2466 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



For instance, if you were out 2, 3, or 4 miles would there be any diffi- 

 culty in telling the distance from the shore ? A. Well, no, not much 

 difficulty about telling it. 



Q. You think there would be no difficulty in telling whether you were 

 two, three, or four miles off ? A. You can tell when you are out ten 

 miles from laud. When you are oft' ten miles Prince Edward Island, it 

 looks low. 



Q. Is there any difficulty when you are two, three, or four miles off, in 

 ascertaining where you are exactly? A. When you get the opinion of 

 four or five men you can judge within a mile or half a mile. 



Q. You think it would require the opinions of four or five men? A. 

 To see how they agree on it. Some might say they were four or five 

 miles out, when they were not more than two miles from shore. 



Q. They might think they were four or five miles out when they were 

 only two? A. Yes. 



Q. One witness told us that a great many fish were taken four miles 

 from laud, and that there was good fishing-ground four miles out; is 

 that a fact ? A. Who was it said so ! 



Q. A witness who was examined here to-day. What do you think of 

 the statement that there is a very good fishing-ground just four miles 

 out? A. There might be, but I don't know where it is. 



Q. You have been many years on the 'American coast! A. Yes. 



Q. Fishing mackerel ? A. Yes. 



Q. How many miles from the coast did you as a general rule take 

 your mackerel ? A. I have been out 60 miles. 



Q. Is that the general distance ? A. No. 



Q. What is the general distance? A. Probably from 15 to 20 miles 

 off. 



Q. Are there many traps and pounds along the coast for catching 

 mackerel? A. No. 



Q. You don't kuow about those, for you have not fished along the 

 shores? A. I never fished along the shore much. 



Q. You have never been employed in connection with traps and 

 pounds? A. No. 



Q. Do you know if much mackerel is caught in the traps and pounds ? 

 A. No. 



Q. What years were you fishing on the American coast ? A. I was 

 there a year ago this fall. 



Q. What other years? A. I was fishing there three years ago this 

 fall. 



Q. Five years ago, were you there then ? A. Yes. 



Q. Was the fishing you had then pretty good ? A. Yes, very good. 



Q. Has it been increasing or diminishing? A. It has increased. 



Q. NVithin what time? A. Up to one year ago. This season it has 

 been nothing scarcely. 



Q. Nothing at all ? A. There has been some fishing. 



Q. Were 1875 and 1876 very good years ? A. Yes. 



Q. How were 1870 and 1871? A. The fishing was fair. 



Q. What do you call fair ? A. It was just about an average of the 

 last fifleen years. 



Q. Have you noticed any decrease in fishing on that coast within the 

 last ten years T A. Some seasons the fishing was not as good, but 

 mackerel have been there during that time. 



Q. The mackerel have not been taken, but may have been in the 

 water? A. Yes. 



