1376 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



I have taken codfish in the North Bay, along the southern coast of 

 Nova Scotia, on the Laborador coast, and on the Banks. Along the 

 southern coast of Nova Scotia, in the North Bay, and on the Labrador 

 coast I have taken herring. 



2. I left the North Bay a fortnight ago and saw a large number of 

 American mackerel- vessels there and likewise round Prince Edward 

 Island. I saw as many as thirty sail in one day. Last summer I also 

 saw a large number of American vessels engaged in taking mackerel. 

 Last year and this year I have seen many American vessels engaged in 

 taking codfish in the North Bay. These American mackerel- vessels 

 carry from fifteen to twenty men each. The American vessels which I 

 saw bod on board about three hundred barrels of mackerel each. The 

 Americans take this mackerel inshore within three miles of the shore. 



3. In the North Bay the American codfish-vessels carry from twelve 

 to sixteen men each, and are fitted out to take from a thousand to four- 

 teen hundred quintals of fish to each vessel. 



4. The Americans catch almost all their codfish by trawling. Both 

 last year and this I saw American vessels trawling for codfish around 

 the Magdalen Islands within three miles of the shore. This year I have 

 seen as many as seven American schooners trawling inshore within three 

 miles of the shore for codfish. An American schooner which lay along- 

 side of our schooner took inshore, within three miles of the shore, from 

 ten hundred to twelve hundred quintals ; she took as many as one hun- 

 dred and fifty quintals in one day. The American vessels fished to a 

 large extent insliore this year, as the fish were more plentiful this year 

 within three miles of the shore than off. Four years ago I have seen 

 ihe Americans set their trawls inshore around Scaterie. Since 1871 the 

 Americans fished inshore whenever the fish made in. 



5. In the North Bay last summer I have counted in sight from forty 

 to forty-five vessels at one time, most of whom were Americans. This 

 number I have counted day after day. Nearly all the American vessels. 

 as already stated, take codfish by trawling. Most of the Canadian ves- 

 sels hand-line. Trawling I consider an injurious method of taking fish, 

 as it destroys the mother fish. In hand-lining very few mother fish are 

 taken. In trawling the bait lies dead upon the bottom, and the mother 

 fish which are on the bottom bite at it. In hand-lining the bait is almost 

 continuously on the move. 



G. On the Canadian coast of Labrador four years ago and for ten years 

 previous, every year I have seen American vessels engaged in seining 

 codfish on the shore. This I consider a bad method of taking fish, as it 

 destroys all kinds of fish, and the large and very small codfish are taken. 

 I have never seen any Canadian vessel seining codfish. The American 

 schooners on the Labrador coast carry about twenty hands each, and 

 are fitted for from two thousand to two thousand two hundred quintals, 

 and generally take eighteen hundred quintals each. 



7. 1 have seen many of the American vessels around the Magdalenes 

 fishing herring and mackerel for bait within the last six years. These 

 herring and mackerel the Americans take in nets. Nearly all the Ameri- 

 can vessels engaged in cod fishing in the North Bay catch their own bait 

 inshore within three miles. 



8. I have known American vessels on the Labrador coast to take a 

 thousand barrels of herring by seining en the shore. 



0. The mackerel fishery to my knowledge has always varied. In 

 seventy -one, two, and three, there were good catches. The herring fish- 

 ery is almost always good. The cod fishery in the North Bay and on the 

 banks during the past five or six years has fallen off to a large extent, 



