1096 AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



to transship their fish here. They would thus be able to fit out again 

 for fishing and go back to the grounds without losing much time ; where- 

 as, if they had to go home with their loads they would lose from three 

 to four weeks right in the middle of the fishing season. It would be also 

 a great advantage as enabling them to watch the fluctuations of the 

 mackerel market, which is very variable. 



12. The mackerel season here lasts from about the end of June till the 

 middle of October. The Americans get here about the end of June. 

 Some of them are off here now. 



13. The mackerel I believe come down from the direction of the 

 Magdalen Islands, or from the southward and eastward, and work north- 

 ward and westward till some time in August, and then work back, and 

 they strike this island both ways. The Americans follow the course of 

 the fish. 



S. F. AKSINEAUX. 



Sworn to at Tignish, in Prince County, Prince Edward Island, this 

 28th day of June, A. D. 1877, before me. 



JOSEPH MAcGILVARY, 

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



No. 5. 



I ALEXANDER FRANCIS LARKIN, of Nail Pond, in Prince County 

 Prince Edward Island, fish-trader and fisherman, make oath and say '. 



1. That I have been engaged in fishing and in the fishing business 

 practically for over twenty years, in both boats and vessels, and know 

 the fishing-grounds right round this island, particularly the north end 

 of this island. I have been on board of fishing schooners four years, in 

 one of which I owned an interest, and the last year I was master of her. 



2. The first two years that I was on board a schooner was in the 

 Pearl, with Captain Champian one year and with Captain Fidele Gal- 

 lant another year. Our catch of fish that year was small, as we were 

 not fitted out for the business, and were only out a small part of the 

 season. That was eighteen or nineteen years ago. 



3. That I fished in the schooner Eechabite for about two years, but 

 only for part of the season. I owned a third interest in her, and the 

 second year I was master of her. She was thirty-seven tons burden. 

 She was only out about five weeks that year, as we took freight both 

 spring and fall. We caught in that time about three hundred quintals 

 of codfish each year. All these fish were caught within three miles of 

 the shore. 



4. The American schooners often very seriously interfere with our cod- 

 fishing schooners, as they often carry away the nets our schooners have 

 out for catching bait. The greater part, I should say nine tenths, of our 

 island catch of codfish are caught within three miles of the shore. An- 

 other very serious trouble that the Americans cause our cod fishing with- 

 in three miles of the shore is, that when we put out our set-lines the 

 Americans, when springing their vessels up to anchor for the purpose of 

 fishing mackerel, often in getting in their gear interfere with our set- 

 lines, and this trouble is increasing, as we are going more in for set-lines 

 now. The set-lines are now taking the place of hand-lines, and the 

 island coast will noon be a perfect network of set-lines. I myself have 

 now about three thousand hooks out in set lines. 



5. That the Americans interfere very seriously with the cod fishing 

 and with our set-lines within three miles of the shore by their seining. 



