1386 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



These fish they take by seining on the shore. These vessels take about 

 two thousand barrels of herring each. The codfish vessels take about 

 two thousand quintals each. 



6. Mackerel, in my experience, have varied ; in the falls of seventy- 

 one and seventy-two the catch of mackerel was more plentiful than I 

 have ever seen it for over ten years. In the fall of seventy-three my 

 vessel, with a crew of sixteen hands, took in a few weeks two hundred 

 barrels of mackerel. Codfish, in my experience, has remained about the 

 same. The herring fishery has always been good. 



7. The Americans formerly took mackerel with hook and line during 

 a few of the last years I was there. I saw the Americans use purse- 

 seins. These purse seins I consider very bad for the fishery. They 

 take both large and small mackerel ; they break up the schools of 

 mackerel and frighten them away. I have never seen nor heard of any 

 Camlaian vessel using a purse-seine. I am acquainted with over two 

 hundred Nova Scotiau vessels. The Americans take codfish in the bay 

 mostly all by trawling. Many of the Canadian vessels take codfish with 

 hand lines. 



8. In my experience the Americans fished inshore whenever they 

 could, whatever the terms of the treaty were. I have seen two Ameri- 

 can vessels taken by the cutter Sweepstake in one day. 



9. I think it would be a great benefit to Canadian fishermen if the 

 Americans were excluded from our inshore waters, and I know of no 

 benefit that we derive from American fishermen whatever. 



GEOFFREY W. PUBLICOVER. 



Sworn to at Getson's Cove, in the county of Limeuburg, this 10th day 

 of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



JOSEPH W. LOCKHART. 



No. 252. 



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



of Washington. 



I, JAMES S. SEABOYER, of Rose Bay, in the county of Lunenburg, 

 merchant, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I was engaged in the fisheries for twelve years, down as late as 

 1869. I fished along the southern coast of Nova Scotia, around Cape 

 Breton, the eastern side of New Brunswick, around Prince Edward's 

 Island, around the Magdaleues, and on the Labrador. I took prin- 

 cipally mackerel, and I have fished also codfish. I have fished for 

 one season in an American vessel, Charles P. Thompson, of Glouces- 

 ter. AVe took all mackerel, and took them- mostly all inshore within 

 three miles of the shore ; and iu my opinion it would not pay to go to the 

 North Bay to catch mackerel unless they can fish inshore ; nor do I 

 think it would pay to fit out a vessel for the North Bay if she had to 

 fih outside of the three mile limits. The American vessel that I was in 

 waa from the latter part of August till the latter part of October in the 

 North Bay, and took in that time three hundred barrels of mackerel. 

 The ineu'.s share averaged about one hundred dollars apiece. The Amer- 

 icans get bait around here at Moser's Island, and have got it in consid- 

 erable quantities dining the past six years. 



. When I was in the bay, the bulk of the Americans transshipped 

 their cargoes at Canso, and by doing this they save time, expense, and 

 tuke more fltth. 



JAS. S. SEABOYER. 



