast, Nation's Fisheries has recently been. appointed by the International Pacifie Salmon Fisheries Commission as its chief biologist and The Abalone gills in:side. Its outer surface usually has will be in charge of the continuing (Haliotis kemtschatkana) reddish markings or shading and the intensive program of biological research Landed only from British Columbia inner surface is lustrous with a coating which bas been a major branch shore waters, so far as Canadian fishing of mother-of-pearl. This coating gives of the commi.%-ion's work since that is concerned, the abalone is an edible value to the thicker shells of some body was set .up eight or nine years ago. mollusJz which lias a shell on the upper species of abalone which are ud as the Created under a treaty between Canada surface of its body but. no shell at all raw material for making buttons, knife and the United States, the commission on the under side. In technical terms, handles, tourist trade novelties, etc., but, is charged with the responsibility of then, it is a univalve, or one-shelled for some reason or other, Nature makes preserving and improving the sockeye mollusk, as contra.sted with a bivalve, the shell of the British Columbia salmon fishery of the Fraser River such as the oyster Or the clam, which abalone e.o thin that it is not well suited system in the interests of the two lias its shell in two sections or "valves", to these other uses. As for the body of countries. Its membership is made up one covering either side of the body. the abalone, it seems at first glance to of three commissioners named by When stationary-, though it is able to consist entirely of the large, flat "foot" Canada and three named by the United move about, the abalone clings-to some by which the mollusk moves itself but States. Its headquarters are at New piece of rock by means of its soft under actually, as a scientific observer has Wesminster, B.C. side or, more explicitly, by means of the pointed out, the "foot" is "continuous A graduate of the University of suction power of its relatively large with the large muscle which passes Washington, Seattle, Dr. Van Cleve has "foot". upward and attaches itself to the shell". been actively engaged in fisheries research in Pacific waters for about 20 :Species and Ranges Where Taken In British Columbia the abalone is years. For a number of years he was a Though there are several different found on the wcst coast of Vancouver member of the scientific staff of the species of abalone, each with its own Island, along the Queen Charlotte Island Pacific halibut commission or Inter- particular scientific naine, only one, shores, and at some places on the main- national Fisheries Commission. More spoken of seientifically as H. kemIschat- land eoast from Johnstone Strait north- recently- he has been chief of the Bureau kana, is taken in British Columbia com- ward. Quite pos.sibly it occurs elsewhere. of Marine Fisheries of the State of mercial fishing. Landings have so far Its provincial whereabouts California. In his new position his office have not yet will be at been small, but perhaps might have been the subject of any complete study. New Westminster. been increased if the fishing industry Methods of Fishing had not been more concerned with Men fishing for abalone find them at fisheries of greater importance. The range extreme low-tide level, and below it. OTTAWA FISH DEPUTY--Con. of this particular species extends from Sometimes the catch is taken simply by Alaska southward to Monterey, Cali- picking the abalone off the rocks by titis position until his appointment to fornia, or thereabouts. At least four or hand, sometimes a long knife is thrust the deputy ministership at Ottawa. five other species also occur on various down into the water and slipped between Front 1939 onward lie acted also as parts of the Pacific coast between one of the abalone and the rock to chairman of the federal Salt Fish Board Alaska and Mexico. On the other side which it is clinging. Until a few years which had been established. of the world, in the Channel Islands and ago some of the landings were made Wartime brought him various special on the _coasts of France and perhaps by divers working beyond low-tide level. duties, and added as well, of course, to some other sections of continental More recently, however, that method the ordinary tasks of the deputy minis- Europe, another member of the abalone has not been followed on the Canadian ter's post. He was responsible for the group is also taken for food purposes. coast although commonly employed in direction of Canada's procurement pro- California. ' gram relative to supplies of fish Appearance., Size, Etc. products for the United Nations and Abalone taken in British Columbia Marketing served as federal lobster controller, waters are generally smaller than those Years ago, in the United States, chairman of the Canadia.n Food Require- landed from California areas, where, by abalone muent was prepared for market ments Committee, Canadian representa- the way, the United States commercial by drying and smoking and was exported tive of the fish and fish products catch is concentrated. If smaller, they to Hawaii and parts of the Orient but conunittee of the Cotnbined Food Board. are also said to be quicker in movement this method of marketing has dis- \Vlien FAO wa.s set up he became the but not so tenacious in their hold upon appeared. Most of the British Columbia chairman of its technical committee on the rocks to which they -attach them- catch goes into cans, although across fisheries. selves. In length their shell averages the border fresh abalone "steaks" are Dr. Finit is a Fellow of the Royal four or five inches and in shape it is quite familiar. As indicated already, the Society of Canada and a Fellow of the something like an oval saucer. It has British Columbia catch is small. In one Canadian Institute of Chemistry. He several small holes in it, often spoken recent year, for instance, it was about is a member of the Bio-chemical Society of as "breather holes", which serve to 20,000 pounds, in another something of Great Britain and of the Canadian allow passage of water over the abalone's less than that. Physiological Society. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3 SUBSTANTIAL GAIN IN SEA FISHERIES CANADA J PRODUCTION ON BOTH COASTS IN MAY OINS STUDY OF JAPAN FISHERIES New Brunswick's Herring Fishery Biggest Single Con- Federal Technologist from Pacific Coast tributor to Net Increase-Gains in Maritimes and. One of Experts Investigating Japanese British Columbia Alike-More Dollars in Fishing Industry Aggregate Return to Fishermen

Acting as fish technologist represent- The fish were biting in Canada's caught in May of last year, but May ing the Canadian Government, Dr. Neal ocean waters in May. And more of is not one of the principal salmon fishing M. Carter, director of the federal Fish- them made the mistake of wandering times. The fish taken in greatest eries Experimental Station at Vancouver, into the fishermen's nets and traps than amount by the fishermen of the province left recently for Tokyo and is taking made the same blunder in May, 1945. was the halibut, with the catch running part in the investigation of the Japanese In other words, the landings from well ahead of the catch taken last year fishing industry which is being carried the sea fisheries of the Maritimes and or nearly 10,200,000 pounds, as against on by the natural resources division of British Columbia showed increase. 6,635,000 pounds. Halibut landed value the headquarters staff of the supreme Figures for Quebec, the fifth sea fisher- was close to S1,740,000, a gain of better commander for the Allied Powers, ics province, are not available at the than 5500,000. General Douglas MacArthur. Dr. Carter moment of writing. Soles, ling cod, red cod, anchovies, will remain in Japan for six months or Reports to the federal Department and oysters made up most of the re- so. The fisheries studies are part of the of Fisheries from its officers in British maining part of the Pacific production. general investigation of Japanese science and technology which is being made Columbia and the three fMaritime Some Eastern Results Provinces show that aggregate landings under direction of Allied headquarters. for the four provinces, including, of Nova Scotia led in the 'Maritimes in Japan has extensive fisheries resources course, the landings of shellfish, catch and landed value but, as a matter and before the war its fishing industry amounted to 121,625,000 pounds, with of fact., New Brunswick made the pre- was one of the most important and New Brunswick's herring fishery getting mier showing from the standpoint of aggressive in the world. It came into credit for the largest single contribution relative increase over May, 1945. As sharp competition with Canadian and to an over-all net gain of something already indicated, production from New United States fisheries enterprises, parti- more than 29,000,000 pounds, as com- Brunswick's herring fishery took a big cularly, of course, Pacific Coast enter- pared with production in May of last jump and the increase in this case, plus prises. Dr. Carter and the other year. In the casé of landed value return some gains in the sardine, cod, gaspereau, technologists carrying on the study of to the fishermen the month's total was shad and clam landings, brought the Japanese fisheries operations will not far below $7,900,000, which meant provincial catch aggregate to more than examine such points as 45,500,000 pounds. In the preceding May that the figures for May, 1945, were methods employed in Japan, the kinds exceeded by more than S1,S00,000. the aggregate was slightly more than of fishing vessels and boats and gear 28,000,000. Landings and landed value alike were Landed value amounted in used in fishing, the education of fisher- larger in each province than in the 1945 all to a little over S1,300,000, an increase men, research, and the organization of month. of 5560.000. the industry. Investigation of organi- Cod and herring were the fish to hold Figures on both sides of the account zation will include examination of co- the production top spots in Nova SI ^otia. are based on unrcri-cd reports and are operative activities. The cod fishermen brought 28,450,000 therefore to be taken as approximate Selection of Dr. Carter to act for pounds of fish ashore and the catch was only but revision, though it would make Canada in the fisheries study was made worth to them nearly $9S5,000-a gain some changes, would not, at worst, cut by the Ottawa Government after con- of over 5,200,000 in catch and a gain down the month's gains a great deal. sultation between the Department of of nearly $188,000 in landed value. Her- 'l'hc Fisheries and Canada's fishing industry. Maritimes contributed most to ring catch, close to 4,400,000 pounds and the net catch gain and most to the His selection was al..so approved by the having a landed value of some 552,250, lnnded value provincial commissioner (or minister) increase as well. The com- was twice as large as in May, 1945. of fisheries in British Columbia, the bined landings for the three of them The cod and herring increases had part of the country which has the most were well above 104.700,000 pounds, or most to do with lifting -Nova Scotia's immediate interest in Japanese fisheries roughly 23,970,000 pounds more than in over-all catch to 48,580,000 pounds, a matters. Prior to his departure for May, 1915, and their value to the fisher- net gain of more than 4,760,000 pounds, Tokyo Dr. Carter spent some days in men, exceeding 55,540,000, showed an and the provincial landed value aggre- Ottawa consulting with officers of the increase of about S1245,000. gate to 53,219,000, an increase which was Department of Fisheries and the Depart- not far short of $325,000. In British Columbia ment of External Affairs regarding his In Prince Edward Island the lobster work in the Orient. On the West Coast the month's catch and herring fisheries accounted for most increased by about 5,200,000 pounds, of the month's catch-10,390,000 pounds, rcaching 16,810,000 pounds, and the with a landed value of nearly $1,020,000. 4,230,000 pounds. It was worth 5920,000 I:indcd value amounted to a little less The production increase was over to the fishermen, as against 5575,000. than $2.340,000, a gain of 5600,000 or so. 1,700.000 pounds and the value gain Herring landings, 4,925,000 pounds, in- About 1,500,000 pounds of salmon were $360,000. creased by nearly a million pounds and taken by the British Columbia fisher- The island's lobster catch rose from the landed value, $61,500, by over nien, something more than' the quantity 3,477,000 pounds in May of last year to 525,000. 4 FISHERIES NEWS. BULLETIN

Over 825,500 cases of pink salmon SHRIMPS TAKEN OFF N.S. were canned in British Columbia last WEALTH FROM ANIBERGRLS? IN EXPERIMENTAL FLSHING year. That exceeded the '44 pack by NOT WHEN IT'S JELLYFISH! 295,300 cases and topped the '42241 average by 100 per cent and more. One swallow doesn't make a summer, Better to count on the long-shot or one shrimp catch foretell a profitable coming home at the race track than fishery but recent shrimp landings made Freshwater fish going into Canada's upon sudden wealth from a find of in experimental fishing have pointed to export trade consist mainly of blue ambergris in Canadian waters. Odds are new possibilities off southwestern Nova pickerel, lake trout, pickerel, and white- the "ambergris" won't be ambergris at Scotia. Up to the present all of Canada's fish. The exports are in the fresh and 'all. As happened, for instance, in the Commercial catch of shrimps, never frozen forms. case of three finds made by British large, has been taken a long way from Columbia people. the continent, in Nova Scotia—across On the average, the liver of the The finders happened on three sub- waters off British Columbia. stantial-sized pieces of dull greyish or Scotia landings female soupfin shark weighs more than The recent Nova that of the male—y, 10-11 pounds as blackish substance floating in provincial were made by a boat from the provincial waters, and perhaps their hopes went sent out by against 5 6 but the male's liver is well scallop fishery which was ahead in vitamin A potency. high, for ambergris, a .secretion of the a Halifax fish company to do a bit of alimentary tract of the sperra whale, exploring as to shrimps. The gear avail- is worth real money, mainly because of able was perhaps not the type of equip- All told, 18,770 commercial fishery its value in the manufacture of per- ment best suited to this purpose but, licences, issued by the Dominion fumes. The finds were submitted to the in any event, the captain found shrimps Department of Fisheries were operative federal Fisheries Experimental Station all right, some 15 miles off the Shelburne in British Columbia last year. More at Vancouver for examination. Alas, for County coast. Unofficial reports quote than half of them, or 10,410 were salmon dreams of wealth t One of the substances him as taking an optimistic view of the gill-net and trolling licences. turned out to be a jellyfish, which was prospects for developing a reasonably worth nothing for any known use. productive fishery, with trawl nets of Another was apparently a piece of small-sized mesh perhaps. the most suit- Herring landings by Canada's Pacific weathered waste from a fish oil plant; able kind of gear to use. Some other Coast fishermen in 1945 amounted to a at all events, it wasn't ambergris. The trips for experimental fishing may put little more than 128,825 tons of some third was either a resin or a piece of 257,650,000 Most of the the possibilities to further test. pounds. fish raw rubber. Although shrimps have entered into served as raw material for canneries and Every once in a while similar cases fisheries production for plants manufacturing fish meal British Columbia oil. occur in which Canadians think that for quite a number of years, they have and something they've found in coastal never been taken in large quantity. In waters is the valuable ambergris. Unfor- several recent years the catch was forty Acting for the Export Permit Branch tunately, it's long odds against a genuine or fifty thousand pounds a year. Most of the Department of Fisheries the find. Sperm whales do occur in some of the shrimps, fresh and canned, used British Columbia offices of the Dominion Canadian waters but they don't leave in Canada in the past have been im- Department of Fisheries issued 1,468 much ambergris floating around in this ported from the United States. export permits during 1945. In 1,115 part of the world. cases the permits covered shipments to the United States, in 319 instances ship- 70 PER CENT--Con. ments to British countries. Milo Moore, a State of Washington in operations is continued until the man, was recently named by the United output reaches satisfactory quality. - Out of 330,340 cases of canned sockeye States Government as a member of the During the canning seasons the mem- International Pacific Salmon Fisheries bers of the laboratory staff also visit as salmon inspected last year by the Pacific Fish Inspection Laboratory of the Commission in. succession to Charles E. many of the canneries as possible; Jackson, who had retired. Other mem- observing conditions and discussing any Dominion Department of Fisheries only 3,937 failed to merit certification as bers of the commission, popularly called operating problems which the plant the sockeye commission, are A. L. Hager, people may wish to take up with them. being fresh, firm, well-packed, and in good merchantable condition. All Vancouver, Thomas Reid, M. P., New By these two means, and the issuance Westminster, and A. J. Whitmore, of from time to time of circulars relating British Columbia canned salmon is sub- ject to inspection by the laboratory. the Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, as to canning methods, the laboratory puts the Canadian representatives, and F. J. at the canners' disposal the information Foster and Edward Allen, representing and suggestions developed through its During 1945 seasons 29 canneries car- the United States. The commission's research and experimentation. ried on salmon packing in British job is to carry on plans for rebuilding Columbia and 22 plants canned herring. and restoring the sockeye salmon fishery Atlantic sardines made a hundred per Smaller numbers of shellfish and pilchard of the Fraser River system. cent quality showing last year when canneries also operated in the province. inspected for the British Food Ministry Nearly 20,593 tons of fish meal were and the Canadian Export Board by the produced in British Columbia last year All told, 18,770 commercial fishery Atlantic Fish Inspection Laboratory and more than 2,473,000 gallons of indus- licences, issued by the Dominion De- operated by the federal Department of trial fish oil, but both sets of figures partment of Fisheries were operative in Fisheries. There wasn't a rejection in were smaller than those for '44. Herring British Columbia last year. More than the 7,350 cases supplied for the Food and pilchards made up most of the raw half of them, or 10,410, were salmon Ministry. material entering into the outputs. gill-net and trolling licences. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Deputy biinister: Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII JULY-AUGUST, 1946 Nos. 201-202

MAY BRING MORE LAKES IN NORTHWEST MORE B.C. CANNED SALMON TERRITORIES INTO FISH PRODUCTION EOR CONSUMERS IN CANADA

Federal Agencies Investigate Fish Resources of Tathlina Canadians will get more British and Kakisa Lakes Looking to Commercial Possibil- Columbia canned salmon this year than ities Following Successful Development of Great at any time since early in the war. Under the official arrangements which Slave Fisheries by Similar Action have been made for the distribution of Canada's production of canned fish, Federal action brought Great Slave operation about 1,500,000 pounds of 24.000,000 pounds of the 1946 Pacific Lake into commercial fish production fish, dressed weight were shipped out Coast salmon pack have been allocated for the first time in 1945 and it may to market in Canada and the United to the domestic market. shortly do the same thing at two other States by means of refrigerated barges This is an increase of 661 per cent over the domes- lakes in the Northwest Territories- which carried them to railhead at Water- tic allocation from 1945 output and it Tathlina and Kakisa. ways, Alberta. This summer the same is 100 per cent above the 1944 figure. Under arrangements carried out jointly company again has crews at Great Slave In terms of standard cases of salmon by the federal Department of Fisheries and, incidentally, is using its own planes this year's Canadian allocation is the and the federal Fisheries Research to get part of its output to market to equivalent of 500,000 cases, as com- Board, investigators have recently been railhead. Winter-time operations at pared with 300,000 cases last year. making an examination of Kakisa and the lake are also planned, though none During the war the great bulk of Tathlina in order to assemble data on were undertaken last season. British Columbia canned salmon was which the department may base a made available by Canada to the policy looking to commercial utiliza- Plane, Road, Change Picture authorities of the United Kingdom- be- tion of the lakes' fish stocks, which, Tathlina and Kakisa lie to the south- cause of the critical food needs which hitherto, have served only as a source west of Great Slave, between the lake faced British peoples. In one year, of food supply for local Indians. The and the northern boundary of Alberta. indeed, the entire pack, save for a investigation will give guidance as to They are not huge bodies of water relatively small quantity for service what regulations should be made applic- like Great Slave but they are of very purposes, was delivered to the British able at the two, lakes as regards such . respectable size at that-say, 25 miles Food Ministry. The Food Ministry matters as the kinds of commercial long in each case and each havin^ an still needs large supplies this year but fishing gear which should be permitted area of 500 square miles or so. Kakisa the wartime urgency has been lessened and what catch limits, if any, should be is imderstood to be deep water, Tath- lina shallower. In other days both and it is feasible to put larger stocks imposed with a view to ensuring ade- on the Canadian market. quate conservation of the fish resources. lakes were virtually inaccessible but "Of course", an official of the federal Regulation of all fisheries in Canada planes are changing that condition Department of Fisheries said recently, is in federal hands and fisheries of the nowadays and a road has also been "the increase in the domestic allocation \orthteest Territories are tinder federal built from Grimshaw, on the rail line from the 1946 pack does not mean that administration, though in some parts in northern Alberta, to Hay River, a large quantities of salmon will immedi- of Canada administration is a provin- post on Great Slave, and people and ately flow to Canadian consumer out- cial function. supplies may thus be moved in to lets. This season's canning has been Investigation at Great Slave a couple Kakisa and Tathlina and fish moved out. One northern company, at least, under way for some time but it is not of years ago showed that the.big lake, until is already showing interest in the midsummer and the earlier part the continent's fifth largest, held stocks of autumn that operations reach their of good quality fish, mainly whitefish possibility of beginning operations at these lakes. peak. It will take some time for the and trout, and could safely sustain an stocks for Canadian consumption to annual production of several million Investigation of the two lakes was recommended to the Department of reach the food dealers' shelves in differ- pounds. Establishment of these facts ent parts of the country." by federal scientists in '44 led an Alberta Fisherics by H. V. Dempsey, its chief company to send 40 or 50 gill-net fisher- inspector at Winnipeg, whose area of men to Great Slave in '45, and with the work includes the Northwest Territories, Indians fishing in the Great Slave fishermen a similar number of plant and arrangements to have it made were Lake district of the Northwest 'Terri- workers to do filletting and freezing. worked out with Dr. D. S. Rawson, tories use gill-nets almost exclusively. Mechanical freezing equipment was who has been in charge of the Great Floats for the nets are made from dry Slave research and some. other similar transported to the lak%and set up on spruce and sinkers weighing two or scows or barges. In ü' few weeks of (Continued on page 4) three pounds arerused. 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES PACIFIC FISHERIES CHIEF FOR PAST QUARTER CENTURY Thirty-Third in a Series of Non-Technical Articles with MOTHERWELL LEAVES POST Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Shellfish and ;their Place in the Nation's Fisheries After more than 32 years in the fed- The Common Eel (Anguilla chrysypa)* great numbers, for the common eel is a eral fisheries service in British Columbia, 25 of them spent as chief supervisor Eels are not among prolific creature, with a female of 30 the species of inches or so producing perhaps more of fisheries (west), Major James A. first-ranking importance in Canada's Motherwell, 0.B.E., gave up his duties fisheries, though not to be ignored, than 10,000,000 eggs; the adults die after but spawning, both the males and the fe- at mid-August and is now on six they have an interesting history. The males; a new generation hatches from months' retiring leave. Pending an ap- ancients had some fantastic theories the multitude of eggs and the cyclè-of -pointment to fill the vacancy, A. J. about them. Aristotle, the Greek life continues. Whitmore who, as director of western philosopher, who lived three or four fisheries on the staff of the Depart- hundred years before Christ, asserted What They're Like: ment of Fisheries at Ottawa, has head- that eels rose from the entrails of the The Common eel has an elongated quarters responsibility for Pacific Coast sea, had no sexes, bore no eggs. Several body which is covered with embedded administration generally, will have over- centuries later the Roman naturalist, scales, the eyes, teeth, and gill-openings sight of the duties of the chief super- Pliny, said that young eels sprang from are small, the lower jaw protrudes. In visor's office. All authority attaching the slime and skin fragments which older exterior colouring the fish is brown or to the chief supervisor's position—auth- eels rubbed off their bodies on to yellow-olivaceous on the upper part of ority to take various steps under the rocks in the sea. These and other odd the body and paler below but, as is British Columbia fisheries regulations, ideas were current for a long time. common in fish, there may be consider- for instance—has been vested in Mr. Apparently it was not until the 18th able colour variation as between indi- Whitmore by- an order in council pas...sed Century that the existence of such a vidual eels. In size mature eels found recently at Ottawa. creature as a female of the family. was in Canadian waters average something Although he was born in Ontario actually accepted. As Jordan and Ever- like 30 inches in length and probably most of Major Motherwell's life has mann put it in American Food and two pounds or over in weight. They are been spent in British Columbia, and it Game Fishes, "the first to describe fully voracious feeders, making their meals is there that he expects to continue to the ovaries and eggs of the eels was the from small fish, crustaceans and other live. After working for several years Italian naturalist, Mondini, in 1777, so water creatures. They are swift swim- on the staff of one of Canada's banks that the discovery of the female eel mers and have tenacious hold on life, he was appointed in April, 1914, as the must date from him. The search for remaining alive for considerable time chief clerk in the office of the chief the male eel was scarcely less pro- after they have been taken from the inspector of fisheries for British Colum- longed or less interesting Not water. bia, an official of the Department of until 1873 was anyone successful. On Naval Service which, at that time, November 29 of that year Dr. Syrski, Where Taken: handled federal fisheries a ffairs. Follow- then at Trieste, made the important In the Canadian fisheries much the ing the outbreak of the first Great discovery which many other investi- larger part of the annual eel catch War lie enlisted with the Canadian gators have since verified". is made from the freshwater areas Army and in January, 1916, he went Determining the spawning grounds of of Quebec—roughly 75-85 per cent of overseas as adjutant of the 131st Bat- this species of fish was another long and the total. Most of these Quebec land- talion, New Westminster. Just about diffieult job. Different opinions were ings are taken in the waters of counties a year later lie was severely wounded held from time to time. Now, however,. above Quebec City. Tho three Mari- in action. A long period in hospital it is accepted that the common eel, times and Ontario are the other prov- followed and he then returned to Can- whether of North American or European inces where eel fishing is carried on com- ada. His condition did not permit tock, spawns in the Atlantic waters mercially. him to go back to active military south of Bermuda. Guided by mar- service but when it had sufficiently im- velous instinct, the tiny eel babies Methods of Fishing: proved he rejoined the fisheries staff. hatched from the eggs set out in due Most of the Canadian eel catch is In late 1920 he was selected by the on their long migration to fresh taken by means of eel traps, or pots, Civil Service Commission to fill the 'course on water, some crossing the thousands of which are set at suitable locations position of chief inspector of fisheries miles of ocean to the streams of Europe, the streams which the fish frequent. at Vancouver or, as the position is now others ascending rivers on the Atlantic The catch is made, as the mature fish known, chief supervisor of fisheries of North America where in many are heading downstream on their way (west). He held the post continuously coast also caught cases they travel far inland. The grow- to the sea. Some eels are until his recent retirement. ing eels remain in the fresh water until by means of hook and line and there Major Motherwell has not only a time of maturity and then set out, in is also some spearing. long record of service to his credit but the autumn season, on their oceanward a record, too, of faithfulness and effi- Marketing: ciency. The merit of his service was spawning migration. Once on the In normal times most of Canada's spawning grounds eggs are produced in recognized a few weeks ago by the King catch is shipped to the United States, who honoured him with appointment *Sometimes called also the American with the New York market a major as an officer of the Most Excellent Eel and known by F,ome scientists as Anguilla rostrata. (Continued on page 4) Order of the British' Empire. . FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3

MORE DOLLARS FORISEA FISHERMEN IN JANUARY-JUNE THOUGH FLSHERIVIEN'S CO-OPERATP/E CATCH DOWN DOES $2,750,000 BUSINESS FOR MEMBERS DURING YEAR Landed Value of Production for First Half of '46 Shows Increase Close to $3,000,000—Catch Up in For organizations which haven't been Maritimes but Down Elsewhere around a very long time some of the Put in briefest terms, Canada's s.ea fishermen's co-operatives in Canada are something over 81,300,000 for it, while pretty lusty. fisheries story for the first six months in Prince Edward Island the catch was of 1946 was a story of lessened catch 17,900,000 Take, for example, one among several pounds and landed value other successful Pacific but increased dollar return to the fisher- slightly less than $1,900,000. In both Coast associa- men, as compared with operational these tions. During its business year ending provinces, however, fishing is al- toward the close of results in the first half of 1945. ways on a very small scale during the 194,5 this co-operative Each of the three Maritime Provinces first quarter of the marketed for its members more than year so the pro- 13,600,000 pounds —Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and duction and value figures for January- of fish, which brought Prince Edward Island—showed increases in receipts of 82,400,000, and something June are only technically the returns to both in catch and landed value. There from six months of operation. boot: Most of the fish was sold was catch reduction in British Columbia fresh but some went to market in In Quebec's case there was a catch processed form. In addition to the sales but the decrease did not bring dollar increase this year of more than 3,200,- decrease with it but, rather, a fairly the association made on members' ac- 000 pounds, as compared with landings count it also marketed a comparatively substantial gain. In Quebec there was in the first half of 1945, and a value increased production but the fishermen small quantity of fresh fish for non- decrea-se of less than $50,000. Prince members. On the buying side it pur- did not fare quite SO well financially Edward Island fishermen increa-sed their as they did chased for its members or shareholders a year ago. catch by about 1,725,000 pounds and during Unrevised reports to the federal De- the year fishing supplies and its landed value showed a gain of other goods to the amount of almost partment of Fisheries show a total sea $520,000. catch of approximately 434,300,000 $350,000. Total business of the two pounds of fish and shellfish with a kinds, buying and selling, thus ran to approximately two and three-quarter point-of-landing value amounting nearly million dollars, to $22,750,000. The figures meant a which is a good deal of money in any drop of over 16,700,000 pounds, on the P.E.I. IRISH MOSS -CROP commercial circle. catch side, but a gain of well over This co-operative is not the only one 1, WELL OYER 2,000,000 POUNDS in a- Canadian fishing district which does S2,900,000 in the return to the fishermen business in big figures but, as a for their work, as compared with 1945 meter results. of fact, most of the others would have • Harvesters of Irish moss raked a quite a distance to go before getting generous harvest in Prince Edward into the S2,750,000-a-year class. Most of Results by Provinces Island last year-2,200,000 pounds, and them, indeed, operate on comparatively Nova Scotia topped the five sea something more. The bulk of the crop small scales to serve the fishermen of d.sheries provinces both in aggregate was sent to market in the dried but limited areas and therefore do not have catch and aggregate landèd value. The unbleached form. A saltwater plant; the great volume of business. However, province had landings of not far short moss is put to a wide variety of com- fishermen's co-operatives, in general, of 171,900,000 pounds to its credit, mercial uses, including, for example, have been making progress on both close to 10,000,000 pounds more than the manufacture of such widely different coasts of Canada in the past few years in January-June, '45, and they were products as cosmetics and shoe polish, and growing in strength. worth about $10,700,000 to the fishermen, the stabilization of chocolate milk, the a gain of better than $1,100,000. clarification of beer, and utilization in Indians centred at Rae, on an arm • Next came British Columbia with some branches of the textile industry. Irish moss is nothing new, of course, of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest catch totalling 111,000,000 pounds, in Territories, know a good food when they $5,950,- on Canada's Atlantic Coast—perhaps round figures, and landed value see it. They number 700 or so-754 000. The Pacific money gain over the it's been there ever since there was a was the 1945 figure, as given by the '45 total was $725,000. The decrease coast, though it is in only some localities Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and in catch, more than 46,000,000 pounds, that it is plentiful—but hanesting it their total consumption of fish is esti- was mainly due to smaller herring in quantity did not begin until the war mated at 372 tons a year, or well over production. years when imports from Europe, pre-' 700,000 pounds. New Brunswick's figures—compiled, viously the main source of North Ameri- like the others, from unrevised reports, can supply, were cut off. In prewar days remember—were slightly under 86,600,- Bounty paid by the federal Depart- 000 pounds and slightly under 82,900,- comparatively small quantities were ment of Fisheries on destruction of 000. On the one side they meant a gathered in eastern Nova Scotia but British Columbia hair seals in 1945 gain of 15,000,000 pounds and on the nowadays most of the 'cropping' is done totalled $9,705, the payment on 1,941 other side a gain of $600,000. in Prince Edward Island and on some seals killed by fishermen. Seals do Quebec fishermen landed 46,900,000 of the shores of southwestern Nova considerable harm to the fisheries, hence pounds up to the end of June, and got Scotia. the price on their heads. 4 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

FEDERAL FISHERIES MEN MAY BRING MORE LAKES--Con. VITAMIN-RICH COD LIVERS M work for the Fisheries Research Board, H( RECEIVE KING'S HONOURS and Dr. W. A. Kennedy, a member of PREPARED IN CANNED FORM the board's staff. Dr. Kennedy has THOUGH PRODUCTION SMALL been the scientist in charge of the Ten of the persons associated with investigation at Tathlina and Kakisa the federal fisheries services were among and has had with him a small party the Canadians awarded decorations in of helpers. The co-operation of the Most of the cod livers collected by the recent King's honours list. provincial fisheries authorities of Alberta Canadian fishermen are used in the Dr. D. B. Finn, deputy minister of assisted in carrying out some of the production of oil but in Quebec and the fedetal Department of Fisheries, field arrangements which were necessary. New Brunswick some of them go into became a Companion of the Most Dis- Dr. Kennedy has been gathering facts cans, though in neither province has the tinguished Order of St. Michael and St. touching such points as the particular business been more than small-scale. George, an honour designated by kinds of commercial fish present in All told, the output runs only to three the letters C.M.G. Major J. A. Mother- Tathlina and Kakisa, the apparent or four hundred cases a year, with most IN of the canning done in Quebec. The well, Vancouver, the department's chief abundance of the several species, such supervisor of western fisheries, was as whitefish and pickerel, and the growth average price obtained by producers has appointed an officer of the civil division rates of the different varieties. Know- varied considerably from time to time, of the Most Excellent Order of the ledge of this kind is essential to sound amounting in some years to about $9 a case while in other years it has been British Empire-OB.E.-while . J. A. regulation of any fishery. There are under $5. Rodd, Ottawa, director of fish culture other points of importance, of course, The canned livers are used as sandwich spread and for like purposes for the department became a Com= bearing on successful commercial fishing and they have the virtue of course of panion of the Imperial Service Order and its proper regulation-for instance, we being rich in vitamin content. -IB.O. what supply there is of plankton on in Among members and employees of which fish feed-and this summer's First essential in canning the livers- pa: the Fisheries Research Board of Canada study of the two lakes may show that for that matter, that is the first essen- afc further investigation should be made tial in preparing any kind of fish pro- to receive decorations Dr. A. T. Cam- sen next year. Meanwhile, a start has been ducts-is that they should be strictly eron, Winnipeg, the board chairman, nlI fresh, and 'strictly fresh' was made a C.M.G., while Dr. C. W. made toward possible extension of means exactly pal Northwest Teriitories that. The white, spotless livers should Argué, Fredericton, another board development. fisl Canada's commercial map unrolls farther be well washed in cold water, says the member, was appointed a Commander prc northward. federal Fisheries Experimental Station of the -Order of the British Empire, a the at Grand River, P.Q., and then immersed rank designated by C.B.E. Dr. J. R. ani for 35 minutes in a strong pickle made Dymond, Toronto, a member of the thr by dissolving in water table salt con- board, and Dr. A. N. H. Needler, direc- CANADIAN FISHES-Con. erii taining 2-5 per cent saltpetro. Twenty- cec tor of the board's Atlantic Fisheries buyer. Prior to 1939 there were also five pounds of salt should be used for I Biological Station at St. Andrews, N.B:; substantial shipments to Germany. every nine gallons of water. The The effect exr each received the O.B.E. The new of the saltpetre, by the way, is to fish are shipped alive in tanks or are be holders of the M.B.E. are H. B. Hachey, frozen for market. Canadian produc- give gradually to the livers an attractive of the St. Andrews station, J. P. Tully, leg tion has fluctuated considerably in rose colour. of the Pacific Fisheries Biological sca: recent years but sometimes has ex- When the livers have been taken out Station, Nanaimo, B.C., and O. C. Young dre ceeded 1,500,000 pounds. Only a small of the pickle after the required length of the Pacific Fisheries Experimental lim part of the catch is consumed within of time they are placed on a wire- fish Station at Vancouver. Canada. netting tray and the liquid allowed to Gr( drain off. In pieces of suitable size the they are then packed into 3-ounce tins Data collected last year by the Pacific be until the cans are fully filled. Next, When caribou are scarce fish are out Canned Fish Inspection Laboratory, the for eight minutes, the filled cans are of luck in the areas frequented by operated by the federal Department of the Indians in the Great Slave Lake dis- heated in boiling water, then sealed trai fisheries, shows that measurements on and processed for 30 minutes at 240 trict of the Northwest Territories. If salmon verte6rae give excellent differ- use caribou are plentiful the Indians fish degrees Fahrenheit under a pressure of entiation between the pairs spring- 10 pounds. . r less, if caribou are scarce there's more sockeye and spring-chum. Differentia- G re effort to catch fish. In some localities, tion is not quite so good between pink- laki however, the Indians generally fish coho. As judged by data so far avail- ope throughout the year. able, the method does not differentiate British Columbia's herring catch in dirc satisfactorily between sockeyes and 1945 was worth more than $8,400,000 bee pinks. when put on the market. In 1938, the scie last of the prewar years, the value risl Marketed value of British Columbia the figure was under 5900,000, though some- fisheries production in 1945 was approxi- All told, slightly more than 24,600,000 'aust times it had been substantially more mately $44,500,000, an increase of $6,000- salmon were taken by British Columbia Alb than that. Expansion of herring can- 000 and more over the previous 'high' fishermen last year. Purse-seines and gill- for the province in 1942. Salmon pro- gill-nets brought in much the larger ning to meet wartime needs led to big sum duction accounted for more than half part of the total or, roughly, 22,100,000 increases in the dollar return from the mer of the total. , fish. fisherv in recent years. to I 7! FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Deputy Minister: Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1946 Nos. 203-204

PLAN WINTER FISHING AT GREAT SLAVE FROZEN FISH LIVE AGAIN? AS NEW SOURCE OF CANADIAN PRODUCTION NOT IF JOB'S COMPLETE

Arrangements in Hand to Try Out Winter Season at May Survive Though Outside Stiffened Vast Northern Water Brought into Use through but It's All Over if "Insides" Fisheries Research; Output in '46 Summer Frozen Too Season over 2,000,000 Pounds Fish which have been frozen, com- pletely frozen, "innards" and all, never wiggle their fins More than 3,200,000 pounds of fish again. They're dead, ment that was moved in. Some of the and they stay dead, despite were marketed from Great Slave Lake, delays such as are likely to occur in the occa- sional story to the contrary. If there in the Northwest Territories, during the getting any new enterprise under way are any past two summers exceptions to this rule of non- and plans are now held things back a bit and, as a result, survival nobody has found them afoot to try out winter fishing during the fishing was carried yet. on for only 50 days Every once in a while a story does season which opens on December 1 and or so. In that period there was an out- bob up nias to mid-March. Two about a fish which freezing didn't Alberta corn- put of slightly more than 1,200,000 kill. Tales of that kind panics have plans in hand for winter pounds of fi are only half sh, dressed weight, with true, at best. They relate, apparently, fishing at Great Slave. In the prairie whitefish and lake trout making up the provinces, by- the way, to fish which had been frozen only partly, winter fishing is great bulk of the production, though not all the Way through. the common thing in a good many waters some inconnus were also taken. and, as a matter of fact, taking the Fish which have been partly- frozen- the outer portion of the body perhaps three provinces as a whole and the fish- More Fishermen, Went Farther eries as a whole, winter catch usually ex- made stiff—may- again show "wim and ceeds summer production. a thawing process, but not wigor" after When the '46 summer came 'round the the fish that has been frozen completely. If the Great Slave plans go through as company was able to have its working Or, as one Canadian biologist has expected, whitefish lake trout will put it, and force earlier on the ground, and a larger "fish will survive short exposure to very be the species sought for market and the force than in the summer before-60 low temperatures which may freeze them legal catch limit for the lake for the licensed fishermen and about 75 shore outside so that they season has been are stiff but if the set at 1,500,000 pounds, hands. The gill-nets were set for the viscera, become frozen the fish will die." dressed weight. Possibly, of course, the first time on June 27 and the last lia The body fluids do not freeze, of course, limit may not be reached since winter was made on September 15. When at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and that tem- fishing has never before been tried at figures for the season were totalled they perature is apparently harmless to most Great Slave, on a commercial scale, and showed that the output had amounted to fish in this part of the world. A drop of the operations of the canning season will more than 2,000,000 pounds, dressed two degrees, or perhaps even a little less be more or less experimental. Most of weight. Some inconnus were included in than that, seems to be too much for the output will probably be moved from the output but lake trout and whitefish fish, however, provided they are exposed the lake to railhead by means of tractor made up by far the greater part, which to the lower temperature for any length trains but plans aLso contemplate some was what was expected, and wanted. of time. use of aerial transport. Three small quick-freezing units were in No commercial operations went on at operation during the season and two Different with Oysters Great Slave, the continent's fifth largest larger freezers. The frozen fish, a good That's the case as regards fish, so far lake, until the summer of 1043 and the deal of it in filleted form, was shipped as present knowledge goes, but it's not operations then undertaken were the to railhead at Waterways, Alberta, by the case with oysters. Canadian experi- direct res-ult of investigations which had means of refrigerated barges and trucks. ments have shown that oysters can sur- been carried on in the preceding year by In the 1945 operations all the fishing vive 24 degrees ,F. for at least seven scientists working under the federal was done within a radius of about 20 weeks, unless subject to jarring. The Fisheries Research Board. Following up miles of Gros Cap, on the north side of fatal effects of jarring, by the way, sug- the scientists' finding that the Lake could the lake, where the company's camp was gest, in the words of the biologist already sustain substantial annual production, an established. During the past summer quoted, "that the survival of the oysters Alberta company sent some 40 or 5a Gros Cap was still the operating base is again associated with the failure of the gill-net fishermen to Great Slave ut mid- and fishing went on again in that locality, body fluids to freeze and that the jarring summer of last year, and with the fisher- but not there alone. Operations were causes the freezing of super-cooled men a similar number of shore workers also extended westerly to the Gypsum fluids." to man the filleting and freezing equip- (Continued on Page 4) (Continued on rage 4) 75330 2 FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

CANADIAN FISHES HARPOON, RIFLE "CATCH" SHARKS OFF B.C. AS LIVERS Thirty-Fourth in a Series of Non-Technical Articles SOUGHT FOR VITAMIN OIL with Reference to Various Canadian Fish and Shellfish and Their Place in the Nation's Fisheries Fishermen on Canada's west coast have added the harpoon and the rifle to their equipment for shark "fishing." The use of hook and line or gill-nets strung The Tomcod (]{iicrogadua tomcod) come into freshwater to spawn. It is together and set at a depth of 10 or 12 or Frostfish then that the bulk of.the catch is taken. fathoms have been the common British Atlantic tomcod* look something like Methods of Fishing: Columbia methods for catching sharks small editions of the codfish but that is but this year several boats in the Ban- about as far as similarity goes, except in Some of the,Canadian fishing for tom- field area of Vancouver Island tried out excellence as food fish. The two species cod is done with hook and line but most the harpoon-and-rifle plan of operation, do belong to the same family, Gadidac, of the catch is made by means of net., and with satisfactory results. but to different branches of it, or differ- set through the ice of frozen estuaries. Sharks took on value on the Pacific ent genera, and they are quite unlike in Thrown out on the ice the fish freeze in coast several years ago when science ways of life and in size. the cold open air and it is the fact that Tomcod run found out that the big livers of two or less than half a pound in weight, as a they go to market naturally frozen three species of the big fish are useful general thing, and in length. they are, which explains why they are sometimes sources of vitamin oil. Before that, say, nine or ten inches, though, of course, known as Frostfish. British Columbia fishermen paid little there are exceptions to all rules. Cod, on Marketing: attention to sharks, unless perhaps to the other hand, grow to big size-occa- "cuss" them once in awhile when they sionally great fellows of more than 100 The bulk of the catch is marketed in the frozen form, though part may be made trouble in one or another of the pounds are taken and 50-pound speci- sold unfrozen. commercial fisheries. Scientific discovery mens are not uncommon, although the None of Canada's catch is processed. The fish find sale mainly changed that state of affairs. Soupfin average weight of the fish in the com- on the domestic market, with the occa- and Mud sharks have been fished for a mercial catch is well below that. Cod sional shipment going to the United number of seasons past and the catches are saltwater spawners and saltwater States. have brought the fishermen substantial dwellers, and swim the deeper waters returns. Last year, for instance, the offshore as well as those nearer to land. livers from the Soupfins and the Muds Tomcod go into creeks and streams to Most of Ontario's commercial catch of were worth over $160,000 to the fisher- spawn and during most of the saltwater sturgeon is taken in northern inland men, as landed. On the market they phase of their life they apparently stay waters-the Lake of the Woods, etc. had a value of nearly S195,000-not a fairly close to land. Their food, by the great deal of money, of course, when way, consists of small fisi.; crustaceans, considered only as a percentage of fish- and mollusks. eries production in a province where total Where Taken: Oyster landings in Prince Edward output runs to a good many millions Island have been averaging 7,088 barrela The range of the tomcod is from Lab- annually, but quite a tidy little sum annually in the past three or four years. just the same. rador southward to the coast of Virginia On the value side the range was from a and in the Canadian fishery they are low of $928 in 1942 up to a high of Thrust and Shot taken in saltwater areas of New Bruns- $11.76 in '45. wick, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince As for the harpoon-and-rifle method of Edward Island, and in some of the fresh- shark fishing, here it is, in brief, as used water districts of Quebec. New Bruns- As a general thing, nine species of fish by the Bamfield men: The fishing boat wick and Quebec lead in production. enter into Alberta's commercial catch. is equipped with a harpoon about a foot Much the larger part of the catch is Whitefish are "tops" in aggregate dollar long which is fastened to 30 or 40 feet landed by the sea fishermen. Total return, though tullibee may be taken in of wire cable which, in turn, is attached landings vary, of course, from year to greater numbers. Pickerel, or pike-. to a rope measuring 90 or 100 fathoms in year but sometimes reach 2,000,000 perch, ordinarily stand third in size of length, and the rope is tied securely to pounds or so. The fish may be found at catch. the -boat. When a shark is sighted near various times of year but they are most the surface of the water the boat is abundant, or, at all events, available to manoeuvred as near to it as possible, one the fishermen in greatest numbers, in British Columba's total fisheries catch of the fishermen seizes the harpoon, some of the winter months when they in 1945 was 544,000,000 pounds, in round which is fitted into a metal pipe as a figures, as against some 458,320,000 in handle and is weighted with lead, and *Another species of tomcod, known the year before. The biggest contribu- thrusts it into the fish, then quickly scientifically as aficrogadua proximua and tions to total landings were made by the releases the handle. Away the shark popularly as the California t'omcod, occurs herring and salmon fisheries-more than on the Pacific coast. Some of the fish are goes, with harpoon, cable, and rope, but taken by British Columbia fishermen as 257,650,000 pounds of herring and nearly the long rope is tied fast and, barring an incidental part of their catch when 170,965,000 pounds of salmon. Of course, mischance, there's no escape for the cap- setting their gear for other species but the smaller salmon catch was worth it tive. How long the fish has to be tomcod are not commercially important good deal more on the market than the on Canada's west coast. The fish have a "played" varies, of course, in different range extending from California north- larger herring production, or $25,425,000 cases-sometimes an hour or more may ward to Alaska and the Aleutians. as compared with 58,423,000. (Continued on Page 4) FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

PUZZLING-PINKS CUT Puzzling Pinks SAY PACIFIC, ATLANTIC But as for pinks! For whatever PACIFIC SALMON PACK mysterious reason, the 1946 pink run in HALIBUT TWO SPECIES Despite Reduc—ed Cannery Output British Columbia waters has apparently — been the smallest in a long time. Can- West Coast hill Gets New Scientific Canadian Market to Gel Bigger nery pack came toppling down accord- Supply of 1946 Salmon ingly. By early November the canneries Name Through Russian Research had put up only 117,000 cases and the Man's Findings 1Vhen final figures for the year are final pink count for the year will — probably not exceed made up, British Columbia's canned 125,000 cases. Last Names, in themselves, may not be year the pack was of salmon pack for 1946 will be some- 825,500 cases, in much importance, as an Englishman of thing like 400,000 cases below the 1945 round numbers, and for the 10-year some repute period, in the world of literature total, and without any further parley 1936-45, the average annual out- suggested several put was over centuries ago, but the the blame can be put on the pinks, 485,600 cases. valuable Pacific halibut is changing to The pinks their a which, with chums and sockeyes, ordin- have no "alibi" for new one anyway. New scientific name, 1946 behaviour or, if they arily make up the great bulk of the have one, they that is. Or, the fish is having the name salmon canners' output. are keeping it to themselves. Neither changed for it. science nor industry knows why the Mixed with the bad news of pack Following upon findings fish were not located in their usual made some reduction, however, is the good news years ago by a Russian scientist that numbers. But, of course, fluctuation in the for Canadian consumers that, despite halibut of the Pacific fish catches from one season to another and the Atlantic the drop in production, more canned are two distinct is no new thing, species, fisheries people salmon will go on the domestic market and fluctuation is on North not necsarily indicative of any signifi- America's west coast are now than in any recent year, a good deal accepting the name he Pacific cant change as to actual gave the more. The allocation to the Canadian, abundanc,e. fish, Hippoglossus stenolepis, There is a good deal that Man does with the market from 1946 output is 500,000 Atlantic halibut continuing to swim not yet know as to the reasons why cases, as compared with 300,000 cases along as Hippoglossus hippoglossus, the same species fish may as last year and much less than that of show both were formerly known differences in several earlier years. At one time in behaviour at different times. Whether the fish of the two regions go in the current season, when it was by one name or by two, whether they are seen that production WaS falling below blood brothers, so to speak, or only first estimated output, it was feared that it Vitamin oil extracted from - dogfish or second cousins, may be points of some would be necessary to cut down the livers in British Columbia in the past scientific interest, but the big fact still domestic allocation but some adjust- two years, 1944-15, was worth almost remains that halibut are right up in the ments as regards supplies for other 85,998,400. Dogfish occur, of course, in top brackets of importance in the Cana- countries have made it possible to main- Canada's Atlantic waters as well as on dian fisheries. Together, the Pacific and tain the 500,000-case arrangement. At the Pacifie coast but the Atlantic species Atlantic landings add several million this figure the allocation is not greatly lacks the richness of its western cousin dollars a year to Canada's output, with below normal Canadian requirements. in vitamin content. much the larger part of the catch taken Salmon canning operations for the by British Columbia fishermen. No year are not yet quite over in British matter which coast they come from, the Columbia, at the moment of writing, Something over 6,000 people are ordi- fish themselves are of first rate food but it is a safe bet that total '46 pack narily employed each year in British value, firm-fleshed, and highly palatable. will not be much more than 1,300,000 Columbia's fish processing plants, and Nearly all of the Canadian catch goes cases (48-pound cases) as against women do not fall very far short of to market in the fresh and frozen forms, slightly more than 1,700,000 cases last making up half the number. In 1945, a good deal of it in exports to the United year. Incidentally, production in Alaska, for instance, the women workers num- States. Occasionally some small quan- the other big producer of canned salmon bered 2,928 out of a labour force of 6,038, titie,s may be canned. Halibut livers and this continent, has also decreased on or about 48 per cent. In '44 the total viscera have value as sources of vitamin this year and, indeed, this has been was a bit larger and the percen- oil. the third successive season of decreased force tage of women a bit smaller. Knowledge Grew Slowly Alaska output. In British Columbia the pack of The change-over as to the Pacific name sockeye—the sockeye season ended got its start shortly after 1900, but ac- some time ago—has been substantially Lobster traps, those devices of lath celerated very gradually. It began when larger than it was in 1945. As a matter and netting by which Canada's most Dr. P. Schmidt, a Russian scientist ob- of fact, it has not been exceeded very valuable shellfish are captured, are served differences between halibut from often. Chum production, too, is show- valued, on the average, at only a dollar the Murman.sk region and fish caught in ing large gain over 1945 pack. The pack or two, but that's one of those true the Sea of Okhotsk—differences in body of steelheads has likewise increased but statements which don't tell the true proportions, for instance, in the fins, etc. steelhead production never runs to large story. For one thing, a lobster fisher- He cime to the conclusion that the hali- figures. On the other hand, fewer cohoes man has to have a substantial number but from the two localities were actually and springs have been canned than in of traps if he hopes to make a catch of different species or, in other words, that 1945. Springs, however, are always any size. For another thing, most of the H. Hippoglossus was not the only species used more in the fresh-and-frozen trade fishermen make their own traps and, as of halibut, as had previously been than for canning and nowadays an in- a nile, the value set on individual traps assumed to be the case. He called the creasing part of the coho catch also does not take much account of labour Okhotsk fish H. stenolepis and he thought goes into the same trade. cost. (Continued on Page 4) FISHE-RIES NEWS BULLETIN

SIF-DOCTORING JOBS BY PLAN WINTER FISHING-Con. CANADIAN ON COMMITTEES CANADIAN OYSTERS EXPLAIN Point locality and to the eastern end of Blanchet Island, which is in the lake's OF U.S. FISHERIES SOCIETY PEARLS OCCASIONALLY FOUND East Arm. Good fish, both trout and Director of fish culture for Canada's whitefish, were found in all three areas- Department of Fisheries, J. A. Rodd, fish of satisfactory size and first rate I.S.O., was recently named by the quality. Two don'ts for oyster eaters. Don't As a matter of fact, some of American Fisheries Society as a member the trout taken off Gypsum Point were have visions of getting big money for of three of its main committees. One is especially large-40 pounds or so-but the `pearl' which may chance to be the Committee on International Rela- found in the occasional Canadian big size is not always a recommendation tions, another the Committee on Pollu- oyster. And, in the second place, don't in itself since the flesh of the fish is apt tion Study, and the third a committee to be on the coarse side. have visions of dire results if the pearl set up to revise the society's constitution is swallowed along with the oyster meat. and by-laws. ;11r. Rodd had previously In general, these so-called pearls have Inspector Was There served on various other committees of little or no commercial value. As for All of the whitefish taken at Great the organization as member or chairman. their being injurious to people if swal- A few years ago, on the 60th anniver- lowed accidentally, there is the auth- Slave during the two summers was in- spected by an officer of the federal De- sary of the society, which was organized ority of the Canadian scientist who has in 1870, he was elected to the presidency, for several years been in charge of the partment of Fisheries, who was sent to the lake to enforce the whitefish inspec- the first member other than a citizen of federal oyster research station at Ellers- the United States to hold this office. lie, P.E.I., that they are "no more tion regulations laid down under the harmful than any small particles of Fish Inspection Act. Under those pro- oyster shell which might be attached visos all whitefish shipped out of the SAY PACIFIC, ATLANTIC-Con. to the meats following the opening of Northwest Territories, or out of any of oysters with an oyster knife." the three prairie provinces, must undergo that this new species occurred only in prescribed inspection. The inspection Though found once in a while in the Okhotsk area. Later on, after ex- plan, of course, is designed to serve the Canadian oysters pearls of this type amination of some more specimens, in- dual purpose of making sure that the are more commonly produced in fresh- cluding some from the west coast of consumer receives whitefish of satisfac- water clams and in marine mussels. Vancouver Island, he reached the opinion tory quality and thus helping the white- They owe their origin to the intrusion that all halibut of the North Pacific fish industry to maintain and increase its of some irritating granule which slips region belong to H. stenolepis and are business. inside the mollusk's body through the distinct from the Atlantic species. space between the two sections, or "Production from this year's opera- For various reasons fisheries people of `valves,' of the shell. When the oyster, tions at Great Slave was of sound stan- British Columbia and Alaska and the for instance, feels the irritant it sets dard," the departmental inspector re- Pacific states were a bit skeptical as to to work, in self-protection, and puts ported on his return to Ottawa. "For the existence of distinct Atlantic and down layers of nacreous shell material that matter," he added, "the quality was Pacific species. They thought that the around the trouble-making particle. good in 1945, too, but I think that per- differences between Murmansk and When the self-help job is done, a pearl's haps this year's showing was even Okhotsk halibut were probably no more been made. better." than differences such as may quite often Pearls formed within oysters in this be found in individual fish of a single species. way have the same chemical composi- Time, however, and the failure of some minor investigations to invali- tion as the inner layer of the oyster HARPOON, RIFLE "CATCH"--Con. date Schmidt's conclusions have gradually shell, which is to say that the pearls go by before the fish can be brought to resulted in acceptance of his ideas on consist largely of calcium carbonate. gaff, so to speak, though in this case the the west coast and H. stenolepis has re- They are like that inner layer, too, in gaff is a gun. But it's only a question of cently made if appearance, in the fish- having little lustre and that explains time. erie.s literature of that part of the world, why they don't amount to much in The boat's winch keeps on hauling in as the proper scientific name for the terms of dollars and cents. It's the the rope and eventually the shark is Pacific halibut. oysters themselves that are worth money pulled up to the surface close at band. to Canada-perhaps half a million dol- That's when the rifle comes into the pic- lars or so a year. All three of the Mari- ture. After the shark has been shot, it FROZEN FISH LIVE-Con. time Provinces, as well as British is towed to a beach, the liver cut out- Not only have experiments shown that Columbia, are oyster producers. Most there may be well over a thousand oysters can survive temperatures well of the catch is marketed `in the shell' pounds of liver if the fish is a big one- below the ordinary freezing point but but there is also some business in and put into containers for delivery to nature has told somewhat the same shucked, or shelled oysters. the vitamin oil plant. story. There are numerous authentic instances of oysters surviving the winter in spots where they are exposed most of the time. Of course, freezing does cause_ Lobsters represented 65 per cent of the the death of a proportion of the oysters During the four prewar years 1935-38 total landed value of Prince Edward subjected to it, and the chances of sur- Prince Edward Island's fisheries produc- Island's fisheries catch in 1945, or $1,503; vival are reduced by repetition of the tion amounted, on the average, to a trifle 000 out of S2,309,000. In weight, the thawing and freezing processes, which is les, than 3888,500. In the four years lobster catch was a little less than 8,116,- a good thing for people handling oysters 1942-45 the average was $2,344,000. 000 pounds. to keep in mind. FISHERIES NE WS BULLETIN

Minister: Published Monthly by the Department of Fisheries, Deputy Minister Hon. H. FRANCIS G. BRIDGES, M.P. Ottawa, Canada D. B. FINN

Vol. XVII NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1946 No. 205-206 • INCREASING PRIBILOF FUR SEAL HERD ENGINEERING BEAVERS BRINGS RICH DIVIDENDS TO CANADA CUT SALMON STOCKS

Cross Returns from 1946 Sealskin Sales at Montreal Cheese Whey Too Much for Fish--Another Alone over $665,000—Marketings in U.S. Bring Big Side-Discovery in Salmon Study Additional Sums—Herd Restored by Beavers are smart engineers, and in- International Action dustrious, but it would sometimes be better for the salmon if they were less energetic in applying their skill. Participation in plans for conserving only 125,000 or 150,000 animals. nun- Beaver dams on Holmes Brook, a New the fur seals stocks of the Pribilof bers grew steadily in following years Brunswick stream which was under ob- Islands and adjacent Bering Sea rook- and had reached something like 3,000,- servation last year, not for the first eries continues to pay good dividends 000 when the treaty was replaced in time, by salmon investigators working to Canada. 1942 by the present provisional sealing under the federal Fisheries Research Gross returns from 12,703 Pribilof agreement between Canada and the Board. were found to be having two sealskins sold through Montreal fur United States. To-day, as estimated results: They were very effective bar- auctions in 1916 by the Department of during the past season by- experienced riers to the ascent or descent of salmon Fisheries on Canadian Government United States observers at the rookeries, and. in the second place, silt carried account have amounted to $665,400 and there are approximately 3.386,000 seals down from the beaver workings dimin- the proceeds from 3,679 pelts which the in the herd. Under the agreement, as ished the production of salmon food. department marketed in St. Louis, Mo., under the old treaty, all seal hunting at As a further example of what busy will add another 8200,000 or so. On top the Pribilofs is carried on by the United beaVers may do to the disadvantage of that, Canada will also receive 20 per States Government which hands over of fish, there was the case of anofher cent of the net receipts obtained by the to Canada 20 per cent of the annual stream, Hayward Brook, not a great United States Government from its sale "take" of skins. Under the four-power distance from Holmes Brook, which had of 28,032 skins in April, 1946. pact, by the way, the Canadian share been completely shut off from the sal- Combined net retuna to Canada from was only 15 per cent. mon run since the summer of 1945 by the three sources will still run. to a big In the 1946 season a total of 64,523 the beavers' building jobs. Various total when all the book-keeping for the pelts was obtained--only three-year-old investigations in progress in these two year has been done, though quite a thick male seals are killed—and arithnietic brooks, by the way, are steps in a salmon slice will have been cut off the gross by works out Canada's share as 12,905. In the preceding year Canadian share study the research people are making in deduction of transportation and pro- the the Petitcodiac River system generally. cessing costs, deduction of the customs had been larger than that by nearly duty on the skins brought into Canada 1,400 skins. The '46 decreme was due On Holmes Brook last year two new for marketing, and deduction of three simply to the fact that, for some reason beaver dams obstructed salmon passage, and a half per cent sales commission. or other, the herd was somewhat behind even during extremely high floods. Older So far as duty is concerned, of course, its usual arrival schedule when it dams also continued obstructive, at least paying it out of the appropriation voted reached the Pribilofs and subsequent during ordinary water heights. As for by Parliament to take care of expenses weather conditions hindered the hunting. silt from the beaver workings, it coated in connection with the fur seal business the upper surfaces of stones on the is really only a case of shifting money 8120 Top Price stream bed for two miles, and the sig- from one Canadian Government pocket nificance of this condition is that "silt- Peak price obtained at the four investi- to another. Fur seal receipts go down Montreal auctions during 1946 was $120 covered bottom," as one of the by the amount of the duty and the a skin but that was for a relatively gators put it, "is one of the poorest country's customs revenue goes up by small parcel of pelts which appealed habitats for the production of salmon the same amount--just a case of one or particularly to the buyers' fancy. Taking food." Salmon fry and parr made very two additional entries in the nation's the March-June-September sales to- poor growth in the Holmes in '46, set of books. gether, the average prices obtained were "many appearing emaciated," and the When steps to restore and maintain $64.85 for browns and 839.40 for blacks. spring run of salmon smolt was only the Pacific fur seal stocks were begun By the time the fourth sale came along, about two-fifths as large as in 1944. under the Pelagic Sealing Treaty of 1911 early in December, fur prices in general If solid dams may sometimes make (Britain, the United States, Russia, and had done a bit of nose-diving in Canada difficulty for fish, so, too, the Petit- Japan the signatories) the Pribilof herd and the United States alike--some codiac investigators found, will a certain had been brought near extinction by people say industrial uncertainties and liquid—of all things, waste whey from uncontrolled slaughter and included (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 4) FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN CANADIAN FISHES BROWN TROUT SHARE OFF DOMESTIC WAYS Thirty-Fifth in a Series of Non-Technical Articles with Thrive in Nova Scotia River but Return Reference to Various Canadian Fish and to Sea-going Habit of Shellfish and Their Place in the Generations Long Gone Nation's Fisheries European brown trout, added to The Goldeye (Amphiodon alosordes)• fly or the baited hook (Hinks) and give native species of Nova Scotia game fish a lively tussle to the sport fisherman by the, federal Department of Fisheries, Goldeyes have high reputation for are testifying who tries to take them on light tackle. to the persistence of table use but one fault is to be found hereditary influence in fish, or in some with them-there aren't enough of Where They're Found: fish in this particular strain at all events. them. The commercial catch in The fish are found in various con- Numbers of the fish introduced into Canada runs only to several hundred tinental waters from the Ohio River in the Guysborough River, in the easterly thousand pounds a year and has so far the United States to Canada's Prairie end of Nova Scotia, have assumed some been localized to some Prairie Province Provinces. They occur as far north as of the natural characteristics of the so- waters, mainly to several Manitoba Lake Athabaska and, indeed, they have called sea trout of Europe though them- Sometimes the landings have lakes. been reported as present in waters still selves descended from hatchery-reared topped half a million pounds but, on farther northward. However, Nature stock which, through many generations, years they are the other hand, in some apparently put more goldeyes into some had never seen the sea. They have a under 250,000 pounds. Manitoba lakes than anywhere else. By long line of these hatchery-reared or far the greater part of the commercial domesticated ancestors behind them but Their Family and Their Ways: catch is taken in Lakes Winnipeg, they have reverted to the ways of still Scientifically, the goldeyes belong to Winnipegosis, and Dauphin. Curiously earlier ancestors and make their migra- the same "Order" as herring, salmon, enough, by the way, -Nature forgot tions to sea, though continuing as and whitefish, for example, but to a all about putting any goldeyes into freshwater spawners. different. "Family" from any of these Lake Manitoba, though the same lake To use the scientific term, these trout others-e, family the scientific people is well stocked with several other kinds have become anadromous, just as a know as Hiodontidae. They are fish of food fish. Saskatchewan's goldeye number of other species of fish are anadromous, the salmon, for example. "which spawn in the spring and through- landings come from the Saskatchewan Or, rather, some of them have become out June and the early part of July. River and several lakes but the total anadromous. Another group of the Some fishermen have thought that fall catch is never large. Only a few of the brown trout in the Guysborough stick spawning takes place but investigations fish are taken in Alberta, sometimes in by freshwater, as preceding generations, made by federal fisheries scientists in the Newell Lake area, for example. Prairie waters have found no evidence perforce, had done before them when to support this belief. Some of the How They're Caught: reared in hatchery ponds. goldeye males mature during their Canada's commercial fishermen make Hatchery strains of these European third year, some during the fourth, with their goldeye catch by means of gill- brown trout, some of the fish descended females maturing later than their nets which they set in suitable places from stock obtained in Scotland, some brothers; however, scientific opinion at in lakes and rivers the fish frequent. hatched from eggs brought from a fish present (1946) is that further study of culture established in Montana, were the species is necessary before final flow They're Sold: distributed in the Guysborough in 1933 conclusions as to time of maturity can Much the greater part of the annual and 1934 by the Fish Culture Branch of be reached. In their feeding habits the catch goes to market in the smoked the department. An assessment of the •fish have a fondness for insects which form. results two or three years later turned they find on the surface of the water out disappointing. The fish culture but they also eat such foods as "the people shook their heads glumly. aquatic larvae of insects, crustacea, and British Columbia's fisheries produc- They are* happier now. Test fishing small fish" (Hinks, the Fishes of Mani- tion in 19-15-the 1946 figures are not at done by a couple of the fish culture toba). In general, the goldeyes taken hand-exceed S14,500,000, with the supervisors last summer showed that the in Canadian waters probably run less salmon fishery accounting for more than situation had completely changed. Fish than a pound in weight and about a half the total. Figures for 1946 will be measuring more than 15 inches were foot in length. On the other hand, a affected adversely by a reduction in taken. number of fish, 7-year-olds, which were salmon catch, as compared with land- The supervisors' examination also taken in the course of investigations ings in the preceding year. brought out the interesting fact that carried on (1945) by Dr. W. M. Sprules, the Guysborough stocking had resulted of the staff of the federal Fisheries in the development of the two different Research Board, averaged 1 pound 7 Small-mouthed black bass in consider- populations among the brown trout. One ounces on the scales and 141 inches in able numbers were taken by anglers population is residual, remaining in the length. Most people perhaps think only during 1946 in the Milo chain of lakes Guysborough and perhaps some tribu- of the goldeyes as commercial •fish but in Yarmouth county, N.S., a state of ,tsry streams. Under the re-asserted affairs attributable to steps previously influence of heredity the fish in the the fact is that they also - offer good taken by the federal Department of other group have gone back to ancient sport for the angler. They will take the Fisheries to introduce this fine game habit, making seaward migrations but fish species into waters of that part of coming back again to freshwater in due The fish was formerly known by some scientists as Hyodon chrysopais. the world. season to spawn. FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN 3 HERE'S WHERE FISH ARE SAYS MACHINE MARITIMES' LOBSTER SURE ENOUGH THE HERRING WERE THERE PACK BIGGER IN '46 Depth Sounding Device, Already Useful in West Coast and N.B. Increases Lead to 10 Fishing, Shows Value, Too, in Atlantic Herring Per Cent. Net Gain for Maritimes Study—Extensive Joint Research Programme as Whole Goes Effectively Ahead Lobster canneries in the three Mari- time Provinces turned out bigger ag- Machines may sometimes be smarter Department of Fisheries, Newfoundland, gregate output in than men, 1946 than in 1945 after all. For instance, look and the governments of Canada's four though there weren't quite so many of at what happened one time last autumn, Atlantic provinces. In brief, the pur- them operating. In 1945 or in there were 141 late summer, when commercial pose of the long-term investigation—the plants canning lobsters and in 1946 fishermen set only their herring nets off a work began a couple of years ago and 136 but the smaller number put up 10 certain strip of Nova Scotia's northeast will go on for several years more—is per cent, larger pack or 66,175 cases as coast and fishing was done, too, in the to gather adequate knowledge of the against 59,685. Even at that, of course, same general locality by Ahic, one of the Atlantic herring stocks of Canada and total pack was probably- not sufficient to boats used for exploratory fishing and Newfoundland, to determine the feasi- take care of all the demand which will other purposes by the Atlantic Herring bility of increasing the length of the present itself before canning begins Investigating Committee in studying the fishing- seasons, to ascertain the most again in the spring, of '47. Canned lob- herring stocks of Eastern Canada and effective fishing methods and the pos- ster is a delicacy which is nearly always Newfoundland. sibility of increased utilization of the in brisk demand nowadays. For in- Gill-nets put out by Ahic's people resources—all with a view to enabling stance, the big United States market took more herring than gear set else- coastal populations to obtain greater wants it. where by others, and for the simple return from the herring fishery. Throughout the 1946 lobster canning reason that a piece of machinery had seasons--there Probe Many Points are different seasons on told Ahic where fish would be more several parts of the coast—all of the 136 abundant than in the areas where the Study of water temperatures and plants in operation were subject to commercial fishermen were operating at salinities is an important branch of the thorough inspection by federal fisheries the time. committee's programme as helping to fill officers. The plants had all to obtain As a matter of fact, "piece of ma- in the background of an ultimate under- operating permits in the first place, of chinery" is not the right term. The standing of herring movements. Salinities course, and to get permits they had to apparatus which indicated where the fish and temperatures have a good deal of satisfy certain specific requirements as to were more abundant is not a machine influence on the ways of fish but may construction, equipment, sanitation, etc., but a device known as a depth sounder. have different effects in the case of and the purpose of the subsequent in- In the particular instance in question it different species. The condition of spections was to make certain that all was tried out at several spots. It indi- herring as to fattiness, etc., at different of the provisos relating to canning cated that there were fewer fish where periods is also one of the subjects of lobsters were observed while packing was the commercial fishermen were setting study—when are they in best shape for in progress. All told, 745 plant inspec- their nets than at some other spots. The this use or for that? So, too, foi\ in- tions were made and this meant that, on Ahic gear was set at these other places. stance, is the question as to the occur- the average, each cannery wa,s inspected Sure enough, Ahic catches were bigger. rence of different distinct "populations" between five and six tinies during its The sounder knew what it was talking of herring within the over-all population. short operating period. about. It was smarter than man in this In this connection, by the way, some of Among the three Maritimes the island herring case, but, then, man put its the 1946 investigations indicated that province, Prince Edward, gets the smartness into it in the first place. herring from several Gulf areas fall into credit for the largest output in 1946. The people using this particular distinct divisions. Lobster canneries in that province sounder were scientific investigators but Other research—Dr. A. H. Leim, of packed 26,465 cases or the equivalent. the same kind of device had already Canada's Fisheries Research Board staff (All the "case" references, by the way, proved its value in actual commercial is Investigator-in-Charge for the corn- are to containers holding 48 tins each, fishing operations elsewhere. - Depth mittee--has shown such interesting facts with each can having, in it 12 ounces of sounders or echo sounders have been as that 1939, 1941, and 1943 produced a lobster meat. This does not mean that used regularly for several years past by much larger "crop" of herring than the lobster is always packed in tins of the various operators in British Columbia's intervening years. A striking indication one particular size but in giving pack big herring fishery. West Coast purse- of the changes which may occur in con- figures the practice is t,o express output seine boats have found them very useful nection with herring stocks in one area, in ternis of the standard case). In New as locators of herring, and as savers of they also showed that 85 per cent, of Brunswick there were 46 plants at work time and money since they enable cap- the herring sampled at the Magdalen in the lobster canning areas and their tains to know when "sets" are likely Islands in 1946, were 3-year-old fish "score" was 20,150 cases. If pack was to produce catches worth the effort. whereas in 1943 the Magdalen samples larger in New Brunswick and Prince Exploratory fishing is only one part ranged from six to eight years in age Edward Island than it had been in the of the Atlantic Herring Committee's and over a third of them were 8-year- preceding year, the situation was dif- work, which, by the way, is done under olds. By- themselves, some of the points ferent, however, in Nova Scotia. joint arrangements between the Federal (C,ontinued on page 4) (Continued on page 4) FISHERIES NEWS BULLETIN

FIND MORE FLATFISH LIVERS MARITIMES' LOBSTER PACK-Con. ILLEGAL LOBSTER. FISHING PRODUCERS OF VITAMIN A While the New Brunswick canners were lifting their output approximately COSTS LAW-BREAKERS DEARLY 4,000 cases above the '45 level, and in Prince Edward Island the increase ex- Studies of a dozen or so lesser species Individually, lobster traps are worth ceeded 3,400 cases, the pack in Nova only $2, or perhaps something less than of British Columbia flatfish which Scotia decreased by more than 900. The have been made by members of the that, but 325 of them are worth a tidy explanation of the Nova Scotia reduc- little sum all told, and that's what it staff of the federal Fisheries Experi- tion was probably to be found in the cost some East Coast men who tried mental Station, Vancouver, have shown marketing of an increased number of their hand at illegal lobster fishing on that the livers of all the fish are live lobsters. Once upon a time nearly a couple of days last summer. That, sources of vitamin A. "The most valu- all of Canada's commercial catch of plus the value of some 3,000 fathoms of able (of these) livers", says a report by lobsters went into cans but nowadays rope which were also confiscated by Miss Betty H. McKercher, the principal a large part of it is shipped to market Department of Fisheries patrol officers. investigator, "appear to be those of the "in the shell." They swooped down one day and brill (Eopsetta jordani) but livers of all nabbed over 200 traps and a couple of species produce vitamin A-containing thousand fathoms of rope in an area oil". The study did not include the which had come under their suspicion. biggest and most important of the flat- INCREASING PRIBILOF Perhaps the law-breakers believed that fishes, the halibut, since earlier scientific FUR SEALS-Con. lightning never strikes twice in the investigations had established the liver same spot. They know better now. of that fish as a valuable vitamin source. stock market losses sustained by groups who normally make up most of the Some more gear was set illegally in the In general, though not always, the oil buyers of luxury goods had something same locality on the day after the first content of the livers examined was high to do with that-and the sealskins then seizure. And along came the officers in winter and low in summer. On the offered at Montreal, all browns, brought and destroyed another 100-odd traps other hand, the vitamin A potency of an average of a little less than 540, not and seized some more rope. The the liver oil was usually lowest in the "peanuts", by any means, but well below offenders probably think they paid a winter months. The fish from which the earlier levels, none the less. pretty stiff price for a bit of illegal the livers were obtained had been caught At the sale in St. Louis, held in fishing but the lobster fishery of the at various locations scattered over the Atlantic provinces is too valuable to entire British Columbia coast. "From October, the successful bidders paid, on the average, S52.45 for the brown skins allow risk that it may be depleted by a preliminary examination of the the undue strain of fishing operations offered by Canada. No blacks were in results" ; Miss McKercher reports, "it out of season. the Canadian lot put on sale there. Conservation studies seemed that location made very little have shown that over-fishing to-day difference to either the oil content of So far nobody in Canada has gone might soon mean few lobsters to fish the liver or the vitamin A potency of into the business of processing or finish- for to-morrow. Hence, strict enforce- ing that oil. sealskins, a highly specialized ment of the lobster fishing regulations business, and two-thirds and more of the "The greatest differences in the oil by the Fisheries Department. Canada and its contained vitamin A are appar- skins sold at Montreal in 1946, or 9,301, cannot afford over-exploitation of what ently caused by variations in species and had been dressed and dyed for the is the most valuable lobster resources season. The size (age) of the fish is Department of Fisheries by a fur pro- remaining in the world. cessing company in London, England. probably another factor. It was not considered in this study." Most of them had been finished in the brown shades. The remaining 3,402 ENGINEERING BEAVERS skins auctioned in Montreal, and all of CUT SALDION STOCKS-Con. those sold by Canada at St. Louis, had cheese factories! Fish must be silly HERE'S WHERE FISH ARE-Con. been processed by a St. Louis company, things. Facts as to the effect of whey which also handles sealskin marketing brought out from time to time in the on fish were only side-results, so to for the United States Government. research may perhaps sometimes not speak, of the Petitcodiac studies. Ex- Most of the skins in Canada's share of seem to be of much importance. ►tihat periments made with salmon parr, often happens in any of these scientific the 1946 take at the Pribilofs are being young shad, and several other species investigations, however, is that seem- dressed and dyed at St. Louis but showed that exposure to whey induced ingly unimportant pieces of data take several thousand have been shipped to rapid increase and irregularity in gill- on significance when fitted in with other England for processing. beat, loss of visual reflex, and loss of facts. /1''.,/" tactile sense and equilibrium. However, So far in its work afloat the commit- there's no great cause for fear that tee's investigating staff has had to rely Investigations made by Canadian waste whey will do harm in fish- only on several comparatively small fisheries scientists have indicated that frequented waters. Perhaps few cheese boats. Now, however, it will be in a the speed of oyster growth, both growth factories drain waste into streams and, better position as regards . sea-going in length and volume, is correlated with in any case, damage to fish population facilities since a larger craft, the 84-foot food supply and hours of sunshine, as "is unlikely to occur unless the con- Harengus, built for this special job is well as with temperature. However, the centration of whey is inordinately high about to •"come into service. Fully fact that oysters of different "sets" over a long period of time" at a place equipped for work of the kind, Harenpus grow at different rates in the same where water volume and rate of flow will be more or less a floating research locality suggests that unknown factors are very low and facilities for diffusing laboratory. also influence growth rate. the whey are poor. I