1142 AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



this spring. They take herring for bait and for sale in their own and 

 foreign markets. 



16. On an average the Canadian mackerel are larger than the Ameri- 

 can. 



17. The principal breeding and feeding grounds of mackerel are at 

 Magdalen Islands, P. B. Island, Bay Chaleur, and Gaspe Bay. Mack- 

 erel feed on lance, herring, shrimps, and other marine animals floating 

 in or about the surface of the water inshore. 



18. I consider it a great advantage to American fishermen frequent- 

 ing Canadian waters to be allowed to laud, dry their nets, and cure their 

 fish. 



19. The privilege granted to the American fishermen by the Treaty 

 of Washington, to be allowed to transship their cargoes, is of the great- 

 est advantage to them, in this respect, that it enables them to keep on 

 the fishing grounds, and to double and triple their fares. 



20. The American fishermen could not carry on the fishery of cod and 

 halibut if they were not allowed to catch bait inshore or to buy it from 

 the inhabitants. If they buy it instead of catching it, it is because they 

 save time and find it more profitable. 



21. I consider it a great advantage to Americans to be allowed to re- 

 sort to Canadian inshores for ice. Not later than last week an Ameri- 

 can schooner fishing halibut here, lost her fare by not having ice. 



22. The privilege of fishing in American waters is of no advantage to 

 us. I never knew of any vessel from here ever resorting there to fish. 



23. Fishing by Americans in Canadian waters injures their fisheries. 

 Let us suppose for an instant that Gaspe Bay was full of mackerel and 

 50 sail of vessels come in and fish one day, and you could not find a fish 

 there next day ; that is my experience. 



E. MARSHALL. 



Sworn to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief, at Auti- 

 costi, county of Saguenay, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, 

 this 23d day of July, 1877, before me. 



N. LAVOIE, 

 Justice of the Peace, Province of Quebec. 



No. 37. 

 DOMINION OF CANADA, 



Province of Nova Scotia : 



In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, JAMES A. NICKERSON, of Margaret's Bay, in county of Halifax, 

 Province of Nova Scotia, master mariner, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I have been engaged nearly all my life, either directly or indirectly, 

 in the fishing business. For about eight years I was engaged in the 

 mackerel fisheries and commanded the vessel. Two of the years were 

 immediately before the Reciprocity Treaty and the other six were dur- 

 ing its continuance. 



2. My vessel, the Argo, was about sixty tons burthen, and my aver- 

 age catch per season was eight hundred barrels. 



3. I fished along the northern and eastern coast of Nova Scotia and 

 Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, and followed up to Bay of 

 Gaspe' and the Bay de Chaleur. 



4. My best catches were taken off the north coast of Cape Breton, 

 from Shittegau to Hauley Island, Port Hood, and I never caught any of 



