AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3237 



American fishing fleet fishing off the Coasts of the British Provinces 

 consist of natives who are at the same time residents of the Provinces 

 and I do not refer to those who have removed their residence to Glou- 

 cester and other places in the United States I do not think that the 

 presence of the American fishing vessels in the Gulf of St Lawrence 

 lessens the chances of Colonial fishermen to catch fish on the contrary 

 my experience has taught me that mackerel are more easily perceived 

 when there are fishing vessels distributed all over the Gulf, then when 

 they rise at one place the others see it by their spy-glasses and join the 

 vessels where the fish rise and all get their share of fish, when there are 

 but few vessels on the fishing grounds they may not at all get to know 

 at what spots to find the mackerel the latter also rise better when more 

 bait is thrown out than can be done by a few vessels I have no doubt 

 that the presence of the American fishermen on the coasts of these 

 Provinces has, been of great benefit to them, nearly half our fishermen 

 might almost starve if it was not for the employment given them by the 

 American vessels, And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously 

 believing the same to be true and by virtue of an Act passed during t'ue 

 37th year of Her Majesty's reign entituled an Act for the suppression 

 of voluntary and extra-judicial oaths. 

 Dated Cape Jack July 24. 1877. 



his 



ALLAN + MCDONALD 



mark. 



In presence of 



JAMES G. McKEEN 

 OSCAE MALMROS 



PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA 



COUNTY OF ANTIGONISH 



I hereby Certify that the above named Allan McDonald voluntarily 

 made and affixed his mark of hand before me at Cape Jack Settlement 

 in Said County of Antigonish the foregoing solemn declaration 

 Given under my hand and Notarial Seal this 24th day of July 1877 

 (Seal.) JAMES G McKEEN 



Notary Public 

 No. 163. 



I, Donald McDonald (Duncan's son) do solemnly declare : that I am 

 living about 7 of a mile south of Cape Jack Light House in Antigonish 

 County, Nova Scotia that I am 69 years old and have been fishing for 

 the last 50 years with the exception of one summer and during that 

 year I went out in the fall mackerel fishing I have been on American 

 and Nova Scotian fishing vessels mackerel and codfishing mostly how- 

 ever mackerel fishing the American fishermen do not dry their nets or 

 cure their fish on the coasts of the British Provinces I think that about 

 one half of the crew of the American fishing vessels fishing off the 

 Coasts of the British Provinces are british subjects and residing in these 

 Provinces I think that Colonial fishing vessels catch pretty nearly as 

 many mackerel when fishing alongside of an American mackerel fleet 

 as when fishing alone or as they would do if there were no American 

 fishing vessels in the Gulf codfish is all caught by Americans off-shore 

 on the banks of Newfoundland the in-shore fishing by American fish- 

 ermen on the Coasts of these provinces has not been of any appreciable 

 injury to Colonial fishermen while the money expended by them on 

 our coasts for beef, mutton, potatoes and other vegetables mittens, socks, 

 homespun cloths and supplies furnished by our merchants has been of 



