AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1343 



2. A hundred American vessels have visited these shores yearly, from 

 Point Macquereau to Perce, fishing mackerel. The average tonnage of 

 these vessels is about 70 tons, having from twelve to fifteen men for a 

 crew. 



3. To the best of my knowledge the American vessels have m.nle 

 good voyages of mackerel yearly during and before the liei-iprodty 

 Treaty ; 300 barrels per trip, on an average. 



4. The cod fishery is better this year than it has been for .'JO years, 

 and it is because we are alone to fish on our grounds. Herring 

 fishery is about the same. These last couple of years mackerel have 

 not been plenty, but it seems to have increased this year. 



5. The Americans fish mackerel with hand-lines and purse scint's. 



6. When I was engaged on board the American schooner we c.uight 

 all our mackerel inshore, in fact on the net-moorings and inside the 

 rocks ; and all the schooners that I have seen here for mackerel have 

 all made their loads inshore. 



7. The practice of throwing offals offish overboard, as practiced by the 

 Americans, injures the fishing grounds very much; it sickens (he fish, 

 and kills the eggs. 



8. The inshore fishery is of greater value than the outside. Herring, 

 caplin, launce, two thirds of the codfish, and the greater part of the mack- 

 erel are taken inshore. 



9. The Americans tuck their seines inshore, in fact I have only seen 

 them use the seine inshore. 



10. The use of the seine is injurious in this way, that the small fish 

 are all thrown away and lost. They take all kinds of fish, big and 

 small. 



11. Almost every season whilst in Perce I have seen several American 

 trawlers come in the cove and set nets to catch herring for bait. 



12. Since 1871, codfish has certainly increased, both inshore and on 

 the Banks. As I said before, it is because the Americans are not here- 

 to take our fish. 



13. The Americans catch herring for bait only, inshore. 



14. Mackerel feed on these shores on launce and other small fish, and 

 that is what brings the mackerel inshore, and keeps them there during 

 Uie fishing season. 



15. It is a great advantage to Americans to be able to land, to dry 

 and repair their nets. 



16. 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. 



17. It is a great advantage to Americans to be able to procure bait 

 in our inshores, either to catch or to buy it; but if they buy it, it is be- 

 cause they save time and they find it more profitable. 



18. The Americans could not carry on the cod and halibut fishery 

 profitably without being able to procure bait in our inshores. 



19. It is of no advantage to us to fish in American waters. 



20. The privilege of transshipping cargoes granted to Americana is 

 worth a load; and the privilege of getting bait in our iushores for cod 

 and halibut is worth these fisheries. 



21. We cannot compete with the Americans with reference to tl 

 eries; they are so well equipped and supplied with fishing gears that c 



the fishing-grounds they take all the best fish. 



JAMES JLSSO1 . 



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



