AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3095 



large codfish their small codfish go to the West Indies and in coo- 

 suined at home. 



The effect ou the codfisheries of the United State** in to hrin^ them 

 into severe competition with the Canadians who by reason of the greater 

 cheapness of building: and equipping vessells in which they have an 

 advantage over us of from 25 to 50 percent could if they had ,, ,.,| 

 capital and enterprise monopolise the business to the exclusion of our 

 own fishermen. 



The mackerel are the only fish caught at all in shore, the relative im- 

 portance of mackerel in the trade of the country has for Home year* 

 been* steadily diminishing, they are much less use'd than formerly*. In 

 the Western States whitefish from the lakes are taking their place 

 largely. 



The quality of Mackerel caught off'-the coasts of the British province* 

 is also much poorer than formerly and the quantity taken much leu*. 

 Not one tenth of the mackerel caught in British waters are taken within 

 three miles of the shore. 



And for the last three or four years the seine fishery for mackerel off 

 the United States coasts has been very successful. In 1875 the catch 

 of the British coast was very small. 



I have no doubt the free importation of mackerel into the United 

 States is a benefit to, the provinces which far more than cnmpeiiNatM 

 for all the United States can gain by fishing inshore. The United 

 States is the only market for fat mackerel and almost the only oue for 

 the poorer grades. 



I should rather be subject to the restrictions formerly itn|M>Md and 

 not be allowed to fish within three miles of the coast, if duties could b 

 again imposed on fish from the provinces. 



GEORGE STEELE 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



ESSEX ss GLOUCESTER Dec L M Jth 1875 



Then personally appeared the abovenamed George Steele to me known 

 and made oath that all the foregoing statements by him subscribed are 

 true so far as they depend upon his own knowledge and as fur an they 

 depend upon information and belief he believes thrm to he true, 

 before me DAVID W. LOW 



(Seal.) 



No. 34. 



I Sylvanus Smith of Gloucester in the county of Essex and Common, 

 wealth of Massachusetts being duly sworn depose and 

 forty seven years old and am a member of the firm of Smiil 

 our firm ownes seventeen (17) vessels I have been engage* 

 ing business twenty eight years, seventeen years as MUIHUT 

 and eleven years on shore fitting out vessels for the cod and 

 ipheries-Lafityearonlytwooatofourwhole fleet were eoftgedi 



off the Canadian coast-No portion of all the rat.-h awl y*i 

 inshore-In 1874 we had rive vessels in Canadian \\ .ter* and 

 think about oue eighth part of the fish caught were taken will, 

 milesof the shore-In 1873 we had six vessels ,n Canadian N ** 

 very few fish were taken inshore-For the last eight 

 fishing off the coast of Canada has steadily decreased 

 profitable and fewer and fewer vessels are sent thert 

 of the mackerel caught are taken on the United States oottt 



