AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1231 



No. 111. 



In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, WILLIAM NEARING, of Main-a-Dieu, in the county of Cape Breton, 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 



1. I have been upwards of forty years engaged in the inshore fisheries, 

 and have taken mackerel, herring, codfish, and halibut, all the kinds of 

 fish found around here. I fished in a whaleboat and schooner around 

 Cow Bay, Scaterie, Miri Bay, Main-a-Dieu, and Lorraines, and have also 

 gone out fishing from this port with two American fishing ochooners. 



2. During the number of years mentioned I have seen many American 

 vessels engaged in fishing in the places in which I fished, and during 

 the past five or six years, up to this date, 1 have seen them fishing iu 

 and off shore in this vicinity. I have seen over a hundred American 

 fishing schooners at one time inside and outside of Scaterie Island at 

 one time. All the codfish and halibut fishermen come round the south- 

 ern and eastern coasts of Cape Breton, and do not run through the Strait 

 of Canso. During the past five or six years I have seen, on an average, 

 upwards of one hundred American fishing-vessels each year around in 

 this vicinity. 



3. The Americans take about here mackerel, codfish, and halibut. 

 About eight years ago I was in an American halibut vessel, and in 

 twenty-four hours we took one hundred and sixty halibut north-north- 

 east, and near Scaterie light, inside pf the three-mile limit. These 

 halibut would weigh from forty to three hundred pounds each. Since the 

 Americans resorted here halibut have become very scarce ; previous to 

 that time we could catch as many as we wanted. 



4. The Americans trawled here last spring twelve months for halibut 

 within the three-mile limit. They trawl off on the banks, and their plan 

 of trawling injures the inshore fishery ; they trawl on the bottom and 

 take the mother fish ; they throw over the gurry, which is very injurious 

 to the fishery j 1 have myself often caught codfish with sound bones iu 

 them. 



5. The Americans have fished all around here inshore for mackerel, and 

 the large quantities taken by them injured the inshore fisheries. 



6. The Americans fish mackerel for bait, and buy mackerel and her- 

 ring for the same purpose whenever they can get it. 



7. In my ppinion it would be much better for us if the Americans were 

 kept away from our shores. 



his 



WILLIAM + NEARIXG. 

 mark. 



Sworn to before me at Main-a-Dieu, Cape Breton, the 27th day of July, 

 1877, 



GEO. RIGBY, J. P. 



No. 112. 



In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, THOMAS LAHEY, of Main-a-Dieu, in the county of Cape Breton, 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows : 

 1. I have been engaged iu the inshore fisheries for the last fifty years, 



