AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2355 



waters. They bring their own fishermen with them, and anchor in our waters, and get 



their bait there. They sometimes come in the fall for bait. 



* * # * * # * 



Q. Where have they gone this year ? A. I think to Campobello, Deer Island, and those 

 places. 



Q. Still in British waters ? A. Yes ; we have the herring fishery. 



Q. How many came down in the spring 1 A. To the Grand Maiian grounds, 1 should say 

 forty sail. I would not say positively. 



Q. As a practical fisherman, you say about forty sail of them ? A. Yes. 



Q. Do you see them come in the fall? A. Yes; at all times of the year. 



#'# * # * * # 



Q. Then you believe the amount you have given is an underestimate ? A. I know it 

 must be over half a million dollars ; that is, our old $500,000. 



Q. That is within the mark for your own island ? A. Yes. 



Q. Of the British catch f A. Yes; our own Grand Manan people, because sometimes 

 they come over from Campobello and other places, but I have nothing to do with that. 



Q. Well, now, is the American catch larger or smaller? A. I think it is larger. 



Q. Have you any doubt? A. No; because their appliances are so much better than ours, 

 and I think their men outnumber ours. 



Q. I suppose they are just as assiduous in using their appliances ? A. Just as much so. 

 One of their vessels will take-more haddock in a short time than ours will in a whole year. 

 One of theirs took 150,000 pounds in a week, while all of ours took only 50,000 pounds in 

 the whole year. That was sold fresh. 



Do you know anything about that, whether it is true or not true ? 

 A. Some of it is exactly true, and some of it I don't know about. About 

 the Eastport boats outnumbering the Grand Manan boats, I don't know 

 whether that is true or not. 

 Q. Mr. McLaughliu further said : 



Q. On the mainland you say our catch must be half a million, and the American catch is 

 equal to that ? A. Yes ; I think so, because they coune down in the winter and follow these 

 fine harbors up. 



Q. You make for the mainland and islands a million and a half to be the catch of the 

 Americans, and the same for our own people ? A. I think that would be fair. 



Q. That is within our waters, within three marine miles / A. Yes. 



Are you able to say anything about that, whether it is correct or 

 not? A. I have been at Grand Manan all my days. I know but just 

 one place round there where you can get bottom within three miles, I 

 was going to say. That is right between Swallow's Tail and Long Island, 

 where it is not more than three miles from land to land. There is good 

 hooking there, and that is where all the Grand Manau fishermen go for 

 hake, cod, and pollack. I cannot say about the Eastport people, for 

 they are so much connected with the Grand Mauau people. The East- 

 port vessels go there to fish, and the Grand Manan people come and fish 

 in Passamaquoddy Bay. I never heard of anytrouble. They told me at 

 Eastport there was no trouble about the fishing in the river. In regard 

 to herring catches, it was Campobello men who chartered Eastport ves- 

 sels, and they always tried to charter me. They get the vessels to go in 

 and live in, and give the skipper a certain share and the vessel a certain 

 share, and carry their own nets, and catch the fish. I never knew an 

 American carry a net there in my life. I have been there when the men 

 have caught herrings from St. John's to Campobello, along the whole 

 shore. I have been there six years running buying herring, and I 

 never saw an American vessel fishing there in my life, except those 

 chartered in that way. They got a Lubec pinkey there once. Four men 

 at Campobello chartered her. They had no skipper o;i her then, and 

 they gave a certain share for the use of the vessel. 1 don't know what 

 the catch was. 



Q. I will also read some extracts from the testimony of Mr. James 

 McLean, merchant, Letite Passage, N. B. Do you know Letite Pas- 

 sage? A. Yes. 



