AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Sworn before me at St. John's, Newfoundland, this 4th May, 1877. 



J. O. ERASER, 

 Commissioner of Affidavits. 



No. 74. 



PATRICK LEARY, aged 72 years, planter and fisherman, residing at 

 Renews, Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith : 



I have become acquainted with the fisheries of Newfoundland by fol- 

 lowing the same since I was fourteen years of age, and have had charge 

 of a public bait-skiff, of a schooner to the Banks, and for many years 

 was master of a western boat, and in every town am well acquainted 

 with all the fisheries of this country except whaling. 



I have observed several United States fishing-vessels in this neigh- 

 borhood. Last year eight or ten of these vessels were here for bait, 

 which some of them got, and others went on to Cape Broyle and Bay 

 Bulls for bait. The vessels referred to as being in this harbor came 

 here for bait and to purchase ice. The ice purchased by them they pay 

 $3 per ton for. For squids they pay about ten shillings per barrel for 

 what they purchase in this harbor. Each United States vessel takes 

 forty barrels caplin per trip, and when squids are in season take forty 

 barrels squids per trip. I hauled bait for one of their schooners; this 

 was caplin that I supplied to Capt. James Dunphy. I supplied him 

 with bait in 1876 and 1875. I gave him forty barrels caplin each year. 

 He found the crew and I found the seine and gear. He paid me $tffc 

 each year for my services. The Newfoundland fishery is an inshore- 

 fishery. The bait-fishery caplin, herrings, and squid is an inshore- 

 fishery, this bait being caught almost wholly in the harbors and coves 

 of our bays. I never heard of a Newfoundland vessel engaging in the 

 prosecution of any fishery on any of the coasts of the United States of 

 America. 



The supply of bait to United States fishermen has decreased the sup- 

 ply to our local fishermen. This is particularly true as regards squids, 

 which were driven from our shores last fall, or else were all caught in 

 supplying Americans. 



I have no doubt whatever but that the presence of the large number 

 of United States vessels fishing on the Banks off our coasts well sup- 

 plied with fresh bait, acts ruinously upon our local fishery and reduces the 

 catch of our fishermen. 1 think their operations last year was the 

 cause, chiefly, of the short catch along the southwest coast by our fish- 

 ermen. It is a common practice for certain of these United States ves- 

 sels to supply themselves with large quantities of bait for the pur- 

 pose of selling the same to vessels of their country on the Banks at 

 large prices, thus serving as bait-skiffs and saving time. This supply 

 of fresh bait to United States vessels prevents codfish from working in 

 upon our shores as they would otherwise do. Each United States fish- 

 ing-vessel has five or six doreys, and each dorey has over one thousand 

 hooks, all used as bultows along the Banks, thus forming a fence, and, as 

 I believe, a double fence along the whole part of our shores. The 

 results must be ruinous to our fishery. The facilities afforded them of 

 procuring fresh bait in our harbors and bays, arms them doubly against 

 our fishing interest, by destroying, or at all events rendering scarce, 

 a prime necessity to the prosecution of the fishery by our fishermen, 

 and by keeping codfish from striking our shores. The average catch of 

 fishermen in this neighborhood in 1875 and 1876 was about fifteen quin- 



