1950 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Have you been fishing in boats ? A. I have not myself 5 iny boys 

 have been. 



Q. What kind of boats do they generally use ? A. Various sizes. 

 There are a great many large two-sail boats with a jib on them. 



Q. What kind of boats have you used for the last eight or ten years ? 

 A. I never used anything but small boats. I did not fish the last two 

 years at all. 



Q. You don't go out to take herrings ? A. Well, we generally have 

 a skiff and a separate boat. 



Q. Have you a skiff or a boat? A. I have a keel-boat for fishing on 

 a flat bottom for the herring fishery. 



Q. For the herring-fishing you used a skiff? A. Yes. 



Q. How far from the shore do you obtain your fish I now refer to 

 herring ? A. We go to our weirs. 



Q. I am not speaking of the weirs. You say you get no fish in your 

 weirs until September? A. I don't try to fish in boats until the herring 

 come into the weirs. 



Q. Then I understand you to say that you do not attempt to catch 

 herring with boats, but you only use boats to take the fish from the 

 weirs f A. That is what we do. 



Q. As regards the herring, you do not take them till September? A. 

 Yes, the weir herring. 



Q. Did you ever go out with your skiff and take herring except out 

 of your weirs ? A. Not in our weir skiff. 



Q. We will dismiss the skiff from our consideration and make the ac- . 

 quaintance of the boat. Did you go out in the boat to catch herring? 

 A. We went out to the Ripplings to look for herring. 



Q. Have you gone out to the BippHngs during the last ten years ? 

 A. No ; I have not. 



Q. How long is it since you last went out there ? A. I cannot tell. 



Q. Twenty years ago ? A. Probably 12 or 14 years ago. 



Q. Have you got that boat yet ? A. No. 



Q. Have you got any boat in place of it ? A. Yes ; another which 

 we nse for that business. 



Q. For what do you use the new boat ? A. Not to go herring-fishing. 



Q. For what do you use it ? A. For cod-fishing line-fishing. 



Q. 1 understand that all the fish you have taken for the last 14 years 

 are fish taken with your skiff and out of your weirs? A. That is her- 

 ring fishing. I cannot say I have myself taken my boat and gone to 

 catch anything in any other way except out of my weirs. 



Q. And you do not begin to do that till September ? A. Yes. 



Q. How early in spring do the herring strike in at Grand Mauan ? 

 A. It varies a great deal. 



Q. What time did they strike in this year? A. This spring they did 

 Dot strike in until late. 



Q. Where did they strike in ? A. At North Head. You are speak- 

 ing of the \veir fish ? 



Q. I am speaking generally of herring. A. The net herring and 

 small weir herring are different. We look for the herring striking first 

 at North Head. 



Q. What is the difference between the North Head herring which 

 strike in in the spring and weir herring? A. For spring herring a two 

 and a half inch mesh is used, and for weir herring a two inch mesh. 



Q. Then I understand that the weir herring is a small and inferior 

 herring compared with the other? A. At times they are: theyare mixed 

 schools. 



