1762 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Jeffrey Cook, fisherman, Ltmeiiburg, Nova Scotia: 



2. While in the Bay of Chaleur, the summer before last, I saw many American vessels 

 there engaged in fishing, and have also seen many of them there fishing since 1871. I 

 have counted, the summer before last, fifty American vessels within three-fourths of a mile 

 from each other. The most of the American vessels which I saw fished inshore around the 

 above-mentioned coasts. I saw them take both codfish and mackerel inshore, within three 

 miles of the shore. Mackerel are taken mostly all inshore, and I would not fit out a vessel 

 to take mackerel unless she fished inshore. 



James F. White, merchant, Prince Edward Island : 



IX The mackerel, in spring, come down the Nova Scotian shore, and then strike up the 

 bay to the Magdalen Islands ; from there some shoals move toward the bend of this island, 

 and others toward Bay Cbaleur, Gaspe, and round there. The Americans are well acquianted 

 with this habit of the mackerel and follow them. They have very smart schooners and fol- 

 low the fish along the shore, taking their cue, to a great extent, from what they see our boats 

 doing. 



John Champion, fisherman, Prince Edward Island : 



13. On an average there are eight hundred American vessels engaged in the cod, hake, and 

 mackerel fisheries in the bay, that is, including this island coast, the Magdalen Islands, the 

 New Brunswick and Nova Scotian coasts. There have been as many as fifteen hundred sail 

 in a season, according to their own accounts. I myself have seen three hundred sail of 

 them in a day. 



"Win. Champion, fisherman, Prince Edward Island: 



Was one year in an American vessel, down eastward on this island, and about Port Hood, 

 Antigonish, Cape George, and other places in that direction; the boats and also the schooners 

 fish close inshore. We fished right up in the Bay Chaleur and round the other shores of 

 the provinces. 



James B. Hadley, Port Mulgrave, notary public, merchant : 



The principal places where the Americans fish for mackerel in the summer months are all 

 over the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off Pomquet Island, Port Hood, Prince Edward Island, ia 

 the Northumberland Straits, off Point Miscou, as far up as the Magdalen River, across to the 

 Seven Islands, off and around Magdalen Islands ; and in the fall from East Point and the 

 Magdalen Islands, and Island Brion ; thence to Cape St. Lawrence and Port Hood, and 

 around the eastern shore of Cape Breton to Sydney Harbor. The trawling for codfish is done 

 ail around our shores from the first of May till fall. 



George McKenzie, master mariner, Prince Edward Island, was 40 

 years fishing : 



When the mackerel strike off for this island the American schooners never wait along the 

 bight of this island, but press up toward the North Cape, and Miscou, and Mira, and gen- 

 erally along the west coast of New Brunswick and up as far as Seven Islands above Anti- 

 cogti, as their experience has taught them that that is the quarter where the fish are to be 

 found first. Later on, in August and September they comeback into the bight of this island. 

 Nearly all the fish caught during these times are caught near the shores of the British pos- 

 sessions, although there are some American vessels which fished entirely in deep water away 

 from the land, but these are comparatively few. 



William II. Sweet, of Fall River, in the State of Massachusetts, United 

 States of America, but now of Port Hood, fisherman : 



1. I have l.pfii engaged in the fishing-vessels fitted out by the Americans for the past five 

 y-ttr*, ftii'l hitv.. been engaged during that time in fishing in all parts of the gulf, on the coast 

 / Ar Scotia, Cnjie Union, and 1'riitct Edward Inland, and on the shores of the Magdaleu 

 hlaud. 



It. A larpi- number of American vessels have been engaged in fishing in these waters for 

 BOIIH- year* jmM, Inking chiefly mackerel and codfish. 



James Archibald, fisherman, of Boston : 



I. I hav,- |MII .-ngagcd in the fishing business for 20 years past, and during seven years 



w-ii ashing in American vessels, in American and Canadian waters. 1 have 



engaged in various k. nds of fishing cm the coasts of Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton, in 



the golf and about the Magdalen Islands, and Prince Edward Island. I came into this port 



11 American fishing vessel, and have been engaged in fishing here during the present 



seacon. 



