3098 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



the past season only one out of all our vessels has been engaged in fish- 

 ing oft' the coast of Canada In 1866 we sent seven vessels out of a fleet 

 of Eight sail to British waters; In 1867 the same number were sent 

 there; In 1868 four vessels In 1869 three vessels In 1870 four ves- 

 sels, 1871 three vessels, 1872 only two vessels with an increase of fleet 

 to ten sail 1873 four vessels, 1874 with an increase of fleet to twelve 

 sail we sent only four vessels- 

 Si nee the Treaty we have used the inshore fisheries very little and 

 our principal catch has been at the Magdalen Islands and on the Banks 

 For the last two years nearly all our vessels going to the Banks of 

 Newfoundland for'cod fish have touched at Colonial Ports and pur- 

 chased herring bait there for use on the Banks, they also carry some 

 salted bait from home for the codfishery There is no inshore fishing 

 for bait on the British Coast by United States vessels I should con- 

 sider seven eighths of all fisheries pursued by Americans on the 

 Canadian shores consists of deep sea fishing, while only the remaining 

 eighth inshore where only mackerel are caught. 



I can conceive of no injury to Canadian fishermen that can be caused 

 by our fishing in their waters side by side with them, but I should 

 think that it would be a great benefit to them on account of the large 

 amount of bait thrown overboard by American fishermen which attracts 

 the fish The only bait used for mackerel is the porgie or menhaden 

 which is found entirely in the United States and which all the Canadi- 

 ans have to buy from the Americans in a salted state, this fish (the 

 porgie) is not found in Canadian Waters and is almost the only bait 

 used in the mackerel fishery ; if the Canadians were unable to procure 

 this bait, they would be compelled to use herring bait which is much 

 inferior for the purpose The bait which we buy from, them for the cod- 

 fishery consists of herring and some small mackerel 



For the last ten years our firm has averaged to pay the Canadians 

 from $800 to $1000 T <^ a year for this bait We are also in the habit of 

 purchasing in the Provinces any supplies, ice &c of which our vessels 

 may be in need our supplies thus purchased amount to about $500 a 

 year on the average In reference to the purchase of bait from the 

 Americans by Canadian fishermen, I have known vessels to sail from 

 this port with as many as three hundred barrels of porgie bait on. 

 board which was sold in Halifax and the Straits of Canso to Canadian 

 fishermen. 



I think the right of fishermen of either nation under the treaty to 

 land dry nets &c on the shores of the other, amounts to nothing on 

 either side, All fishing vessels are now in the habit of curing all their 

 fish at the home ports 



During the period of the former Reciprocity Treaty and since the 

 Treaty of Washington, the importations of fish into the United States 

 from the Provinces have been very large and have materially interfered 

 with the profits of our fishermen, this is especially the case with the 

 mackerel almost all of which, that are caught by the Canadians are 

 sent into the United States for sale Also all their large codfish are 

 sold in the United States as they have a market for the small cod only 

 at home All their fat herring and No. 1 salmon are sold in the United 

 States 



I consider the Treaty of Washington of much more value to the Prov- 

 inces than to the United States I should prefer the old duty on fish 

 and would be willing to give up all our rights of inshore fisheries under 

 the Treaty, if the tariff could be renewed This conclusion is the result 

 ol lour years experience under the Treaty of Washington and also un- 



