AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3249 



No. 176. 



My name is James G. McKeen, I am a British subject, have resided 

 at Port Hastings Strait of Ganso for the last thirty five years, the 

 greater part of that time I have been engaged Merchandising. I have 

 had considerable dealings with fishermen a large part of my trade was 

 with American Mackerel and Codfishermen, visiting the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, 



About ten Years ago when Mackerel were plentiful in the Gulf of St 

 Lawrence, the American Mackerel fishermen purchased fishiug supplies 

 largely in the Strait of Canso, such as Barrels, Salt, Bait, Wood, Flour, 

 Beef, Pork, Butter, Lard, Potatoes, Small Stores Clothing, &c. &c. 



The trade from the American fishing Vessels in the Strait of Canso 

 has been of very great pecuniary advantage to the people of this part 

 of Nova Scotia, I have know American Mackerel fishing Vessels fre- 

 quently purchase supplies here amounting to from one thousand to 

 fifteen hundred Dollars pr Season Each, I believe that American fisher- 

 men have been in the habit of buying supplies in the several Harbours 

 along the Coasts of the British Provinces and that they bought fishing 

 supplies largely in Prince Edwards Island, but I cannot give any approxi- 

 mate idea of the Amount 



The Codfishermen for Several Years past purchase also the ordinary 

 supplies above named, to a large extent, and besides they purchase Ice 

 and large quantities of fresh Herrings and Mackerel for bait all along 

 the Coasts of the Provinces, this supplying of Ice and fresh fish for 

 bait to American Codfishing vessels is becoming quite an extensive 

 business, New Icehouses are being erected every Year around the 

 Coasts of the Provinces, and larger stocks of ice are stored, to be sold 

 principally to the United States fishermen, these fishermen after taking 

 in a supply of ice go for fresh Herring or Mackerel, purchasing from 

 forty to sixty barrels, wherever they are to be had along the Coast, and 

 this "baiting up" as it is called is repeated two or three times each 

 season, and oftener when Codfish are scarce, these Herring and Mack- 

 erel are sold to the fishermen at from one Dollar and fifty Cents to three 

 Dollars and sometimes higher The American fishing Vessels both the 

 Codfishiug and mackerel fleet frequently make considerable expenditures 

 in Ports of the Provinces for repairs to their Vessels and in the purchase 

 of Anchors, Cables, Sails, Spars. &c. &c. 



About ten to twelve Years ago from two hundred and fifty to three 

 hundred American fishing vessels passed through the Strait of Canso 

 yearly bound into the Gulf of St Lawrence for the purpose of catching 

 Mackerel, but during the last four or five Years this number has de- 

 creased very much owing as I have understood from the scarcity of 

 Mackerel in the Gulf of St Lawrence and the large catch of Mackerel 

 on the United States coast, last Season there were probably not over 

 Seventy American Mackerel fishing Vessels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 and the average Catch of these vessels was reported not to have ex- 

 ceeded one hundred barrels of Mackerel each 



The bait chiefly used by American Mackerel fishing Vessels is Men- 

 haden or Porgies. these fish are taken I believe entirely on the coast 

 of the United States, and mostly in Seines within three Miles of the 

 land, so I have been informed. British Mackerel fishermen use the 

 same kind of bait principally and depend on the United States for the 

 supply > clams are also used as bait for Catching Mackerel by both 

 American and Colonial Mackerel fishing vessels, and they are obtained 

 chiefly in the United States, 

 204 F 



