AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1185 



and forward ; over seventy sail of these vessels passed this neighbor- 

 hood the past seasons. Not being particularly connected with these 

 vessels, I took no note of their names. I know they came to purchase 

 ice and bait and jig-squids, when they could. I have seen them many 

 times taking squids in the coves close to shore, within one-eighth mile 

 of the shore. These vessels were supplied with ice and with bait when 

 to be had. Excepting squid bait, they purchase other bait from our 

 people, and in part, also, they purchase squid bait when they cannot 

 catch enough for themselves. 



Newfoundland fishermen generally catch codfish within two miles of 

 the shores, beyond which distances catches are exceptional. 



The caplin, herring, and squid used for bait are all inshore fisheries, 

 taken almost solely in the coves close to shore. I never heard of a 

 Newfoundland vessel engaged on a fishing voyage on any of the coasts 

 (inshore or within three miles) of the United States of America. 



American fishermen have sold fish and oil in this neighborhood. I 

 only know of their selling thirty-seven quintals at Is. per quintal, and 

 seventy gallons cod oil at half a dollar. I understand from their state- 

 ments the past season, that hereafter they intend to sell to our people 

 all the codfish they catch under twenty-two inches in length. 



I am of opinion that the supply of bait to United States fishermen 

 decreases the supply of bait to our local fishermen. I am of decided 

 opinion that the presence of the large number of United States fishing- 

 vessels, well supplied as they are with fresh bait, fishing on the Banks 

 off our coasts, interferes with and tends greatly to reduce the catch of 

 our local fishermen. 



Americans on the Banks are known to fish generally on the eastern 

 part of the Great Bank, from whence the fish works westerly towards 

 our shore. When we hear of fish plenty to the eastward of us, we 

 always reckon on a good spurt, as fish work westerly this side of the 

 island. Such has been the experience of our fishermen until United 

 States vessels began prosecuting the fishery on the Banks, the result 

 of which has been to keep the fish from coming in towards our shores. 

 We used formerly to get French hooks in the mouths of the fish occa- 

 sionally ; but now we frequently get American hooks instead and rarely 

 a French hook not one in ten we used to get. 



I am of decided opinion that the short catch the past summer along 

 our southwest coast has been caused principally by United States fish- 

 ermen on the outer Banks as aforesaid. The catch of codfish by fisher- 

 men inthis,neighborhood, previous to the last three years, would average 

 fifty quintals per man ; the average in 1876 will not reach thirty quin- 

 tals per man. The falling off' we can attribute to no other cause than 

 American operations in fishing on the Banks. 



The supply of squids sold at Saint Pierre by fishermen from this neigh- 

 borhood will be about five hundred thousand; the average price per 

 thousand will be twenty francs. This supply to the French does little 

 injury to the codfishing compared to the supply of bait to the Americans, 

 who use fresh bait, whereas the French salt bait. The French gener- 

 ally work more within a circle ; the United States vessels move about 

 following the fish. They have vessels acting as scouts from our shores 

 to the Banks, with information as to where ice and fresh bait can be had. 



EICHARD PAUL. 



. Sworn before me at Burin Bay, the fifteenth day of December, 1876. 



J. O. FKASER, 

 Commissioner of Affidavit*. 

 75 F 



