3270 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



buy bait as they need it codGsh is caught outside the 3 mile line except 

 once in a while when cod is caught inshore the Americans as far as 

 mackerel catching goes have according to my estimate at all seasons, 

 when allowed to fish in-shore, caught about d of their entire catch out- 

 side of the 3 mile HUP the codfishers don't catch any of their bait in- 

 side 3 miles from shore except once in a while and not worth speaking 

 of the American fishermen don't dry their nets on the British Coasts, 

 they pickle their nets on their vessels in order to preserve them, nor do 

 they cure their fish on our coasts the best two seasons I have ever been 

 mackerel fishing were on the American shore and it is my opinion that 

 if the Provincial vessels were as well fitted out as the American and if 

 they employed as many of our most experienced fishermen as the Amer- 

 icans do and had as good bait that the fishery on the American Coasts 

 north of the Chesapeake Bay would be as valuable to Provincials as the 

 British Atlantic shores to the Americans I think the presence of Amer- 

 ican fishing vessels on our coasts a considerable advantage to our people 

 because they leave a good deal of money 

 Dated Near Low Point Inverness County Aug 4th 1877 



. GEOEGE LAIDLAW 



Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th day of August 1877 



OSCAE MALMEOS 



U 8 Consul 



PROVINCE or NOVA SCOTIA 



COUNTY OF INVERNESS 



I hereby Certify that the above named George Laidlaw voluntarily 

 made and Subscribed in my presence the foregoing affidavit at Low 

 Point in said County this 4th day of August 1877 



Given under my hand and Notarial Seal this 4th August 1877 

 (Seal.) JAMES G. McKEEN 



Notary Public 



No. 201. 



I, Boderick McDonald of Low Point, N. S. do declare and say on oath 

 as follows : I am living at Low Point Inverness Co. Nova Scotia, am 

 over thirty years old, have been fishing for about 12 years until three 

 years ago, when I knocked off because mackerel was scarce in the Bay 

 and it did not pay the mackerel fishing has much fallen off during thelast 

 6 or 7 years ditring these 6 or 7 years the average yearly catch has not 

 been over of what it was 8 or ten years ago during some seasons 

 they will be much more off shore at other seasons more inshore during 

 hot weather they will work more offshore the. best place for mackerel 

 I have ever seen is on Bradley Bank about twenty miles from North 

 Cape P. E. I. sometimes the Americans when mackerel is plenty will 

 catch about d of their entire catch outside a line three miles from shore 

 but striking an average I think that during season when mackerel is 

 plenty Americans will catch about one half outside and the other half 

 inside a line three miles from shore the only bait American Mackerel 

 vessels use is Porgies and clam and that is the bait nearly always used 

 by Provincial vessels but sometimes the latter use herring which is not 

 a good bait and would not do at all to use as bait in fishing alongside 

 of vessels throwing out Porgies & clam All the Porgies and clam used 

 as bait in the Gulf of St Lawrence comes from the United States I 

 think the Provincial fishermen catch as many mackerel fishing along- 

 side of an American fleet as they would do if no Americans were in the 



