AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2867 



they come to the bay to fish for one-third of their usual catch ? A. I 

 should uot think that they could thus do a successful business ; it would 

 be unsuccessful under such circumstances. 



Q. You think it would uot pay them then to come ? A. Not if they 

 caught two-thirds of their fish inside of and were excluded from the 

 three-mile limit. 



Q. Supposing that they catch that quantity within the limits, what 

 would be the eifect if they were excluded from this limit, and if, in con- 

 sequence, two-thirds of the quantity which they caught were withdrawn 

 from the market ! A. That would depend upon the catch on the Amer- 

 ican shore. 



Q. You gave one year, 1871, when a great catch was made on the 

 American shore ! A. Yes. 



Q. Suppose that the catch on the American shore was not large, and 

 that they were excluded from fishing within the limits in the gulf, where, 

 we will assume, they get two-thirds of their fish, what would be the 

 effect ? A. If there was a large catch here they would feel it very 

 much. 



Q. Who f A. They would. 



Q. Would the price then go up! A. If there was a large catch here, 

 and no catch there, this would be the case. 



Q. Would the price go up under the circumstances I have mentioned, 

 if the catch on the American shore was not a large one. What would 

 be the effect of this on the fish caught by the island fishermen and 

 forwarded to the States ? A. That would most likely enhance the 

 price. 



Q. So the question as to who pays the duty depends almost altogether 

 on the catch, and whether the Americans are allowed to fish within the 

 limits in the gulf? A. Yes; the fact is that they take three-quarters of 

 the catch, that is the trouble. Some years they have a large catch, and 

 some vears this is not the case. 



Q. Take the average : you mean to say that, taking what the Ameri- 

 cans catch in their vessels here aud on their own coast, they take three- 

 quarters of the catch ? A. I mean to say that the inspection in the 

 States shows that three-quarters of the fish are taken by American, 

 vessels. 



Q. But you cannot state what proportion of this catch is taken in the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence ? A. No ; no farther than I hear, that this catch: 

 has been very small during the last three years. 



Q. But how is it on the whole no duty has been levied during the 

 last three years ? A. That does not make their catch any less. Of 

 course, if there was good fishing iu the gulf, aud they had free access 

 to the inshore fisheries, they would be more willing to come to the gulf 

 than if licenses were required, or if they were excluded from these 

 inshore fisheries. 



Q. A number of American witnesses have told me that they desire 

 duties put on our fish, because this would give them an enhanced price 

 for their fish ; do you agree with that view f A. No. 



Q. You think that all who state that opinion are in error? A. I think 

 they are mistaken. 



Q. You differ iu opinion on this point from every one of them ? A. I 

 I think they are mistaken iu supposing that the putting on of a 



ty would give them more a barrel for their fish. Taking it altogether, 



think that this would not be the case. 



Q. If you are correct iu thinking that a duty would exclude our fish, 



