AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 321? 



Mackerel first appear in the Spring about the Ant of April off the 

 American Coast near Cape Henry where they are generally caught or 

 taken in Seines and from there they follow the American' <'oa*t Ka*t 

 wardly to Cape Cod and from there they scatter, part remaining arunnd 

 the American Coast and part going K.istwardly along the Nova Scotia 

 Coast and entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence alwut the Unit of June, 



Mackerel are taken with Seines in large quantities on the American 

 Coast the last few Years formerly they were caught with hook* 



The American fishermen generally commence taking Mackerel in the 

 Gulf of St Lawrence or other parts of the Atlantic Coast of Brttuh 

 North America about the tenth of June and continue ashing until about 

 the first of November 



More than half the Mackerel caught along the Coast* of British North 

 America during the last ten Years by both Colonial and American flah- 

 ing Vessels were taken outside of three Miles from the Shore 



About ten Years ago there were upwards of three hundred American 

 fishing Vessels passed through the Strait of Canso into the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence every season for the purpose of Catching Mackerel & (Cod- 

 fish five years ago there probably two hundred vessels Since that 

 time the number has been decreasing until last year when there only 

 about Seventy Sail of American fishing Vessels in the Gulf of Si Law- 

 rence 



The average size of American fishing Vessels is about Seventy Tona. 

 such a Vessel when new would cost to build and rig about Six to seven 

 thousand Dollars and a vessel of the same would cost to build and rig in 

 the Provinces about three thousand to four thousand Dollar* 



The only fish the American catch inshore on the Atlantic Colonial 

 Coasts are Mackerel The most of the Americ in Mackerel tt.sherinen now 

 Catch Mackerel on their own coast only 



I believe that the right to fish on the American Coast would be as val- 

 uable to the people of the British Provinces as the Colonial tisherie* U 

 Americans provided our people had as good vessels and tilted themool 

 as well and had as much enterprise as the Americans The presence c 

 American fishermen in the Provinces is of great pecuniary gain and ad- 

 vantage to our people in consequence of said fishermen purchasing 

 our Ports large supplies of Provisions Bait Salt and fresh I 

 Wood Ice and all kinds of fishermen's supplies and occasionally n 

 repairs to their Vessels requiring Cables Anchors Canvas ( 

 Spars &c. &c From my experience I believe that the average expel 

 ture of American fishing Vessels in the British Provinces daring U 

 season would be upwards of Seven hundred Dollars 



The American fishermen make little or no use of the j 

 ing their fish and drying their nets on the Coast ot the 1 



The bait used for Catching Mackerel comes from 

 consists of Pogies and Clams and is taken almost eotlrelj 

 lean Coast Colonial fishing Vessels use the same I 

 tain it from the United States, Pogies are taken nearl; 

 Seines and within three miles of the land 



I was born in the Strait of Canso and am a 11 



for the Suppression of Voluntary and Extra 7, a A j A ,- K IIAN 

 202 F 



