AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1309 



of the limits and bait them outside. I was on one occasion on board a 

 schooner that baited the mackerel close to the shore, and thus brought 

 them outside. This was an American schooner. I believe this was a 

 common practice. These schooners were from 60 to 100 tons, and took 

 from four to eight hundred barrels each. They told me themselves that 

 they generally made two trips in the season. They used to grind up 

 the small mackerel they took for bait. It is a common practice for the 

 Americans to begin to fish inside the limit. The mackerel generally 

 feed on shrimps, close inshore, and on other small fish. 



5. During the first three years of the Treaty of Washington they con- 

 tinued to come in numbers, and fish as before in our iushores. There 

 were at least half the number that used to come under the Reciprocity 

 Treaty fishing each year on this shore; as I have said, after the begin- 

 ling of the Treaty of Washington, for the last couple of years, I have not 

 seen so -many. 



6. I believe that the mackerel spawn along the shore. We have often 

 taken the young mackerel fry in our lance-seines along the beach. We 

 generally see the mackerel schooling along this shore about the end of 

 August, and two years ago I saw them as thick as caplin in among the 

 boat-moorings. I believe if the Americans must come they could take 

 as many as during the years past. The mackerel taken along the shore 

 are of fine quality. 



7. The right of fishing on the American coast is of no use to us ; our 

 people don't want to go there. 



8. Their free market is of no use to us. Our fish is prepared for for- 

 eign markets other than that of the United States. I mean tor Brazil, 

 West Indies, Spain, Portugal, and the ports in the Mediterranean. 



9. The competition of American fishermen in our waters is a tremen- 

 dous detriment to our fishing interest. 



10. It would certainly be more advantageous for us to keep our in- 

 shore fisheries to ourselves. 



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

 edge and belief correct. 



PETER FERGUSON. 



.The said Peter Ferguson has sworn to the truth ot the above affidavit, 

 at Cape Cove, in the county of Gasp6, and Province of Quebec, this 

 fourteenth (14th) day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



P. FORTIN, J. P. 



In the matter of the Fisheries Com mission at Halifax, under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, CHRISTOPHER BAKER, of Cape Cove, make oath and say as fol- 

 lows : 



1. I am mayor of Cape Cove. I am 39 years of age. I was born here, 

 and have lived all my life at Cape Cove. I have fished tor 14 years, 

 began to fish at 12 years of age. Since I was 26 years of age, I 

 been engaged in the fishery business on my own account, and keep Hsh- 

 ing-boats. 1 have always had 10 or 12 boats fishing every season, 

 am practically acquainted \vith all that relates to fishing, and the t 

 trade. I am well acquainted with the coast of the Gulf of St. Law. 

 renceand the Bay of Chaleur from Gaspe Basin to Paspebiae, a distant 

 of about 100 miles. 



