1454 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



from five to ten hands ; tbe average would be from seven to eight men 

 to each vessel. They are fitted oat to take on an average at least three 

 hundred quintals of fish, and more often make full fares than fall short. 



6. These American vessels are a great injury to us, as they catch the 

 hait, carry off the fish, and throw their gurry overboard on the grounds. 

 By gurry, I mean the offal of the fish. 



7. American purse-seiners come into this harbor, on Annapolis Basin ; 

 this harbor is on Annapolis Basin. I have seen two American purse- 

 seiners in this harbor this summer. 



JAMES W. COUSINS. 



Sworn to at Digby, in the county of Digby, this 3d day of September, 

 A. 1)., 1877, before me. 



JOHN DAKIN, J. P. 



I, DAVID SWAIN, of Port Clyde, in the county of Shelburne, trader, 

 make oath and say as follows : 



1. I have been engaged and am acquainted with the fisheries on the 

 coasts of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Prince Edward Is- 

 land, for over fifty years, and have been engaged in catching, curing, 

 and trading in fish in this province and on Labrador. 



2. I have dealt chiefly in codfish and mackerel. 



3. The American schooners which run into this harbor average about 

 sixty tons and carry about twelve men each. They take codfish, hali- 

 but, and mackerel. 



4. These American vessels fish for cod, halibut, and mackerel ; for 

 mackerel principally in the North Bay. Fifteen hundred quintals is a 

 small average take for these vessels. The value of their cargo is about 

 nine thousand dollars. 



5. I cannot say how much they take within three miles of the shore 

 except mackerel, which is mostly all taken within three miles of the 

 land. 



6. These American vessels fish along our coast from May till Novem- 

 ber, inclusive, and some all winter. 



7. In this vicinity from twenty to thirty American vessels come and 

 go yearly in order to procure men, bait, and small stores. 



8. It is of very great value to Americans to come into our ports to 

 land, dry nets, cure and repack fish, transship cargo, obtain bait and 

 supplies, and is worth 25 per cent, of their whole catch including the 

 herring and mackerel fisheries in the North Bay is worth from 70 to 80 

 per cent. 



9. It would be a great benefit to our fishermen if they could carry on 

 the inshore fisheries without local competition on the part of the Ameri- 

 cans. This summer inshore boat-fishermen have complained to me of 

 Americans trawling on their grounds. If the Americans were excluded, 

 it would be worth forty per cent, to our fishermen on their present 

 catch. 



10. The privileges ceded to the Americans by the Treaty of Washing- 

 ton is worth twenty-five per cent, of their entire catch. 



11. The privilege of fishing in American waters I consider of no 

 value to Canadian fishermen, as our own grounds are better and nearer. 



12. From 1854 to 1864 I never knew nor heard of any Nova Scotian 

 vessels fishing in American waters. 



DAVID SWAIN. 



