AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1377 



particularly the off shore codfish in the North Bay. This I attribute to 

 overtishiug, and to trawling as already stated. 



10. The throwing overboard of offal is very injurious to the fUhing- 

 grounds, as it drives the fish away, injures tbe young fish, and de.strovs 

 the spawn. 



11. In Canadian waters the inshore fisheries are in my opinion double 

 the value of the off shore fisheries. 



12. Tbe herring fishery in Canadian waters is all inshore. Tbe Ameri- 

 cans get them for bait, both buying and catching them. Thev buy in 

 Nova Scotia bays and harbors along from Cape Sable to Scaterie. They 

 buy because it saves time and expense, and \\ithout this bait, and ice in 

 which to preserve it, they could not carry on the Bank fishing. 



13. The Americans come along the southern coast of Nova Scotia 

 early in tbe spring when bait is scarce, and gobble it up, which interferes 

 with Nova Scotia bankers, and vessels running to the North Bay. 



14. It would be a great benefit to Nova Scotia fishermen if the* Ameri- 

 cans were excluded from our inshore fisheries, ami L know of no benefit 

 whatever which we derive from American fishermen. 



DANIEL McADAMS. 



Sworn to at Lockeport, in the county of Shelburue, this 23d day of Au- 

 gust, A. D. 1877, before me. 



AUSTEN LOCKE, J. P. 



No. 242. 



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



of Washington. 



I, MESSIE FOURNIER, of Grande Vallee, in the county of Gaspe*, and 

 Province of Quebec, make oath and say as follows: 



1. I have been fishing in this place for 28 years. I am a practical 

 fisherman and am well acquainted with the fisheries of this coast. 



2. Before the American fishermen began fishing on this coast for hali- 

 but, this fish was to be caught in great abundance, and we frequently 

 toaded our boats when fishing for cod. At this present time, and for 

 several years back, we can hardly take any; in fact, not even enough 

 for our own consumption. This complete destruction of our halibut 

 fishery I believe is due solely to the exhaustive manner in which the 

 Americans fished for halibut, by means of trawl lines, having an im- 

 mense number of hooks. 



3. Before the American schooners began fishing in our inshore waters 

 for mackerel, as they did in such great numbers during the existence of 

 the Keciprocity Treaty, mackerel existed in great numbers all along the 

 bays and coves. Toward the latter years of the Keciprocity Treaty, 

 the quantity of mackerel had sensibly fallen off. Last year and this 

 present summer they are again to be found in great numbers. I attrib- 

 ute the scarcity of a few years ago to the great drain caused by the large 

 fleet of Americans that fished here ; and I consider that the present in- 

 crease is altogether owing to the fat that for some years back the schools 

 of mackerel have not been so much disturbed. 



4. I have seen 32 American schooners anchored among the net moor- 

 ings close inshore at the same time ; but they used to come in less num- 

 bers almost every week during the mackerel season. They interfered 

 with the drifting for bait and the setting of our herring-nets. 



5. The crews of some of these vessels used to come ashore and tramp 



87 F 



