AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2943 



away from the fleet and get their fares, because the best fares, or equally 

 good ones, have been caught with salt bait. 



Q. Would you be inclined to send vessels to fish with salt bait when 

 a large portion of the fleet are using fresh bait ? A. Yes. I would have 

 them go with salt bait, if they would do it, and go away from the rest of 

 the fleet on the Grand Banks, and fish by themselves. If they would go 

 away from the fleet and fish on their own ground, they would get fish 

 with salt bait. 



Q. Has it ever been done in your experience? A. Yes; Province- 

 town vessels use nothing but clams. I was talking with a man the other 

 day who uses salt bait, and he said he gets his fare of from 1,200 to 

 1,400 quintals. But though we have used fresh bait, we have not had 

 a successful trip to the Grand Banks. 



Q. You don't know if the captains would consent ? A. If the captains 

 would go, I would like to send them in that way and let them use salt 

 bait. 



Q. Do you know anything about halibut-fishing on the eastern shore 

 of Anticosti ? A. I know that several years ago some vessels caught 

 two or three trips there ; but it was afterwards given up. I don't know 

 oue vessel that has been there for two or three vessels. 



By Mr. White way : 



Q. Have you ever been on the Grand Banks fishing yourself ? A. 

 No. 



Q. You had only a vessel there one year ? A. We had one this year, 

 one last year. 



Q. The three past years include all your experience of fishing on the 

 Grand Banks ? A. For the last five years we have had from one to two 

 vessels. 



Q. You have had no experience personally of the advantages of either 

 fresh or salt bait ? A. Not on the Grand Bank ; all I get is from talk- 

 iug with men who fish with salt bait. 



Q. Do you indorse the opinion that where fresh bait is used it is use- 

 less to adopt salt bait? A. I think it is; but the vessel with salt bait 

 can go to a different part of the ground. 



Q. As far as regards the actual time necessary to go i ito the coast-of 

 Newfoundland or Cape Breton and get fresh bait, you cannot judge? 

 A. I think I can. I have been told I always asked in regard to it 

 that if they could get bait readily after they go in, it would take from 

 10 to 12 days; about 10 days, I should judge, from what they told me. 

 But they do not always get bait readily ; sometimes they have to go to 

 St. Peter's for ice and down to Conception Bay for bait. 



Q. May they not waste their time occasionally ? A. I have no doubt 

 they do sometimes. 



No. 77. 



ROGER W. WONSON, of Gloucester, Mass., fish merchant, called on 

 behalf of the Government of the United States, sworu and examined: 



By Mr. Dana: 



Question. Your age, I believe is forty-three, and you were born and 

 live at Gloucester ? Answer. Yes. 



Q. Did you in early life have any experience as a practical fisher- 

 man ? A. Three or four years. 



Q. Then you went into the fishing business ? A. Yes. 



Q. What year did you go into the business of buying and selling fish 

 and fitting out ? A. Eighteen hundred and fifty-one. 



