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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, 10 August 1907, Page 4

A recent cablegram stated that unless the modus vivendi with regard to the Newfoundland fisheries is renewed, American herring fishers theraten to bring full American crews to tho Newfoundland fishing grounds, throwing i ■ 800 colonists out of employment. In j reality, what the Americans are j battling for in connection with the i Newfoundland herring fisheries is not so much fishing as trading rights. They have never conducted the herring in dustry on the basis of catching tho fish themselves. On the contrary, their main idea has been to avoid doing so. The herrings were taken with nets in the shallow reaches and inlets of the bays, and hundreds of coast folk j engaged in netting them when each t , season opened ; the vessels which visit- j ed the region then bought from them j the contents of the nets from day to day, and loaded their vessels thereby, j To fish successfully otherwise meant bringing large crews and expensive gear, feeding and paying these crews when herrings are scarce, and lessening • the cargo space on each craft by the room required for them. When forced into netting for themselves the Americans came with small crews, and employed Newfoundlanders outside the three-mile limit. . -i i ' *