1754 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Where are most of the mackerel caught ? A. Handy to the shore ; sometimes a mile 

 and a half out. Sometimes not five acres out. 



Q Do you know from the Americans themselves whether they catch the greater part of 

 the mackerel inshore t A. Yes. The vessel I was on board fished inshore with boats. The 

 vessel was at anchor in Newport harbor. 



Q. How far from the land ? A. About 300 yards. 



Q. Did you catch all the fish there T A. There were no fish in the harbor ; we caught 

 them in a cove called Carnaval. 



Q. How far from the shore ? A. About two cables length. We got 100 barrels one day. 



Q. Did you catch your fish far from the shore? A. The farthest we caught might be half 

 a mile off. 



Q. How many did yon catch ? A. I could not say exactly, but we pretty nearly loaded 

 her. I left her, and she afterwards left to transship her cargo. 



Q. Do the Americans fish along your shores for cod ? A. They do. 



Q. Within three miles from shore ? A. Yes. 



Q. To any extent? A. They don't fish codfish to any great extent within three miles 

 from shore. 



Q. Where do they fish for cod ? A. On Miscon Bank and Bank Orphan. 



Q. What is the number of the fleet engaged in fishing on Miscou Bank alone ? A. I 

 have heard my men say from 40 to 50 sail. 



Q. You would put the average at 40 sail ? A. Yes. 



Q. Do you know what is the number of the cod-fishing fleet in the bay on an average 

 each year t A. From 300 to 400 vessels. 



Q. Nearer 400 than 300? A. About 400. 



Q. Where do these cod-fishermen get the bait they use ? A. A great deal of it inshore, 

 along our coast. 



Q. How do they get it ? A. By setting nets inshore, and sometimes by buying it. 



Q. What kind of fish do they catch for bait ? A. Herring. I have seen them seining 

 herring. I have heard that they jig squid and bob mackerel. 



Q. They catch caplin ? A. Yes. 



Mr. Joseph Couteau, of Cape Despair, examined by myself, gives the 

 following evidence : 



I am 42 years of age. I live at Cape Despair, in the county of Gasp6. I am a fisherman, 

 and at present employ men in the fishing business. This fishery is carried on along the 

 coast from one to three miles from the shore, and also on Miscou Bank. The Americans 

 fish there. I have seen as many as 40 sail fishing there at the same time. The Americans 

 procure their bait along and near the coast. The bait consists of herring, caplin, and squid. 

 The cod-fishery cannot be prosecuted to advantage with salt bait. The Americans cannot 

 bring with them to Miscou Bank a sufficient supply of bait. In 1857 I fished in an Ameri- 

 can schooner called the Maria. I do not remember her captain's name. The schooner was 

 fitted out at and started from Portland. During the first three months of the voyage, we 

 fished for cod along Cape Breton, the Magdalen Islands, and Miscou Bank. At Cape Bre- 

 ton we took the cod at distances of from a mile to a mile and a half from the shore. We 

 fished at about the same distance from the shore at the Magdalen Islands. We took 330 

 quintals of cod. We caught about three-quarters of our load within three miles of the coast 

 off Cape Breton and the Magdalen Islands and the remainder at Miscou Bank. We pro- 

 cured our bait on the Cape Breton shore. 



Mr. Abraham Lebrun, of Peree, examined by Mr. Weatherbe, tells 

 the Commission where the Americans procure their bait: 



t/. Where do they procure their bait ? A. The generality of them procure it on the coast. 

 g. 1 low do they get it T A. In nets. They take herring in nets. 

 y. And what else t A. Squid ; they also seine capliii on our coast. 



*-, 



Q- Wllc do they get their nets with which they catch itt A. They bring them with 



<J. Where did thcygpt the bait after the abrogation of the Reciprocity Treaty ? A. They 

 run the rwk of capture to obtain it within three-miles limit. 

 Q. * ear after year T A. Yes. 

 y. How do you know that ? A. I have seen them do so. 



The witness is then asked about halibut : 



t ?^, II *i' bu . t *^ . c ?"K ht , alon ? the north shore of the river St. Lawrence for the distance 



rules, to which you have referred T A. Yes. 



Q. And they are taken on the coast of Anticosti, and along the south coast, and along the 

 .er coaMs. on the south side of the St Lawrence, which you have mentioned ?-A. Yes, 

 from Cape Chatte to Cape Gasp6 ; this is a celebrated coast for halibut. 



