AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1301 



can halibut fishing schooners coining annually and fishing close to the 

 shore, and all within three miles of the shore. They fished with trawl- 

 lines. Each vessel carried from 4 to G dories, and each dory had a 

 thousand hooks on their trawls. The halibut they took was gutted and 

 packed in ice on board, and carried in a fresh state to the United States. 

 Some of those vessels made two voyages, and I estimate their load at 

 from 60,000 to 70,000 pounds each. 



When those vessels commenced fishing on the north shore, I can state 

 that the halibut were very abundant. At present, however, the inhab- 

 itants find it difficult to get any for their own use. I attribute this 

 falling off to the number taken by the Americans with trawls, which ia 

 an extremely destructive mode of fishing, as it kills the large mother 

 fish. While in the States, 1 learned that the Americans had ruined 

 many of their fishing-banks with trawl-lines, and since then I have 

 heard from United States fishermen that a similar destruction has been 

 going on on the American coast. 



5. I consider that the privilege of fishing in American waters is abso- 

 lutely useless to us, as I know from experience that fishermen going 

 from here there would not be able to catch fish enough to pay for their 

 salt. 



6. To my own knowledge the crews of some of those American ves- 

 sels have gone ashore and often committed depredations on our coasts. 

 They used to break down fences, trample the gardens and crops, arid in- 

 sult the people. Five years ago there were a great many United States 

 fishing-vessels at anchor at Port Daniel, and a baud of fishermen from 

 them went to my house, burst open the door, and tried to force their 

 way in. They were only prevented by my wife and children defending 

 themselves. My wife herself had to threaten them with an ax ; finding 

 such resistance, they went away. 



I hereby swear that the above statement is to the best of my knowl- 

 edge and belief correct, as is also the following statement : In the same 

 year a boat's crew landed from one of those American fishing-vessels at 

 Port Daniel ; they, during the evening, robbed the garden of Dan Sul- 

 livan, my neighbor ; his wife saw them, and went out to remonstrate, 

 when one of them pulled out a revolver and fired at her ; the ball went 

 through the door- post, she standing at the door. 



F. LEBLANC. 



The said Frank LeBlauc has sworn to the truth of the above affidavit, 

 at Paspebiac, this sixteenth dav of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



P. FORT1X, J. P. 

 So. 177. 



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



of Washington. 



I, THOMAS C. REMON, of Little Pabos, of the county of Gaspe*, of 

 the Province of Quebec, make oath and say as follows : 



1. 1 am a native of Jersey, and have been on this coast for more than 

 30 years. I was for seven years in the Gaspe Fishing and Coal Miniu 

 Company as clerk. I afterwards and since carried on business on n 

 own account. I am thoroughly conversant with all that concerns 

 and fishing. 1 keep fishing-boats. 



2. I am well acquainted with the fishing carried on from PaspeD 

 Perce, a distance of about 90 miles. The principal fisheries on 

 coast are the cod, mackerel, herring, and halibut. The baits are capita, 

 herring, mackerel, squid, smelts, and clams. 



