3228 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



of all descriptions, homespun cloth, mittens & socks &c and I am of the 

 opinion that on account of the money they spend they have very mate- 

 rially benefitted the people of these Provinces while I am not aware 

 that their presence on the coasts of the Dominion has in any respect 

 been injurious to the interests of its inhabitants I think that about 

 one half of the crew of the American fishing fleet is composed of natives 

 and residents of the Maritime Provinces All fat mackerel as far as I 

 know goes to the United States and I make this solemn declaration 

 conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of an Act 

 passed during" the 37th year of Her Majesty's reign entitled an Act for 

 the suppression of voluntary and extra-judicial oaths. 

 Dated Pirate Cove July 20th 1877. 



SAMUEL P PEEPLES 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE AT 



PICTOU, NOVA SCOTIA 

 PIRATE COVE July 20th 1877. 



I hereby certify that at Pirate Cove, County of Guysboro', Nova Sco- 

 tia, the above named Samuel A. Peoples, on this 20th day of July 1877 

 voluntarily made before me and subscribed in my presence the forego- 

 ing "Solemn Declaration. 

 Attested : 



OSCAR MALMROS 



U. 8. Consul 

 No. 154. 



I, Isaiah Critteuden do solemnly declare that I am a British subject, 

 a native of Nova Scotia and living at Pirate Cove Guysboro' County 

 Nova Scotia I am 42 years old and have been employed in fishing every 

 summer since I was 13 years old, during the last 27 summers I have 

 always been engaged as one of the crew of American fishing vessels; 

 the American fishing vessels hardly ever dry their nets or cure fish on 

 the Coasts of the Dominion of Canada about 40 to 50 American herring 

 fishing vessels have annually visited the coasts of the Provinces of the 

 Dominion of Canada their crew is about 7 or 8 men each vessel the'ir 

 catch per vessel has been about 600 barrels during the last 6 years each 

 season from 8 to 10 years back the American mackerel fishing fleet 

 consisted of from 300 to 500 sails per season in the Gulf of St Lawrence 

 the mackerel fishing vessels average about 12 to 14 men as a crew 

 during the last G years and particularly the last 2 the mackerels have 

 been getting very scarce the reason being according to my opiniou'and 

 that of many old fishermen that the scarcity of bait found by the mack- 

 erel induced them to go to other grounds the bait was scarce because 

 the American fishing fleet had been driven away by the Dominion Rev- 

 enue Cutters 'during the fishery troubles of 1870 or I think it was 1871 

 from that time the mackerel fishery began to fall off the same falling 

 off took place when the Revenue Vessels of Great Britain interfered 

 with the American fishermen about the years 1853 or 1855 and the 

 Americans in consequence resorted in but small numbers to the Gulf of 

 St Lawrence during the last 5 years according to the best estimate I 

 can form the American fishing fleet fishing for mackerel in the Gulf of 

 St Lawrence has consisted of about 250 sails during the season that is 

 if I strike an average of their number during that period the Ameri- 

 can mackerel fishing vessels begin to arrive in the Gulf of St Lawrence 

 about the beginning of June in each year in small numbers, but the 

 greater number arrive only after the first week in July or even as 



