AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3329 



bbls. at oue haul. The Volunteer took 100 barrels in 3 hauls. All the 

 vessels the day we left, took all the way from 20 to 60 bbls. The Cor- 

 poral Trim, of Swan's Island, is in with 210 barrels No. 1 and 2 mackerel, 

 taken on the hook. She took from 10 to 15 barrels each day. This is 

 the best prospect we have had this year, and it indicates a good fall 

 catch on our shores. The owners of some of the vessels now in the Bay 

 of St. Lawrence have sent by telegraph for them to come home and go 

 for these shore mackerel. I have been in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 7 

 seasons, mackereling. The early trips in the Bay the mackerel were 

 taken offshore, later in the Fall the mackerel were inshore. 



In 1851, we took all our mackerel inshore, that Is, from one mile to 

 ten ; in 1854, we never took a mackerel within ten miles of the shore ; 

 have not been there since 1854. I have been shore seining for mackerel 

 since, every season. I have shared $241 to a share in six weeks' mack- 

 ereling in the Bay of St. Lawrence; I have shared $241 to a share in 

 one day's fishing on our own shores. The average difference in the two 

 mackerel fisheries is, as two dollars for the Bay to five dollars for our 

 own shores. I have been master of the schr. Mary Elizabeth, 4 years ; 

 Bloomfield, 2 years : David Osier, 2 years : Farragut, 5 years ; Belle, 2 

 years; Elihu Burritt, 1 year; A. M. Dudd, 1 year; B. D. Haskius, 1 

 year. 



WILLIAM T. ROWE. 

 GLOUCESTER, Sept. 1, 1877. 



Sworn and subscribed before me, 

 (L. S.) ADDISOX CARTER, 



Justice of the Peace, and Deputy Collector of Port of Gloucester* 



No. 263. 



GLOUCESTER, Aug. 29, 1877. 



I, Oliver F. Howard, master of the late schooner Coll Ellsworth, of 

 Gloucester, do on oath depose and say that I was born in Deer Isle, 

 Maine, am 53 years of age, have been engaged in the fisheries 32 years. 



I have been in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 28 seasons mackereling, and 

 am thoroughly acquainted with all the fisheries. The highest stock I 

 ever made in the Bay mackereling was $5,000, land my lowest stock was 

 $1400, and an American vessel must stock certainly $4,500 in the Bay 

 mackerel fishery to pay her bills. I have mostly fished for mackerel off 

 the Magdalen Islands, and of all the mackerel I have taken in the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, not one fourth were taken within 3 miles. 1 have never 

 seen any interference with the shore boats, never heard any complaints 

 of throwing over offal or mackerel gibs. My experience in this respect 

 is that the mackerel cleanings is first-rate food for codfish, as they swarm 

 around the vessel and eat it voraciously. As master and owner of my 

 own vessel I have not made any money in the Bay mackereling. I have 

 made a living and that is all. I should say that a fair average during 

 the last 20 years would be 300 sail of American vessels in the Gulf, and 

 with a full knowledge of the facts, I should say that 300 barrels is a 

 full average catch for each vessel. I have been in the herring business 

 15 seasons. Invariably the herring are bought from the British fisher- 

 men and paid for in cash. The only demand for these herring is from 

 Americans or for the American market, or for bait. Without this mar- 

 ket the herring would be entirely useless to the British people. 



I know that this herring trade has been of great advantage to the 

 inhabitants of the English coasts. The Winter trade supplies them with 

 209 p 



