1104 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



being sent in quick. I have found, by actual experience, that the longer 

 mackerel are kept on board of the vessels the worse they get, and a 

 week or ten days less on board makes a big difference. When left on 

 board long the mackerel get knocked about and get to look bad : they 

 also get warm and the pickle often sours on them. 



12. The herring fishery around this island is very valuable, as to it 

 the island tisherrneu owe their supply of bait, and they also use the 

 herring for home consumption. 



13. At the Magdalen I have seen the Americans seining herring and 

 loading large vessels with them. They seine the herring close in to the 

 shore, and get large quantities of them. In the spring of 1876, when I 

 was down herring-fishing at the Magdalen Islands, there were over two 

 hundred sail of American vessels fishing for herring, and they were all 

 fishing right inshore. The Americans not only take the herring home 

 from the Magdalen Islands, but also ship them away to the West Indies 

 and to other markets. That herring fishery is a very valuable one. 



14. The mackerel generally strike the Magdalen Islands first and then 

 come down here. Experienced fishermen know how the mackerel come, 

 and take advantage of that knowledge. The Americans know all about 

 the habits of the mackerel and follow them. As soon as the mackerel 

 get scarce at the Magdalen Islands the Americans come right down to 

 this island after them. 



MEDDIE GALLANT. 



Sworn to at Big Mimnigash, in Prince County, in Prince Edward 

 Island, this 30th day of June, A. D. 1877, before me. 



JOSEPH MACGILVRAY, 



J. P. for Prince County r , Prince Edward Island. 

 No. 9. 



I, JAMES SKERRY, of Cascumpec, in Prince County, Prince Edward 

 Island, fisherman, make oath and say : 



1. That I have been in the fishing business, one way or another, for 

 over ten years, most of the time in boats and three years in American 

 schooners. 



2. That the number of boats along this shore has increased in the past 

 few years, and the boats are a great deal better. The boats, taking one 

 with another, average about four hands each. 



3. That I sailed in the fishing schooner Lady Franklin, of the State 

 of Massachusetts, on a fishing trip in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, about 

 eight years ago, and two years later in the American schooner Game- 

 cook of Boston. 



4. That we came into the bay in the Lady Franklin about the twentieth 

 of July, and fished until sometime in November. She was about sixty- 

 four tons burden, and carried sixteen hands. We caught about two 

 hundred and seventy-five barrels of mackerel in her; that wa,s a poor 

 season. 



5. That I went into the bay in the Gamecock about the 1st of August, 

 and stopped in the bay till sometime in November. She was about 90 

 tons burden, and carried 18 or 19 hands. We landed one load of fish in 

 Oharlottetown out of her and then^went into the bay again. The trip 

 we landed in Charlottetown we had about 400 barrels of mackerel. The 

 second trip we did very badly; only taking about 50 barrels. 



0. There is certainly a great advantage to be able to transship. 

 Another trip could very nearly be made while going home with a load 

 of fish and refitting. By being able to transship here that time is saved, 



