AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2527 



No. 55. 



JOSEPH LAKEMAN, fisherman, of Grand Manau Island, was called on 

 behalf of the Government of the United States, sworn and examined. ' 



By Mr. Trescot : 



Question. Where were you born ? Answer. In Lnbec, State of Maine. 



Q. Where are you now living ? A. On Grand Manan Island. 



Q. Are you now a British subject ? A. No. 



Q. When did you move from Maine to Grand Manan? A. In 1845. 



Q. Have you lived at Grand Manau since ? A. Yes. 



Q. What has been your occupation at Grand Manan ? A. I began 

 there in the green fish trade as a merchant, and I added to that weir 

 and vessel fishing. 



Q. And are you now weir and vessel fishing ? A. I am not now 

 vessel fishing, but I am weir fishing. I make that a specialty. 



Q. What fish are caught at and in the neighborhood of Grand 

 Manan ? A. Herring principally, and also cod, pollock, and hake. 



Q. What are you especially engaged in ? A. The herring fishery. 



Q. Smoked or frozen ? A. Smoked mostly. We freeze some few, but 

 not many. 



Q. Have you any idea as to the number of boxes of herring put up 

 on the average annually at Grand Mauan in connection with the smoked 

 herring fishery ? A. From 300,000 to 500,000 boxes are put up. The 

 number depends upon the run of the fishing about the island. 



Q. Is the smoked-herring fishery of Grand Manan almost entirely a 

 weir fishery ? A. Yes ; about all of it is so. Very few net herring are 

 smoked. 



Q. Who prosecutes the herring fishery, as a rule ? Is it a native 

 fishery, or is it participated in by people outside by Americans ? A. 

 I cannot now call to mind any person, American born, who is engaged 

 in the business at the present time, except Mr. Small, who is engaged 

 in it to a very limited extent he is a native-born American, and has 

 been naturalized and myself. 



Q. As far as the herring fishery goes, it is entirely a Grand Manan 

 fishery, carried on by the native population ? A. Yes, generally speak- 

 ing this is the case. 



Q. Where are the smoked herring sent? A. Mostly to the American 

 market. 



Q. In American or Grand Manan vessels ? A. Within the last few 

 years, since, the new treaty caine into operation, and Canadian fish were 

 allowed to enter the American market free of duty, they have bought 

 coasting-vessels. 



Q. Who have done so ? A. Our people. 



Q. The Grand Manau people? A. Yes; they are owned at our island, 



and have been bought on the American side. American vessels have 



been converted into English vessels, and they are run to New York and 



Boston, taking there the fish of the island and smoked herring principally. 



Q. Do you know anything about the frozen-herring business? A. Yes. 



Q. How is it conducted, and what sort of a business is it? A. The 

 herring which are frozen are caught principally by our people on the 

 island, and sold to the American vessels, which come there for them. 



Q. Do you know any appreciable proportion of American vessels 

 which come there, catch herring, and freeze them ? A. I do not. 



Q. What other fisheries besides the herring fishery are carried on at 

 and around Manan Island ? A. The cod, pollock, and hake fisheries. 



