3250 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Nearly all the Numbers one, and two, and a large part of the Num- 

 ber three Mackerel, number one Salmon, and large quantities of fat and 

 poor Herrings, caught by Provincial fishermen around our Coasts, are 

 shipped to the United States for a Market, that being the best and al- 

 most the only Market for our fat and best fish 



I am not aware that the American fishermen use to any appreciable 

 extent the shores of the Provinces for curing their fish or drying Nets 



The American fishing Vessels employ large numbers of men belong- 

 ing to the Provinces on board their vessels every year, probably over 

 two thousand men yearly, these men go in Mackerel fishing Vessels 

 generally on Shares and in Codfishing Vessels they are chiefly hired 

 receiving fairly remunerative "Wages, the employment of so many 

 men on board American fishing Vessels is considered a great advantage 

 to our people in a pecuniary point of view 



And I James G. McKeen aforesaid do solemnly declare that I con- 

 scientiously believe that the facts contained in the foregoing declara- 

 tion are true and I make this declaration, by virtue of the Act passed 

 in the 37th Year of Her Majesty s Keigu entitled an act for the suppres- 

 sion of voluntary and extra judicial Oaths 



JAMES G. McKEEN 



I hereby certify that the foregoing statement was signed in my pres- 

 ence by James G. McKeen above named at Port Hastings Nova Scotia 

 the 13th day of June A D 1877 



A B SKINNEK 

 Justice of the Peace for tJie County of Inverness 



No. 177. 



I George Bunker do solemnly declare that I am 31 years old that I 

 am living at Margaret Bay 2i miles from Halifax I have been em- 

 ployed as a fisherman ever since 1 was a boy for 10 seasons I have been 

 master of a fishing vessel fishing in the waters off the American coasts 

 & those of Nova Scotia, the Gulf of St Lawrence & Magdalen Island 

 for cod and mackerel & herring cod fish is not at all caught by the 

 Am. fishermen within 3 miles from shore about of the mackerel caught 

 by the Americans is caught within 3 miles from shore the catch of 

 mackerel in Provincials waters has much fallen off during the last 5 or 

 6 years, of late years they are doing hardly anything in mackerel fish- 

 ing in Provincial waters the crew of American fishing vessels in Pro- 

 vincial waters consist of from ^ to of British subjects, residing in the 

 Provinces the monthly wages of the crew of these fishing vessel would 

 average about $30^ per man. The Americans buy all the bait they 

 obtain in the Provinces, they do not fish for bait here themselves an 

 American fishing schooner of say from 70 tons to 85 tons would leave 

 in the provinces from $200 to $300^ for bait, ice,fuel & provisions that is 

 if such schooner called only once during the season at a port of the Prov- 

 inces & did not land cargo for re-shipment I do not think that the 

 Canadian fisheries have sustained any injury on account of the fishing 

 of the Americans nor that that the catch of Provincial fishermen has 

 been less on account of fishing along side of an American fishing fleet 

 It costs fully on-- third more to fit, out man & furnish an American 

 fishing vessel than a Provincial The Americans make no use of the 

 shores of the Provinces for curing fish and but very seldom for the pur- 

 pose of drying nets codfish is not caught by Americans within 3 miles 

 horn shore the Americans fish for mackerel in the Provincial waters 





