AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1321 



No. 194. 



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



of Washington. 



1, JAMES SAMUEL, of Fox Kiver, County of Gaspl, Province of 

 Quebec, fisherman, make oath and say as follows : 



1. Have been acquainted with all the fisheries which are carried on 

 on this coast from Griffin's Cove to Chlorydorme, a distance of 33 miles, 

 for 25 years. 



The mackerel fishery by the Americans has been very extensive dur- 

 ing the Reciprocity Treaty, from 1854 to I860 and before, on these 

 shores. 



2. I have been several times during a season on board of American 

 mackerel-fishing vessels. I have seen them fish, and have fished my- 

 self with them. They fished always inshore very close the shore in 2 or 

 3 fathoms of water. 



3. The number of American schooners which have visited these shores 

 for mackerel fishing yearly during the period mentioned above, was 

 about 150. The average tonnage of these vessels is about 05 tons, hav- 

 ing about 15 men for a crew each. These vessels have taken away from 

 our shores yearly, at least 350 barrels of mackerel. I have heard the 

 captains of some of these schooners say that most of them were on their 

 second trip. They also told me that their first trip was generally made 

 about the Strait of Canso, Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Isl- 

 and. 



4. The cod and herring fisheries are about the same as formerly. 



5. The Americans take mackerel by means of hand-lines and seines. 

 But I have seen them use the hand-lines only on this coast. 



6. The throwing overboard of fish offals as practiced by the Americans 

 injures our fishing grounds and fisheries; because it gluts the fish, and 

 then the decaying of these offals poisons the water, driving the large 

 fish away and killing the eggs. 



7. The American schooners have always fished inshore during the Ke- 

 ciprocity Treaty and afterwards, and have made their loads of mack- 



,erel often very close to the rocks. 



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

 the fish on this shore are caught inshore. 



9. It is the common practice of the Americans to come in among our 

 boats when we are catching mackerel, and by throwing bait entice the 

 fish outside, where we cannot go. 



10. Since 1871 the cod fishery has considerably increased, and it 

 opinion that it is owing to the absence of Americans from our waters. 



11. I have heard the Americans say frequently that the mackerel 

 caught in our waters were of a better quality than their own, and brought 

 a higher price in their markets. 



12. Mackerel feed all along our inshores on lance and shrimp. 



' 13. I have seen the Americans frequently setting their nets close t 

 our shores for mackerel. 



14. It is a great advantage to the Americans to be able to trans 

 cargoes, because by doing so it enables them to remain on the i 

 grounds and to double their fares. 



15. It is of no advantage to Canadians to be able to fish in A in 

 waters. 



16. The privilege of transshipping cargoes to the American!* 

 a load. And the privilege of getting bait in our iushores 

 and halibut fisheries is worth these fisheries. 



