1162 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



fishery is principally on the Banks, as the inshore fishery has been 

 greatly injured by the practice of trawling followed by the American 

 fishermen. The mackerel are caught all around the shores of the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence. 



3. I consider the practice of seining, which is beginning to be employed 

 of late years by the Americans in the mackerel fishery, is very injurious. 

 By means of this they have ruined the mackerel fishery on their own. 

 coasts, and will doubtless injure ours very greatly in the same way. 

 The seines to which I refer are called " purse seines," because they draw 

 up at the bottom like a purse. They destroy a great many fish uselessly, 

 and tend to break up the schools of mackerel. 



4. I do not think that the Americans could profitably carry on the 

 cod fishery without procuring bait on our shores. They purchase a large 

 quantity of bait from our fishermen and merchants. They also procure 

 on our coasts a good deal of ice, which enables them to preserve their 

 bait much longer than they otherwise could. I refer to the cod fishery 

 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The vessels engaged in this take about 

 four hundred barrels per vessel each season, worth about $1,600. 



5. The inshore boat fishery of Canadians is injured by the Americans 

 coming in among them and baiting the mackerel and enticing them 

 away ; and I consider that it would be a valuable advantage to British 

 fishermen to carry on this inshore fishery without being subjected to 

 local competition by United States citizens. 



C. The privilege of lauding and transshipping cargoes is of great ad- 

 vantage to the Americans engaged in the mackerel fishery on our coasts, 

 as they are thereby enabled to make more trips and catch more fish than 

 they otherwise could. They save about a fortnight by this means on 

 each trip they make. 



7. I consider that the fact of American mackerel bringing a higher 

 price than Canadian is largely owing to the former being placed in the 

 market sooner after being caught than are the Canadian mackerel. On 

 this account they look better and fresher when sold, and consequently 

 bring a higher price. Our mackerel are worth about $12 per barrel. 



8. The privilege of fishing in American waters I consider of no advan- 

 tage to Canadians, and I never heard of Canadians availing themselves 

 of such privilege. To the best of my knowledge and belief these state- 

 ments I have made in this affidavit are correct. 



MICHAEL CEISPO. 



The said Michael Crispo was sworn to the truth of this affidavit at 

 Harbor Au Bouche, in the county of Antigouish, this 1st day of August, 

 A. D. 1877, before me. 



EDWARD CORBET, 



A Justice of the Peace. 



No. 48. 



ROBERT STEWART MUNN, age 47 years, merchant, and one of the 

 partners in the firm of John Munn & Co., doing business at Harbor 

 Grace, Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith: 



Deponent has been for upwards of twenty-five years engaged in the 

 trade and fisheries of Newfoundland, and is well acquainted therewith 

 in all their details. 



Deponent is aware that a large number of United States vessels 

 prosecuting the Bank fishery are supplied with fresh bait and ice in the 

 harbors along our coasts. 



