AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3269 



Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of August 1877 



OSCAR MALMROS 



U IS Consul 



PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA 



COUNTY OF INVERNESS 



I hereby Certify that the above named Duncan McEachren voluntarily 

 made and subscribed in my presence the foregoing affidavit at Creignish 

 in the said County this 2nd day of August 1877 



Given under my hand and Notarial Seal at Cregnish aforesaid this 

 2nd day of August 1877 



(Seal.) JAMES G. McKEEN 



Notary Public 

 No. 200. 



George Laidlaw, being duly sworn says : I am 39 years old ; am by 

 occupation a fisherman ; I was out fishing in vessels, mostly American, 

 from 1851 to 1872 inclusive if fishing were good I would still go out 

 fishing and may do so next season in case mackerel are plenty two sea- 

 sons or part of them I fished on the American shore during the time I 

 was out fishing the American fleet in the Gulf of St Lawrence fishing for 

 mackerel would average per year I think nearly 300 vessels during the 

 first year 1 was out the fleet of Provincial mackerel vessels iu theGulf was 

 larger than during any of the ten following years I don't think that dur- 

 ing that entire time the Provincial vessels would average per year more 

 than fifty sails in the Gulf the mackerel fisheries fell ofl 7 much during the 

 last 6 or 8 years I don't think that during the last 6 or 8 years more than 

 one quarter of the mackerel have been caught of the quantity caught per 

 season say 10 years ago during the last 3 years there were not any 

 mackerel in the Gulf of St Lawrence jvorth going for A long time ago, 

 about 18 years, the American mackerel vessels began to come to the 

 Gulf as early as the 5th of June and would come thick about the middle 

 of June during the last 10 years the big American mackerel fleet did 

 not leave home until after the 4th of July during some seasons mack- 

 erl will keep more in-sbore during other seasons more off-shore Amer- 

 ican and Provincial vessels, when the former have the privilege, fish 

 equally much in-shore and offshore I think that when the Americans 

 are kept outside a line 3 miles from shore that most mackerel perhaps 

 are caught outside by Provincial vessels because the Americans have a 

 heavy fleet and heave over much bait and the mackerel' follow them I 

 don't think it hurts the Americans much to be kept outside the 3 mile 

 limits, they catch during the time they are kept in limits about as many 

 mackerel as when they are allowed to fish in-shore I think about of 

 the mackerel I ever caught were caught outside of the 3 mile line I 

 think that an American mackerel vessel averages about 70 tons or 75 

 tons old measurement the bait for mackerel is Porgies and clam it is 

 used alike by Provincials and Americans although occasionally the for- 

 mer use also herring but this is an exception fishing alongside an 

 American fleet does not lessen the catch of mackerel by Provincial ves- 

 sels, on the contrary the more vessels the more bait and mackerel 

 I have been codfishing during two seasons or rather part of two seasons 

 . fishing for mackerel afterwards American codfish vessels average a 

 crew of from 10 to 12 hands the codfishers going to the grand banks of 

 Newfoundland buy from Provincial people about 40 barrels of fresh her- 

 ring on going to the banks and afterwards catch a small portion of their 

 supply of bait on the grand banks going again to the British coasts to 



