AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1187 



per man in boats going to Cape St. Mary's ; Great Burin being an excep- 

 tion would give twenty quintals a punt for man and boy. 



Previous to the last three years the average catch of codfish perVnan 

 in this neighborhood has been forty quintals. 



The supply of fresh bait to the French at St. Pierre by fishermen from 

 St. Laurence to the Flat Islands will exceed ten thousand pounds annu- 

 ally, the above section of coast including Burin Proper, St. Laurence, 

 Mortier Bay, Tites Cove, Rock Harbor, Bean Bois, and other harbors. 



FRA3CIS BERTEAN. 



Sworn before me, at Burin, this seventh day of December, 1876. 



J. O. FRASER, 

 Commissioner of Affidavits. 



No. 72. 



RICHARD MCGRATH, aged fifty years, subcollector H. M. customs, 

 residing at Oderin, Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith : 



I am acquainted with the Newfoundland fisheries by having prose- 

 cuted the same for fifteen years. 



I have seen United States vessels in this neighborhood. In 1874 four 

 or five of these vessels called in at the baok of Oderin Island, having pro- 

 cured ice at Burin, and twelve miles from here hauled caplin for bait. 

 They also purchased a few barrels ; but principally they hauled their 

 supply ; whether this was done exclusively by themselves, or with the 

 aid of local fishermen, I cannot say. 



Newfoundland fishermen generally catch codfish within two miles of 

 the shores. The caplin, herring, and squid fisheries for bait are inshore 

 fisheries, squid being exceptionally taken several miles from the shore. 

 I never heard of a Newfoundland vessel fishing on any of the coasts of 

 the United States of America. 



I am of opinion that the presence of the large number of United States 

 vessels fishing on the Banks oft' our coasts with fresh bait interferes with 

 and tends to reduce the catch of our local fishermen. The effect of bait- 

 ing the Banks with fresh bait I conceive can have no other result than 

 to attract codfish and prevent it passing in toward our shores, and am 

 of opinion that the supply of fresh bait to United States vessels by our 

 fishermen should be put a stop to as far as practicable. 



RICHARD McGRATH, 



Subcollector. 



Sworn before me at Oderin this ICth day of December, 1876. 



J. O. FRASER, 

 Commissioner of Affidavits* 



No. 73. 



HENRY PENNELL, aged 52 years, fisherman, residing at Trepany, 

 Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith : 



I am acquainted with the fisheries of Newfoundland by having prose- 

 cuted the same for twenty-five years. 



I have observed a number of United States fishing vessels in the 

 neighborhood of Trepassey, St. Mary's Bay, during the last two years ; 

 the number so seen by me would be about forty. These vessels came 

 to the harbor for fresh bait and ice. The chief fishermen of the place 

 decided, last year, that to supply American fishermen with fresh bait 

 would be injurious to the local fishery, and having met in a body, it was 



