AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2857 



Q. Now, I Lave asked you where the boats have fished; I waut to ask 

 you so far as your observation exteuds whether the vessels fish in the 

 same places as the boats or further out ? A. I think the vessels fish 

 more oft shore than the boats do. 



Q. Have you made any observations jthis year, or looked to see where 

 the vessels were fishing? A. I have been watching the vessels since I 

 have been at Rustico this summer. 



Q. You told me of some instances in which you made a count? A. 

 That was at Cape George. I was there, and from the house I counted 

 with the glass some 31 vessels fishing. 



Q. How far off' were they? A. Well, most of them were wide out. 

 I counted three, I think, that were as I considered inside of the three- 

 mile limit. 



Q. Now, I see there is a Mr. Curry, a gentleman, on your island, I 

 believe, is not he ? A. Yes. 



Q. He reports you as having estimated the catch of mackerel in the 

 bay as being one-third inside of three miles and two-thirds outside. Did 

 you give any such estimate and under what circumstances ; and does 

 that correspond with your present belief? A. I recollect Mr. Curry com- 

 ing in and asking me about the fishing in the bay, and I gave him my 

 best judgment. 



Q. When was that? A. Several years ago, I think. My attention 

 has been called to it here. It was 1873, 1 think. I cannot recollect ex- 

 actly. 



Q. What do you say about that? A. I gave him my opinion to the 

 best of my judgment as I thought at that time. My opinion in regard 

 to distance is not of course equal to that of men who have been on the 

 sea all their lives catching mackerel. I have merely been around the 

 shores and conversed with the captains who have been fishing for me. 



Q. "Where do your captains belong? A. To the island, most of them. 



Q. What do you now say as to the distance that the vessels fish from 

 the shore off' the bend of the island ? Do they fish in where the boats 

 do or further off? A. They are sometimes in where the boats are, but 

 generally further out. 



Q. Is the boat fishing and vessel fishing the same kind? A. No. 



Q. Explain Uie difference. A. The boat goes from the shore and 

 brings the fish to the stage, and has them dressed on shore, as a gen- 

 eral thing. Some boats go out and stay three or four days from the 

 north part of the island. My boats make two trips a day in the sum- 

 mer, and in the fall they make one trip, the men taking their dinners 

 with them. The fish are all brought ashore and dressed ashore, and 

 my boats all fish on the half line or quarter line. 



Q. Now, can the vessels with a crew of 12 or 14 or 16 men get a prof- 

 itable catch of mackerel if they fish in where your boats do that make two 

 trips a day? What do you say about that? A. I don't know that 

 my opiuion'would be worth anything on that point. I never had any ex- 

 perience in the matter. There are some years I think they would. Other 

 years they would not. 



Q. As a matter of observation, do they usually fish as far in as the 

 boats do ? A. They don't. They fish further out. 



Q. If you were to estimate again as to the proportion of mackerel 

 caught within three miles of the shore by the vessels, would you con- 

 sider two-thirds a large or small estimate! A. If I was to estimate by 

 conversation with the men I have seen here from the States, I should 

 consider that a very large estimate. If I took my estimate from those 

 who have been fishing for me, and have been giving testimony before 



