1236 AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



plentiful arid good, and that it would be impossible for them to do with- 

 out ice. 



3. Bait has been more plentiful in this harbor during this month than 

 I have known it to be within the last twenty years, and I consider it of 

 great value to the Americans to get this bait and ice, for when the 

 Americans secure ice and bait they say they have every chance for a 

 successful voyage, and they always tell me, no bait no fish. 



JOSEPH DOBSON. 



Sworn to at Sydney, in the county of Cape Breton, this 23d day of 

 July, A. D. 1877, before me. 



C. H. HARRINGTON, 



Justice of the Peace. 



No. 117. 



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



of Washington. 



I, JOHN PEACH, of Cow Bay, in the county of Cape Breton, fisher- 

 man, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I have been engaged in the taking of fish for twenty-eight years, 

 all in the inshore fishery. I have caught mackerel, herring, codfish, 

 and halibut from Cape North to Scaterie, and in and around Cow Bay, 

 in the county aforesaid. 



2. I have caught mackerel with hook and net, and always inshore. I 

 never went beyond three miles from the shores for mackerel, because we 

 could catch no mackerel beyond three miles. 



3. About fifteen years ago I used to take large quantities of mackerel 

 inshore with nets. I have taken myself in one morning as many as ten 

 barrels in one haul. Since that time I have not taken so many macke- 

 rel in nets. The reason of my not taking so many mackerel now with 

 nets is because the Americans have broken and destroyed the schools, 

 so many of them fishing on the coast. 



4. The Americans fish from three miles off shore close up to the land 

 for mackerel, and come in among us inshore fishermen and take the fish 

 away from us. They come in and throw their pogie bait overboard, and 

 draw the fish away from us. 



5. Last summer I have seen as many as ten at least at one time 

 amongst us, around where we fished, and they took large quantities of 

 mackerel. These mackerel we consider taken away from us. 



6. The Americans have such large quantities of bait that they spoil 

 our catch. 



7. These American mackerel men take from five to six hundred bar- 

 rels apiece, and in the fall season I have known them often to make two 

 such trips. These American vessels have on board from twelve to four- 

 teen men each. 



8. The American cod-fishermen go into the bays and harbors and get 

 bait and ice, and when a storm comes, they run into our bays and bar- 

 bors. Without bait, and ice in which to keep it, they could catch no 

 fish. 



9. The American cod-fishermen take from ten to fifteen hundred 

 quintals of codfish each trip. In taking codfish the Americans trawl on 

 the bottom and injure the fishing by taking the mother fish in which 

 there are great numbers of spawn. 



10. The Americans throw overboard the offal and sound bone, which 



