AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1193 



they may prosecute the cod fishery uninterruptedly. The supply of 

 bait by each United States vessel per trip is about as follows : 40 bar- 

 rels caplin during the caplin school ; and as I was told by one of the 

 captains, 50 barrels squids. United States vessels make two and three 

 trips for bait. 



United States fishermen do not fish on these shores, but I learn that 

 they do fish within three miles of the shores about Cape St. Marys. 



The Newfoundland cod fishery is an inshore fishery; and the bait 

 fishery caplin, herrings, and squid is an inshore fishery, generally 

 taken in the harbors close to shore. 



I never heard of a Newfoundland vessel prosecuting any fishery on 

 any coasts of the United States of America. United States fishermen 

 have sold small codfish and cod-oil in this neighborhood. I purchased 

 ten quintals from them myself, and 4 barrels of cod-roes this was last 

 season. The price given by me wa$ 10s per cwt., green, for fish, and 

 10s. per barrel for cod-roes. 



I verily believe the supply of bait to United States fishermen de- 

 creases the supply to our local fishermen particularly in squids. My 

 chief reason for thinking so is that last year when one of their vessels 

 anchored in this harbor and jigged and purchased fifty barrels squids 

 we could not afterward catch half bait for our own wants. I never 

 knew so sudden a change before from abundance to next to none. 

 The price paid for squids, purchased by these Americans, to our people, 

 was about six shillings per barrel. Quite a number of our own people 

 gave up the cod fishery during the presence of United States vessels in 

 order to catch squids to sell to United States vessels, by which they 

 lost more than twice what they gained, and ultimately lost a great deal 

 more inasmuch as the fifty barrels of squids taken by the one vessel 

 was a permanent loss to our people, which could not afterward be re- 

 covered, and without bait there can be no fish. 



It is my belief that the short fishery the past season along these south 

 and west shores was owing, in a great measure, to the fishing operations 

 of United States fishing vessels in our harbor for bait and fishing on 

 the Banks off our shores. 



The average catch of codfish previous to 1874 would not be under 

 fifty quintals ; since 1874 it has not exceeded from fifteen to twenty. 

 There are ice houses in this neighborhood and I learn a large ice house 

 has been built at Cape Broyle to preserve ice for sale to United States 

 fishermen this year this ice they use to preserve bait fresh, which they 

 use on the Banks to attract the fish. They do so successfully and keep 

 codfish from striking our shores as thev formerly did. 



PETER WINSER. 



Sworn before me at Aquafortr, N. F., this tenth day April, A. D. 

 1877. 



J. O. FRASER. 

 Commissioner of Affidavits. 



RICHARD CASHIN, aged 62 years, planter, residing at Cape Broyle, 

 Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith : 



I have been connected with the fisheries of Newfoundland as supplier 

 and fisherman for fifty years, during nearly the whole of which time I 

 have followed the fishery myself as a catcher of codfish, and understand 

 it well in all its branches. 'l have observed a number of United States 

 fishing-vessels in this neighborhood. Last summer, for three months 

 after first of July, there was hardly a day passed that 1 did not see from 



