2866 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Did McDonald use the seine in tbe Lettie ? A. ~No. 



Q. Who used them, and on what part of the coast were they used ? 

 A. The purse-seine I had with Captain Rogers, of Massachusetts. He 

 fished along the coast, in the bend of the island, and back and fofth 

 round the island shores. Afterwards I had a seine with Captain Mar- 

 shall. 



Q. Did he fish round the island ! A. The year he caught fish he took 

 them over at Gaspe" Harbor. 



Q. You say that in 1874 all the fish were taken inshore ; I mean, of 

 course, a very large part of them ? A. I said the fish were very near 

 the shore in 1874, more so than I ever knew them. 



Q. Some of the witnesses have stated that there has been a tendency 

 of the fish to frequent the shores of late years. Have you noticed that 

 the fish have been taken closer to the shore of late years than in 1855 

 or 1860 ? A. I think the fish vary from year to year; I could not ex- 

 press a general opinion on that point. I believe the vessels of the island 

 fish nearer the island than the American vessels, and follow our coast 

 more closely ; I believe that has led to the impression that the fishing is 

 so much inshore. 



Q. Were not Banks Bradley and Orphan formerly known as great 

 fishing places ? A. They have not been able to take many fish anywhere 

 during the last three years. The American fleet that has come dowu 

 has been a small fleet, and they have taken very few. 



Q. Are not most ot the American vessels furnished with seines this 

 year? A. Pretty much all on the American coast. 



Q. And here? A. A good many, a large number. 



Q. You have stated that seining has not been a success with us ? A. 

 It has not been profitable either to American vessels or those fishing 

 from the island. 



Q. But most of the fleet have seines this year? A. I could not give 

 the proportion of the fleet which has come to the bay with seines. I 

 counted ten vessels with seines. 



Q. Would you say that one-half of the vessels in the gulf are fur- 

 nished with seines? A. Perhaps one-third. 



Q. I believe you have a claim against the American Government for 

 a refund of duties 1 A. Yes. 



Q. It remains there yet? A. Yes. 



Q. What is its amount ? A. $30,700. 



Q. You told Mr. Foster that if a duty was reimposed you would con- 

 sider very seriously whether you would continue in the business ? A. 

 Yes. 



Q. You made that statement on the assumption that you paid the 

 duty ? A. Yes. 



Q. I think it has been explained very clearly that the price of fish 

 depends almost altogether on the catch ; this is the case to a large ex- 

 tent f A. To a large extent ; yes. If there is a large catch of mackerel 

 prices rule low, and if there is a small catch they rule high. 



Q. If the evidence given here on the part of British witnesses is 

 correct, two-thirds of the fish taken by American vessels in the gulf, I 

 may say, are caught inshore ; and, assuming that two-thirds of their 

 whole catch in the gulf is taken inside of the three-mile limit, could the 

 American fleet, if they were excluded from fishing within this limit, 

 prosecute the gulf fishery for the other third ; would this pay them ? A. 

 I think it would be a difficult business to do so, if that proportion is 

 correct. 



Q. Have you any difficulty at all in answering this question j could 





