1152 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



sixteen hands. We caught six hundred and eighty barrels of mackerel 

 that summer on board of her. These mackerel were mostly caught 

 along the island shore and up towards Port Hood. Of these we 

 caught one hundred and seventy barrels in Rustico Cove, about a 

 quarter to a half a mile from shore. More than three quarters of the 

 whole catch were caught within three miles of the shore. 



9. That the American vessels in which I sailed would average about 

 four hundred barrels of mackerel the season. 



10. That the American fishermen hurt our fishing, as they throw so 

 much b;iit that they sink the fish. They also clean their fish and throw 

 the oft'al overboard, and that does harm to the fishing. This offal sick- 

 ens and kills the fish. The Americans interfere with the boat-fishing 

 by lee bowing them, and draw off the fish. They come up ahead of the 

 boats and throw bait and drift off, taking the fish with them. They 

 break up the schools of mackerel where the boats are. The fishermen 

 look upon the coming of the Americans as the end of the good fishing 

 for the season. The boats do better before the Americans come than 

 afterwards. 



11. That the right to transship and refit on our shores is a very great 

 advantage to the Americans. By having this right, they are able to save 

 the time which it would take them to go home. This would be a save 

 of at least a fortnight each trip, which would amount to a full trip saved 

 for the season. They can also send away their mackerel in time to 

 catch the market, which is a very changeable one. That in itself is a 

 great advantage. 



12. That 1 have often been herring-fishing at the Magdalen Islands, 

 at Labrador, and on the Newfoundland coast. I was at the Magdalen 

 Islands this summer two years, and there were a number of Americans 

 fishing down there. The herring there are caught right in the harbor. 

 The Americans catch large loads of herring at the Magdalen Islands, 

 some of which I believe they send down to the West Indies. The her- 

 ring there are caught altogether by seines. The American herring fish- 

 ing there is a big trade. 



13. The greater part of the codfish and hake are caught about two 

 miles off the shore from this island. Three quarters of the cod and hake 

 are caught within three miles of the shore. The fishing within that dis- 

 tance is much better than farther off. 



14. The fish, I believe in the spring, come down through the Gut of 

 Caiiso, and then go to the Magdalen Islands, and from there they strike 

 down towards the North Cape of this island. The American and any 

 skilled fishermen know of this habit of the ti*h and kuo\v where to get 

 them. The fishermen know just where to get the fish, and they make 

 down from the States in the spring to the places to get them. 



15. The .year the cutters were about the Americans were afraid of 

 them, but still they used to dodge in and fish. I believe that six or 

 eight small cutters well fitted out would keep the American fishing 

 schooners clear of the coast. 



his 



JAMES + NOWLAN. 

 mark. 



Sworn to at French River, New London, Queen's County, Prince 

 Edward Island, this 12th day of July, A. D. 1877, before me, having 

 been first read over and explained, the said James Nowlan signing by 

 bis mark. Before me. 



JOHN SHARPE, 

 Justice of the Peace. 



