3244 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION 



the 20tb of June the big fleet of the American fishing fleet don't come 

 until after the fourth of July during the period of from 10 to 15 years 

 ago there were probably from 400 to 500 American sails in the Gulf 

 fishing for mackerel during the last 5 years they did not average more 

 than 70 or 30 sails annually I think that fully of the crew of the 

 American fishing fleet in the Gulf of St Lawrence is composed of sub- 

 jects of the North American British Provinces who continue be resi- 

 dents of the Provinces. I think that the presence of American fish- 

 ermen on these coasts and in our harbours is of great pecuniary ad- 

 vantage to the people of the Provinces while I am not aware that it 

 injuriously affects any of their interests and I make this solemn decla- 

 ration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of 

 an Act passed during the 37th year of Her Majesty's reign entituled an 

 Act for the suppression of voluntary and extra-judicial oaths. 

 Dated Bear Island July 23d 1877. 



GEORGE LANGLEY 

 In presence of: 



OSCAR MALMROS 



V. S. Consul 



PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA 



COUNTY OF RICHMOND 



I hereby Certify that the above named George Langley voluntarily 

 made and subscribed before me at Bear Island Settlement in said 

 County of Richmond the foregoing Solemn declaration 

 Given under my hand and Notarial Seal this 23rd day of July 1877. 



JAMES G. McKEEN 



(Seal.) Notary Public. 



No. 171. 



I Hugh McPherson of Bear Island, Strait of Causo, Richmond County, 

 Nova Scotia do solemnly declare that I am a native of and residing in 

 the Province of Nova that by occupation I am a fisherman that I 

 have been a fisherman during the last nine (9) years having before that 

 time been a seaman during two seasons I have been employed as one 

 of the crews of American fishing vessels fishing for mackerel I think 

 that Colonial fishing vessels catch quite as many mackerel when fishing 

 alongside of an American mackerel fishing fleet as they would catch in 

 case there were no American fishing vessels in the Gulf of St Lawrence 

 the Americans catch their codfish outside the three mile limit from 

 shore I don't think that on an average the Americans catch more thau 

 r^th of their entire catch of mackerel within the 3 miles line from shore, 

 2 th is caught outside that line the catch of mackerel has much fallen 

 oft' during the last 5 or 6 years, during the 2 last seasons there were but 

 very few mackerel caught in the Gulf last season there were probably 

 not over thirty American mackerel fishing vessels in the Gulf of St 

 Lawrence and the year before probably not over fifty or sixty vessels 

 last year & the year before there were not over id of the number of 

 Colonial fishing vessels in the Gulf of St Lawrence that visited the Gulf 

 6 or 7 years ago eight years ago according to a rough calculation I 

 should say there were about 300 to 400 American mackerel fishing ves- 

 sels in the Gulf I don't think that the Americans anywhere cure fish 

 on the Colonial coasts and I have not seen them dry their nets on our 

 shores a small number of American mackerel fishing vessels arrive at 

 the Gulf of St Lawrence in June but the bulk of them don't come until 

 July and August the presence of American fishermen is a great pecu- 

 niary advantage to the People of the Provinces especially when the 



