2568 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



have taken out licenses if the fish had been somewhere where they 

 could not take them without a license. 



Q. They could not go inside to try ? A. Others could, and they 

 would know it, for it would be reported to them. If they knew the 

 fish were within the 3-mile limit, it would only have taken the vessel one 

 day to have got a license, and on board of the cutters themselves licenses 

 could be obtained. 



Q. You have said you did not take out licenses in 1868 because the 

 price had gone up ? A. Yes. 



Q. That was the reason ! A. Yes. 



Q. It had nothing to do with the fish taken? A. You asked me if 

 that was not the reason why they did not get more mackerel. If they 

 could have got mackerel in large quantities in that prohibited ground 

 by taking out licenses, I know that, though I had given directions not 

 to take licenses, they would have taken them. 



Q. Did you give directions not to take licenses ? A. I did, I think. 



Q. You gave the captains directions not to take out licenses ? A. I 

 think the matter was talked of, and it was considered that it would not 

 pay, as the expense was too large. 



Q. You gave instructions not to take licenses ? A. I think so. I 

 don't remember exactly. 



Q. And the five vessels took 625 barrels? A. Those are the actual 

 figures taken from the books. 



Q. Can you tell me, from the comparative statsment of the bay and 

 shore trips, which you have given in, what is the length of time occu- 

 pied on the bay and shore trips, respectively ? A. The shore trip com- 

 prises the season for that vessel, though the catch is taken ou different 

 trips, occupying different lengths of time. 



Q. You are instituting a comparison between trips made in the bay 

 and off" the shore, and unless we know the times occupied by the vessels, 

 no comparisons can be made? A. The vessels would average about 

 four months or so each. The shore vessels laud several trips each, while 

 the "bay vessels only make two fares. 



Q. The shore vessels fish from early spring till fall ? A. Perhaps a 

 part of the fleet went out on 1st June. I don't know that we had any 

 go south in May, but we may have had one or two early in June. 



Q. And from then till November ? A. Yes. 



Q. They fish late there ? A. About the same time as in the bay ; 

 sometimes a week later, but it depends on the weather. 



Q. You think the mackerel are about as late in the bay as on your 

 own coast? A. If the weather permitted. There may be a week or 

 ten days' difference ten days, I should say. 



Q. That opinion is different from what we have heard from some of 

 the other witnesses ? A. I say perhaps ten days if there is fair weather. 

 Usually, after October, it is very boisterous, and our vessels don't get 

 much chance of fishing, and come away. There are often mackerel 

 there, but there is not much chance to catch them. I have often found 

 mackerel there later than many of the vessels stay, but I had no chance 

 to catch them. 



Q. You cannot tell me the exact time the vessels were occupied in 

 catching the trips ? A. Not the exact time. 



Q. Are the mackerel you catch on your shore classed No. 3's along in 

 the spring? A. They are mostly always threes till the middle of June. 

 Along about then they begin to get some fat on them, but not much. 



Q. They don't go beyond No. 3's ? A. We get some 2's. 



Q. Any proportion ? A. Not a large quantity. 



