1352 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



C. The cod fishery is fully as good on this coast now as it was 15 or 20 

 vears ago; herring also. '.Mackerel has decreased. But this season 

 they have increased, owing to the disappearance of Americans from our 

 waters. 



7. The American fishermen carry on the mackerel fishery with hand- 

 lines and seines. 



8. The practice of throwing mackerel offals overboard on the fishing 

 grounds injures the cod fishery, because it gluts the fish. Mackerel ofials 

 being recognized as good bait for codfish, whilst cod gurry is the most 

 deleterious, poisoning the fishing grounds, driving away the large fish, 

 and killing the small ones. When the Americans were numerous in 

 the bay, the cod fishery was poor on this coast, whilst now there are 

 codfish in abundance. 



9. To the best of my knowledge, from ISoi to 1866 the Americans 

 have fished mostly inshore. 



I. Our inshore fishery is of greater value than the outside (I always 

 speak of this shore from Point Macquereau to Paspebiac), because mack- 

 erel, cod, and herring are all caught inshore here. 



II. Several times I have heard complaints from our own fishermen 

 about the Americans causing them injury by coming in among the boats 

 and enticing the fish away, thereby causing them great loss. The 

 Americans do this whenever they get the chance. 



12. Most of the American fishing schooners are supplied with the 

 purse-seine for mackerel fishery. The Americans have always used the 

 purse-seine inshore. I have seen them use them several times each sea- 

 son, and with success. I have never seen them use the seines outside. 

 I can safely say that two-thirds of the mackerel are taken inshore. 

 They have seined all along this shore. 



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

 they take all kinds of fish, large and small, the latter being thrown 

 away dead or maimed, so that it could not live. 



14. Every year some American schooners come in Port Daniel for 

 bait. They both fish for and buy it. They catch their bait with nets. 



15. Herring are all caught inshore. The Americans take them here 

 for bait only. 



1C. Mackerel feed all along the iushores in Bay Chaleur. Their food 

 is launce, small herring, and other small animals. 



17. I have seen the Americans several times come ashore to dry and 

 repair their nets. 1 consider it a great advantage for them to be allowed 

 to do so. 



18. 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, 



19. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to be able to pro- 

 cure bait in Canadian inshores. I don't believe they could carry on the 

 cod and halibut fisheries otherwise. 



L'O. The privilege granted to Americans to fish in Canadian inshores 

 injures Canadian fishermen to a great extent. It brings in a competi- 

 tion that we cannot sustain. The Americans being better equipped with 

 fishing gears and vessels, that they have all the chance. 



L'l. If the Americans were not allowed to fish in our inshores we might 

 do well in good seasons, even with our poor outfits for mackerel. The 

 reason our outfits nre so poor is, because we are not supported by strong 

 and rich companies like the Americans. 



JOHN PHELEN. 



