AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1751 



the south shore of the river St. Lawrence, to the bend of Bale de 

 Cbaleurs, and on the north shore of the river and Gnlf of St. Law- 

 rence. Dr. Fortiu, examined by myself, testified as follows: 



Q. All those establishments deal exclusively in cod? A. Yes, their principal business is 

 codfish. Sometimes herring and mackerel are dealt in, but not much. The principal is 

 codfish. 



Q. Do any of those establishments resort to Newfoundland for cod f A. No. Not at all ; 

 never. 



Q. Well, where is all their cod canght ? A. On the shore and from lontt. 



Q. Is all the cod they deal in canght in Quebec waters f A. Yes. 



Q. With boats? A. Yes, and they fish from. the shore. 



Q. What kind of boats ? Open boats 7 A. Fishing-boats manned by two men. 



Q. Name the banks and their extent, which exist in these waters. A. On the north 

 shore I know of only two banks of small extent St. John or Mingan and Natashquan. 



Q. St. John and Mingan are the same thing? A. Yes, the same bank. Six or seven 

 miles from the shore. 



Q. Of what length is it? A. They lie six or seven miles from the shore, but they merge 

 into the shoal fisheries. They are not distinct from the shoal fisheries. They are seven or 

 eight miles in length. 



Q. What is the length of the Natashquan ? A. It is about ten miles in length. These 

 are all the banks on the north side. 



Q. Now, on the south side? A. Well, from Matane to Cape Gaspe", in what is called the 

 river St. Lawrence, there are no banks. The fishing is all carried on within three miles, 

 and sometimes within two miles. Then there are two banks opposite the shore of Gasp<S 

 and Bay Chaleur. There is a bank called Point St. Peter's Bank, which is very small, ten 

 miles out. It is a very small bank, three or four miles in extent. Then there is Bank 

 Hiscou, or Orphan, a bank lying off the coast of Miscou ; also off the coast of Gaspc or Bay 

 Chaleur, a distance of about twenty miles fifteen or twenty mileg. 



Q. Now, taking into account these banks, could you state how far from the shore, or, 

 rather, conld you state what proportion of the whole quantity of cod taken is caught within 

 three miles ? A. Taking into account that only our people that are settled in St. John's 

 River, and a place called Long Point, visit this Mingan or St. John Bank, also that but few 

 fishermen from Natashquan go on the bank, that is of oar own fishermen, and taking into 

 account that our fishermen generally go on the bank only in two or three places, I should 

 think that more than three-fourths, I should say eighty per cent., or up to eighty-five per 

 dent, of the codfish taken by Canadian fishermen are taken inside of British waters. 



As to bait for the halibut fishery, Dr. Fortin said : 



Q. What is the bait used for halibut ? A. Herring and codfish. Codfish is as good as 

 any. It is firmer than herring, and holds well on the hook. They put a large bait on, so 

 that the small codfish cannot take the bait, because the object of the halibut fishers is to 

 take nothing but halibut. When they take codfish, they have to throw it overboard. 



Q. And as codfish, as well as herring, are taken inshore, they have to come inshore T A. 

 Yes, they come in close to the shore for halibut. 



And, with respect to codfish, Dr. Fortiu continues : 



Q. Well, what bait is used for codfish ? A. The bait they use are caplin, launce. herring, 

 mackerel, smelt, squid, clam, trout, and chub. 



Q. Where do they generally'keep ? A. Near the shore. The capliu and launce fi^h are 

 on the shore, rolling on the beach sometimes, and our fishermen catch many of those with 

 dip-nets, without using seines. Herring are caught also near the shore with nets. 



Q. Well, can the codfishery be carried on advantageously otherwise than with fresh bait 1 

 A. No, no. Salt bait is used sometimes, when no other can be had, but it cannot be osed 

 profitably. 



Q. Is there any means of keeping bait fresh for some time ? A. Well, some of onr large 

 establishments which have ice-houses have tried to keep the bait they use in a fresh state * 

 long as they could, but they have not succeeded well. They may from half day to * day 

 in warm weather perhaps. 



Q. With ice? A. Yes, because the herring, for instance, may be fit to eat, but 

 bait. 



Q. Whyf A. Because the bait they use must be fresh enough to stick on the h 

 it is not very fresh it does not stick on, and it will not catch the codfish, because cl 

 will take the bait off the hook, and leave the hook. 



Q. You say it can only be kept half a day, or a day ? A. It may be kept por 

 or two. It depends upon the weather. 



Q. Well, would it be possible for the Americans coming there to fish for co<J 

 bait with them in a fresh state? A. No, it is impossible. 



Q. They could only bring salt bait, which is not much used f 



