2860 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Yen are satisfied you could not add the duty to the price of the 

 mackerel in the United States market ? A. No, it can't be done. 



Q. How low must mackerel be to have a large quantity taken in the 

 American market ? At what price does the willingness to purchase 

 begin to decidedly fall ? A. When No. 3 go up over $8 a barrel, and 

 No. 2 over $10, and No. 1 over $14, the market begins to drop. The 

 consumption falls off very much indeed. 



Q. Now, you didn't answer how many barrels of mess mackerel, or 

 very fine No. 1's, could be disposed of at $20 a barrel f A. Well, mess 

 mackerel is a very small percentage, not more than 3 per cent, of the 

 mackerel consumed. Looking at the papers to-day, I see we received, 

 from 1868 to 1876, of mess mackerel, including No. 1 and No. 2 mess 

 mackerel, we received in nine years 3,097 barrels in a total receipt of 

 mackerel of 145,980. 



Q. Can you sell this mackerel in Canada? Is there any Canadian 

 market ? A. No. I went through Canada and went through all the 

 cities and large places, and spent a long time one winter. 



Q. How far west did you go ? A. As far as Toronto. I sold a few 

 half barrels and kits altogether, a dozen to some parties. I thought we 

 could introduce them and I shipped them one or two different lots. They 

 sold a few, a very few, and I finally reshipped them to Detroit and 

 closed them up. The people didn't know much about them, and didn't 

 care much about them. 



Q. The boat fisheries of Prince Edward Island have increased and 

 flourished very much for the last few years? A. Yes, very much. They 

 have good reasons for it. 



Q. W r hat reasons ? A. A better class of fishermen. When we first 

 started business we had, of course, to work with green hands. Like 

 every other business, it has to be learned, and men have to be prepared 

 for it. Then when the duties were put on, the best fishermen left us 

 and went aboard American vessels. They could ship from the island 

 or go to Gloucester and get good vessels and have their fish go into the 

 United States and sell for their whole value. We had no other market, 

 and hud inferior men. Now, since we have a free market, these men 

 have been coming back. The character of the men and their ability to 

 fish has increased very much. So much so that I honestly think you 

 can calculate the catch of the same number of men now at 25 to 33 per 

 cent, more than it was formerly. 



Q. To what do you attribute this greater supply of boat fishermen 

 and better quality ? A. These men find they can fish here. This is 

 their home in many cases. A great many get boats and find they can 

 do very well here now fishing, and they stock at home and fish from the 

 shore. 



Q. Now, if the island were cut off from the United States market, 

 what would become of the fishermen ? A. Well, these fishermen would 

 probably go back to their old business. I would not want to fish if I 

 had to pay the duty on mackerel. 



Q. Your codfish don't go much to the United States market, at pres- 

 ent? A. No. Very little. 



Q. You cure them for the West Indies ? A. The small fish are cured 

 for the West India market, and the large fish are either consumed at 

 home or sent to Halifax. 



Q. If you were going to pursue the vessel mackerel-fishing from 

 Prince Edward Island would you require pogies as a necessary bait? 

 A. We never think of sending a vessel without pogies. 



Q. How is it that your boats get along with herring and make fair 





