1430 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



mackerel, and herring fishery, and am at present engaged in that busi- 

 ness as one of the firm of Ryerson & Moses to a small extent. 



2. I know that there are several hundred American vessels yearly en- 

 gaged in fishing in Canadian waters; they average from ten to fifteen 

 men per vessel. They fish in the Bay of Fundy and St. Mary's Bay for 

 codfish, halibut, and mackerel. 



3. They take from 800 to 1,500 quintals codfish per trip. Halibut is 

 taken to their market in ice in small quantities ; cannot give estimate 

 of mackerel trip, as their fares are generally carried to their ports with- 

 out stopping here. 



4. The American fishermen use trawls mostly for codfish, halibut, and 

 haddock; mackerel on the Nova Scotia shores are mostly taken by 

 seines by them. 



5. Most of the mackerel caught on the Canadian inshores are caught 

 close inshore, from half a mile to three miles from shore. The Ameri- 

 cans catch large quantities of halibut inshore, from one to three miles 

 from the shore. 



6. The value of the inshore fisheries are as valuable as the outside ; 

 for bait they would be more valuable. 



7. I know that American fishermen use purse-seines for taking mack- 

 erel, and have taken large quantities in that way, and they are very in- 

 jurious to the fishery wherever they are used. 



8. I know that American fishermen set their nets along our shores for 

 the purpose of catching bait, and get all they require. 



1). Large quantities of halibut, codfish, pollack, haddock, hake, and 

 mackerel are caught by American fishermen in the inshore waters of 

 Canada; the same are caught inshore by Canadian fishermen. 



10. There has been a large increase in the cod fishery since 1871. 

 Mackerel has also increased in the county of Yarmouth the past few 

 years. 



11. I American fishermen had been prohibited from fishing in Cana- 

 dian waters, the Canadian fishermen would have probably caught double 

 the quantity. 



12. The herring fishery in Canadian waters is nearly all inshore. 

 American fishermen catch herring for bait; they buy them for sale. 



13. I do not think there is any difference in the quality of the mack- 

 erel caught in the Canadian or American waters, and the value in their 

 markets would be about the same. 



14. The mackerel follow the shores and feed. 



15. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to transship their 

 cargoes at Canso; it enables them to catch two fares during the fishing 

 season. 



1(>. American fishermen could not carry on their fisheries, or make 

 profitable voyages, without the privilege of buying and catching bait 

 from the Canadian inshores. 



17. It is a great advantage to Americans to have the privilege of pur- 

 chasing ice to preserve their bait from Canadian inshores, large quanti- 

 ties of which is furnished to American fishermen during the fishing 

 season. They also employ large numbers of our men for crews, which 

 they also find is greatly to their advantage. 



18. Do not think Canadian fishermen use American waters for fishing 

 purposes; it is of no practical use, our own fishery being so much 

 better. 



19. Should think the privilege to American fishermen procuring bait 

 and being allowed to transship their cargoes in Canadian iushores 

 would be at least from six to eight hundred dollars per vessel yearly. 



