1144 AWAKD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



of the north shore of Cape Breton. At that time there were at least fifty 

 American fishing vessels fishing at the same place, and within three 

 miles of the shore, but we could only seize one. The others left for home 

 almost immediately, saying it was useless to prosecute the fishing unless 

 they could do so within three miles of the shore. 



13. During the first two years we were cruising we were constantly 

 finding them fishing within three miles of the shore. They could not 

 raise the fish outside and were obliged to come in. We kept constantly 

 warning them, but they as constantly and persistently kept fishing in- 

 side the limits and close to the shore. The last year (1871) when cruis- 

 ing between Shediac and Gaspe, we did not see many of them violate 

 the law by coming within the limits, but when I ran over to Prince Ed- 

 ward Island I saw great numbers of them fishing within three miles of 

 the shore, as many as thirty at one time. At that time they were allowed 

 by the island government to fish there, as I understood, but I had no 

 authority to interfere with them. 



14. 'I he experience gained by me during these years when I was en- 

 gaged in these cruisers, and niy own previous knowledge, gained from 

 years of practical experience in the business, convinces me, beyond a 

 doubt, and 1 have no hesitation in stating it under oath as my firm, de- 

 liberate, conviction, that if the American fishermen were prohibited or 

 could be strictly prevented from fishing within three miles of the shore, 

 they would entirely abandon the British-American waters altogether, so 

 far as mackerel are concerned. 



15. The inshore fisheiies are of so much more greater value than the 

 outshore or deep sea fisheries, that the latter would be utterly useless 

 by themselves and without participation in the inshore fishery. 



16. The Americans do use the purse-seines for catching mackerel on 

 our coasts, and their use has the effect of driving the fish into deep water 

 and away from the ordinary fishing grounds. I am not aware that they 

 have been used extensively ; my opinion is that they have not been. 



17. I am aware that the American fishermen buy large quantities of 

 bait all along the coasts of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. I cannot say 

 whether they catch it to any extent themselves. Without this bait they 

 could not carry on the cod-fishery at all. When I speak of not being 

 able to say whether they catch bait, I wish to confine that to the her- 

 rings. I am aware that they fish for and catch squid in Canseau, Guys- 

 boro, and along the eastern coast of Cape Breton in considerable quan- 

 tities. 1 have seen them catching these squid every time I have been 

 along the coast in the squid season. These squid are among the very 

 best bait for codfish, far better than herring. They are taken close into 

 the shore, sometimes up against the rocks. TheyVould prefer buying 

 the squid to catching them if they could buy them, but they cannot, be- 

 cause the people do not catch them to any extent. Squid are taken 

 with a jig ; they are not taken in nets. 



18. Since the Washington Treaty, the Americn cod-fishers have been 

 able to get their supplies for the cod-fishery, besides their bait ud ice, 

 along our coasts, and the consequence is there has been a marked in- 

 crease, I would say fifty percent., of these American cod fishers. Being 

 able to obtain bait and ice so near and so easily, the> have their trawls 

 extending from Cape Sable to Cape North, in Cape Breton, and a con- 

 sequence is, in my opinion, that the best fish are prevented coming in- 

 shore, and are lost to our shore fishermen. Without being able to get 

 the bait, they could not do this. 



19. The herring fishery is entirely an inshore fishery. None are taken 

 outside. It extends round the entire coasts of Nova Scotia, New Bruus- 



