1392 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



are, to my knowledge, taking advantage of this privilege at the Strait 

 of Canso. They Lave an advantage in this over Canadian fishermen, 

 because by using American vessels they are able to avoid inspection, 

 and they do avoid it, as in my capacity of inspector of fish I happen to 

 know. 



9. A large portion of the American fishing fleet is now going every 

 year up to the eastern side of Cape Breton and fishing in the vicinity 

 of Scatarie, Cape North, and the section around there. I understand 

 that these grounds are very rich in fish. 



10. The value of the privileges acquired by American fishermen under 

 the Treaty of Washington cannot be estimated accurately by the money 

 value to each vessel engaged. It is worth nearly as much as their entire 

 fisheries on this coast, for if deprived of all these privileges they would 

 scarcely be able to carry on their fisheries on this coast with any profit 

 without violating the law. 



11. I am not aware of any advantages which Canadian fishermen de- 

 rive from the privilege of fishing in American waters, nor do I know of 

 any of our fishermen who have availed themselves of this privilege. 



12. It would be a great advantage to our shore fishermen to have 

 exclusive use of our fishing grounds. They would preserve them and 

 derive greater profits from them than they possibly can when the 

 Americans are using them in common. I consider the privilege of 

 sending our fish into American markets no kind of an equivalent for the 

 privileges given to Americans under the Treaty of Washington ; in 

 lact, it is only a trifling benefit to us at all. If we had exclusive use 

 of our own grounds it would be better for us, even though the American 

 Government imposed the highest duties on our fish. 



A. B. SKINNER. 



Sworn to at Port Hastings, in the county of Inverness, this 25th day 

 of July, A. D. 1877, before rue. 



PETER GRANT, J. P. 



No. 256. 



In the n atterof the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, WILLIAM MUNROE, of Whitehaven, in the county of Guysboro', 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 



1. I have been engaged in the fisheries during the last forty years, 

 and have a personal knowledge of the matter hereinafter deposed' to. 



2. The Americans in large numbers fish in the North Bay for mack- 

 erel, and frequent the Canadian coast for bait and other necessaries. 

 I have known a hundred and fifty American sail come into Whitehaven 

 Harbor during a single season for bait, The cod-fishing vessels average 

 from ten to twelve men, the mackerel-vessels will average fifteen men. 

 The tonnage will range from sixty to a hundred tons. 



3. The present condition of the fishery on the coast of Nova Scotia is 

 not as prosperous as formerly. Cod-fishing particularly has declined. 

 I consider trawl-fishing the principal cause of this decline, as it kills the 

 mother fish. 



4. The principal portion of the American mackerel fishermen fish with 

 hook and line. A small portion with seines known as purse-seines. 

 The American cod-fishers fish with trawls or set-lines. Herring are 

 principally taken by them with seines, and a few with nets. Halibut 

 are fished in the same way as cod. They throw away all the small cod, 



