1400 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



points, according to the best of my knowledge and experience, I wonld 

 say that the privilege derived by the American fishermen from the use 

 of our fishing-grounds and the privilege of getting bait, outfit, and sup- 

 plies at our ports was worth at least half as much as the entire Ameri- 

 can fishing business on the coast of British Xorth America every year. 

 If all the privileges given by the Washington Treaty to American fish- 

 ermen were taken away, they could only make fishing profitable here 

 by violating the law. 



*12. I know of no advantage which Canadian fishermen derive from 

 the use of American waters. Our own fishing grounds are well known 

 to be more productive than the American. I have never heard of any 

 Canadian vessel going to American waters for the purpose of taking 

 fish. 



13. The presence of American fishing-fleets on our shores is undoubt- 

 edly very injurious to our own fishermen, who wonld be able to take 

 larger quantities of fish and carry on a better business if they enjoyed 

 exclusive rights. They would also take better care of the grounds and 

 preserve them better. 



ALEXANDER GILLIES. 



Sworn to at Port Hood, in the county of Inverness, this 21st day of 

 Julv, A. D. 1877, before me. 



ALEXR. McDOXALD, J. P. 



So. 266. 



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



of Washington. 



I, HENRY HEMLOW, senior, of Liscomb, in the county of Guysboro, 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows : 



I have been engaged in the fisheries during the last sixty years. 



1. The principal fishing at Liscomb is cod and herring fishing. At 

 times I have seen as many as forty or fifty American vessels going iu 

 and out at once. Each American vessel would catch, on an average, 

 between six and seven hundred quintals per trip. They would make 

 two trips each season, and afterwards fish on their own coast or on the 

 coast of Newfoundland. 



2. The cod fishing has improved lately: so has the herring fishing, 

 but they are not so good as formerly. The Americans do not fish for 

 bait iu Liscomb Harbor, and this, in my opinion, accounts for the better 

 state of the Liscomb fishery. When the American fishermen used to 

 come in, they threw the fish guts, heads, &c., overboard and destroyed 

 the eggs or young fish. This practice also drove out the fish from the 

 harbor. 



3. I consider the value of the outshore fishery much less than the in- 

 shore. Cod and halibut are principally caught outside, while all other 

 fish are principally caught inshore. Formerly the Americans caught 

 mackerel with hook and line; now they are caught by them with seines 

 and purse-nets. Fishing with seines and purse-nets is injurious to the 

 fisheries. 



4. Haddock, codfish, and other fish caught inshore are fished by the 

 Americans iu the inshore waters. Canadian fishermen use the inshore 

 fishery to a large extent, and it is of the greatest value to them. Very 

 lew herring are caught outside. 



5. The food of the mackerel is found inshore. The privilege of land- 



