1310 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



No. 209. 



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



of Washington. 



I, THOMAS McRAY, of Gaspe", county of Gaspe, Province of Quebec, 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 



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

 the Bay of Gaspe and on the north shore of St. John's Kiver for the last 

 30 years. 



2. The fishing by Americans in this bay for mackerel was very exten- 

 sive during the Reciprocity Treaty, from 1854 to 1866. 



3. About 150 American mackerel-fishing vessels visited this bay yearly 

 during the period mentioned above. These vessels averaged about 70 

 tons, having about 16 men for a crew each. I have heard the American 

 fishermen say that they had always made good voyages, and often two in 

 a season. They carried away about 350 barrels of mackerel each trip. 



4. The cod fishery is as good now as it was 20 years ago. 



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

 They generally use the purse seine. I once helped them to haul a seine 

 at Sandy Beach. They haul them from the shore. 



6. The practice of throwing fish offals on the fishiug grounds is inju- 

 rious to the fisheries, because it gluts the fish, poisons the water, kills 

 the eggs, and drives the large fish away. 



7. To the best of my knowledge, during the Reciprocity Treaty, the 

 Americans have always fished inshore in this bay and at St. John's River 

 for mackerel. 



8. The inshore fishery in this bay is of much greater value than the 

 outside. All the fish in this bay are caught inshore. 



9. It was the common practice of the Americans, during the Reci- 

 procity Treaty, to come in among our boats, and, by throwing bait, en- 

 tice the mackerel away with them. They do this whenever they get a 

 chance. 



10. The use of the purse seine is injurious to the fisheries, because 

 it takes all kinds, both large and small. The latter are thrown away 

 and left to perish. 



1 1. While on the north shore I have seen the Americans seine for bait, 

 and we could not throw our seine until they had finished. And I heard 

 one of the American fishermen say that if we were to do the same on 

 their coast we would soon be driven away. They came in night and 

 morning to seine for bait. 



12. Herring are all caught inshore. The Americans take them for 

 bait only. 



13. Mackerel fe-d and breed all along our inshores. They feed on 

 laanoe, shrimps, and sea-fleas. 



14. The same fish that are caught inshore by the Americans are also 

 caught by the Canadians. 



15. Since 1871 the cod fishery has greatly increased, owing, I believe, 

 the absence of Americans from our waters. Mackerel also, and I 



think for the same reason. 



10. It i8 a great advantage to the Americans to be allowed to land 

 to dry and repair their nets. 



17. It is a great advantage to the Americans to be able to transship 

 their cargoes, because it enables them to keep on the fishing grounds, 

 and to double their fares. 



18. The Americans could not profitably carry on cod and halibut 



