ten codfish, per person, per trip. Tuna is also restricted. During the month of August, tuna fish— ing is open to specially licensed commercial fishermen. Some fishers charter their boats while others commercially fish the tuna. The department of Fisheries permits a daily catch of two

fish, per boat, per day.

Oyster fishing continues to be a very important part of the fishery. Leased areas are monitored for disease—free beds and for the spreading of oyster spat. Each year, the fishermen clean and cultivate the beds to improve the quality as well as to give the oysters more room to grow. In the spring of the year, some fishermen are permitted to use their licenses to rake oysters from contaminated areas. These oysters are sold to buyers and re—deposited on licensed oyster grounds. In the autumn, New London Bay is open to all license holders for public fishing. The fishermen in this area sell their oysters to Carr’s Lobster Pound, whose workers box these

oysters for shipment all over North America.

George Carr holding trophy awarded for his quality oysters.

Mussel fishing is another important part of the fishery. Spat is collected and put into small stockings with a small mesh in the month of August. In the spring they are put into larger stockings. They are left to grow and harvested in the autumn, then packaged for shipment all

over North America. The tourist population has also accepted this fishery a very popular dish - next to the lobster, of course. Proof of this is evident in the mounds of shells which the restau—

rant owners dispose of each day.

In the nineteen forties, many fishermen, farmers and locals gathered Irish Moss. After a storm, the moss would drift close to the shoreline and workers would gather it with forks and rakes by wading into the water. Some also used horses or small dories to haul the moss ashore. The wet loads were taken home, spread out, picked over and dried on the ground or on flakes. People travelled many miles to harvest the moss and one of the first buyers was Beecher Court from North Rustico. This business is not as lucrative for people in the area, although an income is still derived from this business along the North shore. The decline may be attributed to the market system. Today the raw product is baled and sent to European countries for processing. The processed products are now available for use in the drug and food industry. The main by— product is a substitute for gelatine in such items as toothpaste, gelatine products or ice cream.

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