AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3331 



bait squid, taken on the Banks and refuse fish. The buying of bait on 

 the shores of Newfoundland is a convenience rather than a necessity, 

 the whole profit of the transaction resting with the Newfoundlanders. 

 We also buy ice of the people, paying $2 to $3 per ton in gold for it. 

 We also use ice from the icebergs. The only market for their ice is the 

 ice used by American fishermen to preserve the bait fresh and it is only 

 within three years since this manner has been adopted by them. For 

 centuries this fishery has been pursued successfully without this conven- 

 ience of iced bait. 



When our vessels go into Newfoundland for bait they are delayed 

 often a fortnight, which of course is a loss to them. My trip in July, 

 1876, I was delayed a fortnight. The inhabitants are very eager for our 

 trade, coming out to meet us in boats to solicit our patronage. The men 

 who furnish bait are operative fishermen. Since the advent of the 

 American fleet these men have become independent of the coast traders 

 and there is some feeling on the part of the traders on that account. 

 The operative fishermen were formerly employed by the traders and 

 paid out of the store mostly, but the American trade in herring paying 

 money for them, has changed the relations largely. 



There is no fishery on the shores of the Dominion, or Newfoundland, 

 used as a shore fishery for halibut and codfish by American fishermen. 

 Their fisheries are wholly and purely deep sea fisheries. 



I have been in the Gulf of St. Lawrence for mackerel part of 22 sea- 

 sons. 



My highest stock was $8000 whole season. 



" lowest " " $1800 " " 



An American vessel manned and equipped as the Bay-men are, must 

 at the least stock $5000 for a season to pay her bills. In my experience 

 not more than one-fourth of the mackerel taken were taken within 3 

 miles of the shore. I never heard such a thing as mackerel cleanings or 

 offal affecting the fish unfavorably, when thrown overboard. Often 

 times after dressingand throwing the fresh ofifal overboard, we havefound 

 the mackerel attracted by it and caught good decks of mackerel that 

 had apparently come in to this as in to our throw bait. We use it often 

 to extend our bait. The British boat fishery is pursued near the shore 

 and the schooners will not venture in where they are, especially if \he 

 wind is on shore owing to the shallowness of the water. The boat fish- 

 ery is one thing, the schooner fishery another and different thing. I 

 never knew of but one boat injured by the fleet and that was done by 

 accident. The boat fishermen often come on board our vessels for favors 

 which are cheerfully granted, and in the case of injury, above mentioned, 

 the owners were well remunerated for the loss. The idea that fish offal 

 thrown overboard can be detected by the smell after it has sunk is non- 

 sense. I have trans-shipped my mackerel in one instance, putting them 

 on board a British vessel for freight home. The advantage of trans- 

 shipment at present is of no value whatever, as few or none of our ves- 

 sels obtain a full trip, and the Bay maclrereling has been a losing busi- 

 ness the past 4 years and this year bids fair to be worse than any. 



JOS. W. COLLINS. 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, ) 



COUNTY OF ESSEX, s. s., 



GLOUCESTER, Aug. 28th, 1877. ) 



Then personally appeared the above named Joseph W. Collins and 

 made oath that all the above statements by him subscribed are true te 

 the best of his knowledge and belief, before me. 

 [L. S.] DAVID W. LOW, Notary Public. 



