I.obstersAre Important To The Economy Of Maritimes

Durir_ig‘ the past five years lob- ster. landings'in the three Mari- time Provinces and Quebec have averag_ed over 45 million pounds.

The average landed value in this‘

period" was close to 14 million

; dollars:

I_{1__ some years the marketed value'had exceeded 20 million

I? dollars About 17,000 licensed fi-

Ihermen derive part—-in certain areas a major part—of their in- come from this fishery. Many

" others are actively associated 1 with the fishery.

Lobsters are in very high de-

mand and are readily caught be- * cause they are largely restric-

ted to shallow water. Proper re- gulation to make the best con-

V tinuing use of this extremely val- . uable resource is of utmost im- fiportance to all engaged in and

, associated with the fishery.

‘HISTORY or THE Fisniaitr

Lobster fishing in Canada star- ted about 100 years ago and con- tinued on a small scale for 20 years. About 1870, when the first official statistics were recorded, the fishery started to expand ra- pidly. In these early days the

I grounds were heavily populated

with large, old, lobsters that had accumulated for many years.

‘This accumulated stock pro- vided excellent fishing and as new grounds were discovered, more and more boats and gear. were used. ,

The catch rose rapidly during, the next 15 years to reach a peak-

a reasonably sound assessment of a particular size limit.

In Canada wherever size lim- its have been reasonably well observed, both the quantity and the value of the catch have in- creased.

All other lobster producing countries have adopted minimum size limits——-all of which are lar- ger than the one now in effect in our canning areas.

From the biological point of view, establishment or the best size limits for the various lob- ~ster populations is the most im- portant problem facing the indu- stry.

BERRIED LOBSTERS

(2). It is clear that to make best use of a fishing ground enough young lobsters must be hatched to utilize fully the capa- city of the ground. It is not clear, however, just how many newly- hatched larvae are required to make best use of an area.

eas berried lobsters are extre- mely scarce. The few larvae’ pro- duced are apparently sufficient to make good use of the ground.

In Northumberland Strait where berried lobsters and lar- vae are abundant, there is no clear relation between the num- bers of larvae which hatch and those which survive the free swimming period to settle to the bottom, good conditions for sur- vival during the free swimming

In southern‘ Nova Scotia, one, of the best lobster producing‘ ar-

coiiservation measure. The fish- ery, however, simply adjusted to the shorter open period by using more boats and gear.

We now have clear evidence that the fishery is often more in- tensive during the two-month op- en seasons than it is in areas where fishing is permitted for four to six months.

This evidence is based on re- turns from over 85,000 tagged lobsters, on data showing how rapidly the catches fall off dur- ing the short‘ seasons and on ca- parisons of the sizes of lobsters caught in the ‘various areas.

In one area the two-month fish- ery is so intensive that fisher- men return up to 85 percent of tagged lobsters liberated at the start of the season. In such ar- eas the stock is reduced so quic- kly that fishing often becomes unprofitable before the end of the short season.

If in two months fishermen can fish their annual crop of lobsters to the point where it no longer pays, it is obvious that

conservation value.

With longer. seasons the inten- sity\ of the fishery drops and the same total catch is spread over a longer“ period.

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

Although the system appears to have little conservation value, there are important economic considerations. For example, un-

I

closed seasons have little if! any =

From an address by LC.’ Hall- Esq.. at a meeting held in the Market Hall, Charlottetown. Au- gust 21, 1868, to discuss the ques- tion of free trade with the Unit- ed Sates: _

“He thought the people of this Island greatly undervalued the importance of a market for their fisheries.

No other business that could be named had succeeded so well. In order to show their great va- lue, Mr. Hall stated that four or five hands, aided by a few boats, had not infrequently been known to take thirty or forty pounds worth of mackerel in a single day.

Page 3 GUARDIAN-PATRIOT.

Mackerel Fishing Profitablg On The Island I00 Years A95

FRI” 1., ‘cf.- -,_. _-.ise.

from 300,000 to 400, annually. and the Umwbm would consum . my. e double um quam ‘

“We had the timbe ~ the vessels required torpgsbwd ‘‘ this fishery, and we had thgecme. for manning them. me‘

This was a great ue - . Mr. Hall saw clearlg t1i2t°’,',’m““‘I ~ our young men found sometmensi“. to do besides farming, we W0 ' 1 never be a wealthy people

.s1f P. E. Island would enlist th. capital and skill necess e the successful prosecution oft business, she would not only}: 3 tly increase the value of heras ports, but the value of her} ex' ‘

AT MIMINEGASH

gash took in one day thirty or forty pounds worth of same des- cription of fish. He, himself lan- ded, at one of the stages in a single day, 55,000 mackerel, or six hundred pounds‘worth. ’ “The entire catch of macker-

A man and his boy at Mimine-~

also; and her young men '

of going to build up themt§,t;ad'; and cities of the Unitedstatm would return to the Island aesé”. build a fleet of as fine, “ T

looking, and fast sailing v§'s°s‘Z,“f‘. as could be produced ’jn-mi,‘

States, and at two-thirds of the.

el at present only amounted to

money they would cost in E, sex." ' . . , ,v/

Ai End Of The

“In 1792 our fisheries which had been gradually revived since 1784, promised to become again considerable, and afforded the means of recommencing a trade with the West India Islands, by

Revival In Fisheries Seen V

which we were abundantly sup-

-a

18th Century.

‘fisheries carried on in our neigh. borhood on the continent, ,3“. upon the whole there was eve * appearance of extensive - valuable fisheries being em, blished to the great benefit at the Island when the late. (Axnen.

7

A

bar of larvae hatched.

_ _ _ der et te 120 ' ' h‘ _ of almost flog million pgunds in period appear to be much more percg? ,,1,"",‘i,S,,.“,,,,f,y,:,.;",,,‘;“ find- . Qvllggeliatilr tI;I1:(;g:.ce se$‘§,‘f.,fi t‘;l’zrfiS}f:g::ehnac:g’bee51n§l‘: 1885- The is BI’! Was. 0W8V€1‘.“important than the actual num- d ', ‘J 1 , A t, 5 t — — — - " _ 11 -" taking more lobsters than the e I) uy ugus ep ember cargoes of fish were also an

most given up; and our articléi‘. of export now consist of wheat“ barley, oats, salt pork, bnttg;-' furs, seal oil, and oysters, ti Nova Scotia, with live cattle and‘ some timber to Newfoundland’

and October when they are soft shelled’, slack ’meated and diffi- culliti I\(’I3§I1l1:pVl7al’llle‘I‘:. fishing is per- egg, milk, and salt. Combine 1 cup diced potatoes I mitted throughout the year about flour and crumbs. Dip sea food 1/; teaspoon thyme $6 cpegcent of their lobsters are FRIED SEAF(“)oDS in egg mixture and roll in flour- 1 teaspoon salt

an e in these four months. , and-crumb mixture." Dash cayenne pepper

The best solution to the pro-I pounds fillets, steaks, pan dres- blems associated with our sys- sed fish, scallops, or shrimp

Pan-fried: Place seafood in a 2 cups tomato juice tem of closed seasons can be or 1 quart clams or oysters

nually shipped for the European market, for which British manu- facturers, salt and wine were

3

grounds could produceon a con-. tinuing basis. From 1885 the catch fell steadily to about 26 mil- lion pounds in 1918.

Since 1918 the fishery and the lobster stock have been in a Itate of balance, the average catch of about 36 million pounds

. reprensenting the crop of lobsters . that the grounds can produce un-

MINIMUM LATH SPACES

Numerous experiments were conducted from 1943 to 1946 with the help of commercial fisher- men to test the effect of latch spacing on the catch of lobsters. These experiments showed that the proper spaces would permit the escape of a high proportion

fish. Combine all ingredients ex—lb1-ought in return,

. cept lettuce and tomato wedges, C01) AND HERRING,‘ - being careful not to. break the “Besides the cod fishery, the seafood into too small pieces:

herring fishery was begun and Serve on lettuce and garnish

_ promised well, and our mer- Wlllh tomato wedges. Serves 6 chahts had found means to ob-

tain a considerable share in the

and occasionally a few carggu" of squared timber to Great Bi-1'.‘

tain. . SHIP BUILDING

heavy frying pan which con- Drain clams and save liquor. talus about 1,4: inch of fal hot.Chop. Cut fish into 1/2-inch cub-

der present regulations as they" are now observed.

;It is unlikly that the catch will- over again approach 100 million

1 pounds. It is, however, probable

that with the best fishery regula- tions, properly observed we can make better use of this valuable ‘resource than we are now doing.’ THE FISHERY REGULATIONS

‘Of the various lobster fishery regulations only the following tour which appear to be the most important will be considered: (1)

minimum size limits, (2) protec-‘

tion of berried lobsters, (3) min- imum lath spaces, and (4) clos- ed seasons. ‘

(1). Minimum size limits which prohibit the sale of lobsters un- der a certain size have a two- fold purposezto allow as many

3 as possible of the lobsters to ma- ’ ture and spawn before they are

caught and to permit the young,

.of the “shorts”

without reducing the catch of lobsters. If the shorts escaped on the bottom they were less likely to be damaged in handling, eaten by predators or sold illegally. They were there- fore much more likely to live and grow to the more valuable sizes. ; Following these experiments lath space regulations were in- troduced. in 1949. These regula- tions proved unpopular in cer- tain -areas.

The large number of traps in- volved and the ease with which the lath spacing could be adjus- ted at sea made enforcement in' some areas extremely difficult. The regulations were rescinded in the spring of 1955.

CLO_SED SEASONS . Undoubtedly c‘:_sed seasons were introduced originally as 1

reached only after careful, thor-,‘ ough consideration of all the fac-‘ tors involved——biological, econo- mic and sociological.

Proves Haven For ,AmericcI-ns 1'

.“During the heavy gale of Mon- day, September 18, 1848, and throughout the whole of that day, a crowd of American fishing ves- sels, struggling under very low canvas, continued without in- termission to run into the port of Georgetown.

The distant view of the har- bour next morning presented in regular forest of masts, and ap- oaren-tly a superior class of sch-ooners, owned by enter-prising individuals of that nation. We’ un-

but not smoking. Fry at "‘.Od-IE5. Fry bacon until lightly brow-' PLANKED FISH crate heat. When seafood‘ isned. Add onion, green pepper, 3 or 4 pounds dressed fish brown on one side, turn care-land celery; cook until tender. 11/2 teaspoons salt _

fully and brown the other side. Add liquor, potatoes, seasonings Dash pepper

Cooking time approximately 5 to and seafood. Cook for 15 min-

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

1 ‘teaspoon salt

1/2 cup flour

1/2 dry bread crumbs

Note: A commercial breadiiig ' may be used. ,Follow the direc- -tions on the package.

MANHATTAN CHOWDER 1 pint clams or 1 pound fillets

:up chopped celery. tablespoons chopped sweet pic- kle

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped teaspoon salt -

realize some competent return for his labour, and at times this season, by common report, mak- ing a fair catch within the head-

lands of this harbour, while we 12

when wanted.”

1/12 cup chopped green pepper Taken from the Royal Gazette,

Tomato wedges 1~cup chopped celery

gDrain cannedpfish or remove

derstand there was again a large

Sept 27, 1848. 1 cup clam liquor or water

1/4 cup butter or other fat, mel-

Cut fish into serving—size por- 10 minutes, depending on thick- utes or until potatoes are tend- ted tions. Drain shell-fish. Combine ness of seafood. Drain on ab- er. Add tomato juice; heat. Ser- Seasoned mashed potatoes. ,j ' sogbenitrpepbgr. gerves 6. .vesi 6. ' Seasoned cooked vegetables, fleet of fishing Vessels got into e_ep-ia rie 2 Fry in a bas- ‘ (Peas, carrots, cauliflower, to- Gcorgetown onb Friday, the 22nd ket 1“ deep fat: 350 degrees F» SEAFOOD bALAD matoes 01' 01110115) inst for 2_ to 5 minutes. depending 2 cups flaked or canned fish. If hardwood plank is used, oil on is good to See me hardwoii thickness of seafood. Drain crab meat_, lobster meat, or well and 'pla.ce‘in a cold oven mariner, even of a distant land’ on absorbent paper. Serves 6. shrimp to heat while oven preheats.

Clean, wash, and dry fish. Sprin- kle inside and out with salt and pepper. Brush with butter. Place fish on plank or well-greased H oven glass platter. Bake in a hot oven, 400 degrees F., for 35 to

are looking on and evidently un- or Steaks bash _ . . . V

.‘ ‘ V r V pepper . 4:; minutes or until fish flakes 3.1119 to (10 a1‘k°,_at the same 1/4 CUP Chopped bacon or salt 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dres— easily when tested with a fork. time we are without mackerel pork Sing Remove from oven, quickly ar_ and fish of other descriptions, 1/2 cup chopped onion Lettuce I

range border of hot mashed po- tatoes around fish. Place in a broiler until potatoes are sligh-

.produce of the great salmon

ves 6.

BAKED. FILLETS 9

tion fish

1 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1 teaspoon paprika I 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated onion

ted.

Cut fillets into serving- portions. Place in a single lay er, skin side down, in a well greased baking pan. Combine re

er fish. Bake in a moderate ov

ily when tested with a fork. Ser

Remove; arrange two‘ or more hot vegetables around fish. Ser-

pounds fillets, steaks or por-x ‘ timber in several districts, and

1/4 cup butter or other fat, mel-

size

maining ingredients and pour ov-

en, 350 degrees F., for 20 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes eas-

“A few people are also engagi ed in building ships which an“ generally sold in Newfouiidlana. This is a business which win probably be carried on to a gear extent, should Newfoundland fish. eries revive on the ‘restoration of peace, as the great plenty of

the reasonable rate at which the necessaries of life are obtained, will enable us to build at a-much cheaper rate, than they can’ do in Newfoundland, where the timber is now generally at such a distance from the harbours as to make it very expensive.‘ “Since 1792 the importation of any kind of pI‘0ViSIOI1S~IlalI0- tally ceased, and the export of these articles has graduellyh creased.” , ‘From “An Account of Prince Edward Island” etc. by Jolu

any shell or cartilage from shelI- veg a_

fast-growing lobsters to reach the sizes at which they will yield the

most’ valuable crop.

MARKET LOBSTER

In the Market lobster areas, . the present size limit is 3 3-16 -‘ inches carapace lengtli= which ‘ corresponds to 91/4 inches total’ length. In the principal market lobster areas (southern No’ a‘ Scotia and the Bay of Funday) few lobsters less than 11 inches are mature and even at a length of 15 inches probably only half the lobsters are mature. The catch is therefore made up prin- cipally of immature lobsters. . In the canning areas the size limit is now 21/2 inches carapace length (7.3 inches total length) except in Quebec where it was raised this year to 2 3-4 inches. x-In most of the canning area a few lobsters mature when they are as small, as 7 inches but only about half are mature at a length of 9 inches. 1 Although the present size lim- its improve the chances for a lobster to reach maturity, it is obvious that most of the lobsters gre caught before they have spawned for the first time. . I The relationships between num- ‘, bers of mature lobsters, the size; — of the hatch and the subsequent commercial production, are not clearly understood.

It INCREASE INADVISABLE

I It would therefore be unwise -' with present knowledge to in-j crease size limits further solely: [or the purpose of producing more mature lobsters. , To determine the growth rate If lobsters under natural condi- ~|ions over 27,000 six-to ten-inch ‘lobsters were marked and dis- Iributed over the fishing grounds at six widely separated ports. Over 2,400 of these were recov- ered up to a year later. These experiments showed that 2‘) in nature lobsters of this size V grow about 15 percent in length each year and about 50 percent-

In weight. The natural mortality Lobster

rate is more difficult to estimate. 1‘

The best evidence available I ,. O ‘ Chicken Huddle, Mackerel

tly browned, about 5 minutes. Stewart, Esq., 1806.

D50 R co. LTD.

Established in 1876

Office g 38 QUEEN ST. CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E. I. ~

I

nus I. w. WI

P. 0. BOX 1104 Charlottetown

Telephone DIAL 3233

Nos. 1, 2 and 4 Warehouse Water Street

WHOLESALERS AND MERCHANT

Stock and Sell our

No. 3 Warehouse . lbw Corner Edward and Kent Sts.

PACKERS : AND FISHERMEN ,

STOCK AND USE OUR

51

Special 1‘

/ .

Message

MB 11 ' " e- 4 eaver Brand Canned Geods TGTHE

Rope . . Twine . . Nets . . Cans.

Parchment Linings,

F9 9 1 1

I h g I E cl E E y based on extensive measure- 5 n r . merits and taggings indicates that ». when lobsters have reached these sizes only about 10 percent die. each year from natural causes.

PROFITABLE PROCEDURE

. Tlicre is therefore good rea- son to believe that leaving small lobsters to the grounds to grow larger would increase the an- nual production. Thereis the ad- ded advantage that the larger market lobsters are usually worth considerably more per pound than the smaller canners.

’ Returning small lobsters to the

Marlin . Trap Hoops . . Lobster Plugs . .

Mackerel Fillets,

I Retoris . . ' our best wishes to Maritime Bpders '

Fish Flakes‘ united fishermen for sues Retort and Boiler Gauges

cessful operations in '58. and Thermometers

We are proud to have been

Kippered Snacks . . . Herring,

able to serve you in the post Knives . . Cleavers . . Lobster Picks ,

‘grounds would however increase 9' _ ‘ figu§§f“;;1:)r{§f§y°1;af;frease the ~ Clms «» - » Qudhciugs, and look forward to doing A mns GI I.i(I11llI:i'bgihasiihugfnididigfofiepfie I it In The f|.IT'ur§. p . . . 9 0 ° '

determined on a trial and error basis and assessed on the actual production from the area.

ENFORCEMENT NECESSARY Reasonably complete enforce- ment is essential during the trial period in order to deter-. _ mine actual commercial pro- ; duction. 1;; Because of natural fluctuations ‘ lr‘I»abundance a minimum of five years‘ production is required for

Oysters

Rubber Boots . . Fisherman's Clothing, Etc.

Q1

9515?:

“WE HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED T0 ENJOY THE GONFIDENBE or THE min; smog 1375

...-,