Page 21 - Searching for the Highlands National Park, 1934

ISSUE : Issue 43

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1986/8/1

There can be no doubt that there have been caribou in the northern part of the Island within quite comparatively recent times, in fact Mr. Bailey, mining Engineer of the Gypsum Company at Dingwall, told me that he had actually seen one a year ago. I understand that negotiations have been carried on between the Government of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland with a view to ex? changing whitetail deer from Nova Scotia for cariboo from Newfoundland and have no doubt that cariboo stock could be obtained in this way and also from Labrador. Restocking the country with moose should be a comparatively simple matter, since moose are still plentiful in Nova Scotia. Cheticamp River, of which it is proposed to include the whole watershed area within the Park, is a good salmon stream near its mouth. I was told that there are falls a- bout six miles up the river but that sal? mon manage to get past them and are caught ten miles above the falls. As the Cheti? camp is a considerable stream, it is rea? sonable to suppose that it could be im? proved by the construction of fish ladders and in other ways, so as to become a real? ly first-class salmon river. In this con? nection, salmon fishing, both in the Cheti? camp and the more famous Margaree, has been seriously affected during recent years by the issue of too many permits for netting salmon at the mouths of rivers. Both the Cheticamp and many of the smaller streams within the site afford splendid trout fishing. Since sea-fishing of many kinds is the principal occupation of the inhabitants, it follows that there are men, boats and gear available for all who enjoy it. Sword-fishing is carried on during Septem? ber both from Pleasant Bay on the west coast and--more successfully--from Aspy Bay on the east. Sword-fish are caught up to 600 pounds in weight, and are speared from a "pulpit" on the bowsprit end of small motor boats. Boundaries and Area of Site Recommended for ConsideratTon ... The greatest difficulty to be overcome in the establishment of a National Park of Canada in an'j of the older provinces is the fact that it must always involve the redemption by the provincial government of lands alienated from the Crown by Grant or Lease, which occur within the finally se? lected site. Although the responsibility and cost of re? deeming such lands rest on the provincial government, any examination of a Parks site made by an official of the Department must include careful consideration of the practicality of redeeming all the land re? quired within the area suggested. In the case of the Cape Breton site, there are a number of comparatively large settle? ments throughout it, and the problem is complicated by the further fact that shore fishermen have settled, singly or in small groups, at every point on this exposed coast where there is a beach on which they can draw their boats up, as well as at Dingwall and South Ingonish Harbours. Nei? ther of the above are good harbours; it is impossible to get either in or out of Ding? wall Harbour during any kind of rough weather. It is difficult to understand why shore fishermen have settled in some of the places where they are found.... Many of the isolated fishing stations are in small coves or beaches below cliffs from 200 to 400 feet high. It is impossi? ble to use schooners or anything larger than an open fishing boat, about 27 feet long, which can be pulled high up on the beach. There is no railway for the trans? portation of fish. During winter, the shores are beset with ice and active fish? ing only commences in May and is practical? ly over by the middle of October. During the winter months, there is no means of travel except by dog sleds and snowshoes. From numerous inquiries made, I gathered that the people settle down for six months of the year to getting enough wood to keep their small houses warm, looking after a few head of stock which most of them have, and doing such odd jobs as making or mend? ing fishing gear, making ax-handles, etc. St. Pfeters Drug Store Ltd. Don Stone, Ph. C., Proprietor Open 6 Days a Week Mon. to Fri. open until 8 p.m. Sat. lintil 5 p.m. 535-2203 St Peters, MS. FRESH SEAFOOD ITH 'LOBSTER WHARF 494 Esplanade, on Sydney Harbour 539-8005 EAT ON OUR OPEN PATIO WHARF, OR TAKE IT HOME * GIFTS SHIPPED ANYWHERE HADDOCK * HALIBUT * SALMON * SCALLOPS * LOBSTER BURGERS & CHOWDER * MACKEREL * SMELTS * CLAMS -NOW AVAILABLE- Warren Gordon's Calendar Cape Breton Island 1987 $6.95 in stores, or from GORDON PHOTOGRAPHIC LTD., 367 Charlotte St.. Sydney. N. S. BIP lEl A Neighbourhood Store in a Beautiful Vill Neirs Harbour age CO-OP' (21)

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