1372 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



4. From the time that I arrived here until 1868, the time that the Amer- 

 icans were permitted to fish inshore, I saw large numbers of American 

 inackerelers along the shores, and also halibut fishers ; and I have 

 counted often as many as 30 at one time at Seven Islands Bay. They 

 come there for shelter, and for fishing also. When they were prevented 

 from fishing by the coast-guard schooners, after the end of the treaty, 

 we saw but few, though they still continued to come in small numbers 

 in spite of the coast guards. Since the Treaty of Washington I have 

 only seen a few fishing for mackerel and halibut. I estimate the aver- 

 age annual number of mackerel and halibut schooners belonging to the 

 Americans, from Seven Islands to Gadbout, to have been 100. These 

 vessels were all fishing and seining close along the shore within the three- 

 mile limit. They fished inside the limit, because there was no fish out- 

 side of the limit. They nearly all loaded. I fished for them, and with 

 them for several seasons, both with the hook and with the seine. This 

 enables me to give accurate information with regard to the fisheries of 

 the Americans on this coast ; each of these vessels took from 300 to 

 800 barrels. About ten of these vessels fished annually for halibut. 



5. There was generally one seine for each three schooners, some seines 

 were shore seines, and some were bay seines ; even with the bay seines 

 they never fished outside of British waters. Often they threw the seine 

 after a school of fish, and when the seine was drawn near the shore, 

 it was found that they had herring or young codfish, and not mackerel ; 

 and as they wanted no fish but mackerel, they would allow the greatest 

 part to perish and rot upon the shore. 



6. The halibut-fishing schooners fished along the coast, always within 

 three miles. They stopped fishing in numbers about 7 or 8 years ago. 

 Since that period we only saw a few ; this year none. When I first 

 came here I could take as many halibut as I liked, and the people used 

 to sell large quantities, and besides used it largely as food ; but now, 

 since the Americans have fished so extensively along the shore, we 

 only catch a few. It is not now worth our while to fish for them. My opin- 

 ion is that this scarcity, which is so injurious to the people of the coast, 

 and to the interests of the fishermen of this county in general, is due en- 

 tirely to destructive over-fishing done by the Americans, as I have stated 

 above, by trawls, &c. Now that the fishing for halibut is at rest, the 

 restocking is taking place, as we see more small ones this year ; and if 

 the Americans keep away for a certain number of years, this fishing 

 will certainly recuperate, as our fishermen never fish in such an ex- 

 haustive manner as to destroy the fishery. 



7. We find on this coast, from Point Charles to St. Nicholas, a dis- 

 tance of 120 miles, excellent spawning-grounds, especially at Seven 

 Islands Bay, St. Margaret's Bay, May Islands, Cawee, Trinity Bay, 

 Gadbout, &c. At all these places any quantity of herring can be taken, 

 in the spring. 



8. The American fishing-grounds are of no use to us ; we don't want 

 to go there. 



9. Our fish is prepared for the Canadian markets and Europe and 

 Brazil. 



10. The population is increasing so fast on this coast, and the fisheries 

 are so needful lor their subsistence, that they should not be given away 

 to foreigners ; if they are, half our population will have to emigrate. 

 Most of these American vessels trade extensively with the shore popu- 

 lation, and sell and land articles without paying duties. The fisheries 

 here are very accessible, as there are many harbors, good anchorage- 

 grounds, and roadsteads. 



