AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1281 



1. During tbe Reciprocity Treaty, and before, that is from 1845 to 

 1806. the Americans have made an extensive fishery of mackerel at 

 Griffin's and neighboring coves. About 100 American vessels have vis- 

 ited our shores for mackerel yearly. I have seen the American fisher- 

 men from the shore fishing. I have been on board their vessels whilst 

 they were catching mackerel with hand-lines, and always inshore. 



2. These vessels average 65 tons, having about 15 men for a crew, and 

 they have always made good voyages, getting all their load inshore, 

 amounting to 400 barrels. 



3. The Americans catch mackerel with hand lines and seines, princi- 

 pally with the former. 



4. The Americans have always fished for mackerel inshore on this 

 coast, and very close to the shore. 



5. The inshore fishery is of much greater value than the outside. All 

 the fish are taken inshore here. 



6. The Americans have often come amongst our boats whilst we were 

 fishing for mackerel, and by throwing bait draw the fish outside, thereby 

 causing us great damage. They have done that to me nearly every year 

 during the period mentioned above. They often threatened to stone us if 

 we went near their vessels to fish. 



7. Since 1871 the codfish have increased considerably, owing to the 

 retirement of Americans from our waters. 



8. The principal food of mackerel is lance and sea-fleas. This is whftt 

 keeps the mackerel inshore on our coast. 



9. Fishing by Americans in our waters hinders the fishing operations 

 of our Canadian fishermen to a great extent, because we cannot com- 

 pete with them. 



H1LAIRE + ROBERTSON. 



mark. 



Witness : 



A. D. JOHNSTONE. 



Sworn to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief, at Griffin's 

 Cove, county of Gaspe, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, this 

 28th day of 'July, A. D. 1877, before me. 



N. LAVOIE, 

 Justice of the Peace, Province of Quebec. 



No. 160. 



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



of Washington. 



T, DONALD WEST, of Grand Greve, county of Gaspe, Province of 

 Quebec, fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 



Am acquainted with the fisheries on the coast of the Gulf of St. Law- 

 reuce, having practiced them for forty years. 



1. In the Bay of Gasp< and neighboring shores mackerel fishing by 

 the Americans has been practiced on an extensive scale, especially 

 during the period extending from 1845 to 1866. 



2. During the period just mentioned over 100 American schooners 

 have visited the Bay of Gaspe yearly for mackerel fishing. The mack- 

 erel at that time were very abundant in our waters, and each of the 

 vessels that have been here during that time for mackerel-fishing have 

 made good voyages yearly. I have seen them loading, and have heard 

 the Americans say so themselves, and 1 have heard them also say thut 



81 F 



