2514 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Lubec, which is in the same district as Eastport, I think fits six vessels, 

 with which they fish exclusively on the Bank. They don't fish on the 

 inshore ground. I could name these vessels, but I didn't bring any list. 

 Then Lemoiue, in Maine, has had at Grand Manau this year, fishing, 

 three vessels. They fish without the limits. What we call Lubec 

 Narrows has had one. Cutler has had two. At Pembroke, Perry, and 

 all these places the people are not fishermen. They don't go fishing. 

 They may take a boat when the pollack is in, in the summer, and go 

 down one or two days, and catch a few fish to take home for the winter's 

 use, but they don't make a practice of fishing and they have not. 



Q. This question was asked Mr. Maclelan : "Along that coast, from 

 Eastport and Lubec toward Mount Desert, are there not great numbers 

 of fishing villages that depend upon fishing fora living?" And the 

 answer was : " They are about the same as our own ; they live on coast- 

 ing, fishing, farming, lumbering, and so on, just exactly as ours do. I 

 know no difference between them." Then the question was asked : 

 " Without our fisheries could they live by fishing?" And the answer 

 was: "No ; because if they could they would not come to our fisheries. 

 They would not come so far away. They do not have fisheries of their 

 own." Now, of course, without the fisheries they could not live by fish- 

 ing; but do you know of any community from Eastport to Mount Desert 

 that depends upon fishing, and that would be compelled to go over to 

 Grand Manan waters to fish ? A. No ; not for the last twenty years. 

 As 1 tell you, Lemoine had this year three vessels ; last year it had two. 

 They used to have eight or ten thirty years ago. And these men have 

 gone into the Bank fishing to Grand Bank. This year there are only 

 three that have favored the Bay of Fundy fishing, and they fish on the 

 Grand Manan Bank, at a place which is outside the limits. 



Q. In your experience in the smoked herring business could the busi- 

 ness sustain a duty of a dollar a barrel ? A. Well, it has always been 

 by the box. I think the old duty was five cents a bag. 



Q. If that duty were reimposed what would be the effect ? A. The 

 people would have to stop smoking them now. 



Q. How is it about the accuracy of this statement, according to 

 your judgment: "Q. Now, taking Grand Manan, judging by the re- 

 turns that the fishermen give you, can you tell us what each family 

 makes by fishing f Do you know that from statements of their own, or 

 from personal observation ! A. I think $1,000 a year would be the 

 utmost each would make. I don't mean clear; they certainly would not 

 clear that"? A. I should think that was large. Still, as I don't visit 

 Grand Manan, and I don't know how the people live there now, I should 

 rather not answer as to that. 



Q. What would you estimate to be the money-value of the fish that 

 the average fisherman would catch there in a'year ? A. They would 

 have to be divided into a good many classes the weir-fishermen, the 

 hake-fishermen, and the people of Grand Manan farm a good deal in 

 connection with their fishing. They all raise their own potatoes, and 

 have cows, and are well to do. It would be a pretty hard thing for me 

 to state. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. Did you ever know a fisherman who prosecuted that business for 

 a living and got rich ? A. Some I know of since we had reciprocity, 

 both at Grand Manan and Deer Island, who went into the smoked- 

 herring and herring-oil business that are very well off. 



Q. Well, that is business ! A. Yes, sir ; but I never knew a man 





