3334 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



the fisheries for 18 years, just arrived from Grand Banks and Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence from a codfish trip. I brought in 80,000 Ibs. codfish ; we 

 took 60,000 Ibs. on Grand Banks; the vessel sprung a leak, and we had 

 to run in home. I, after my vessel was repaired, went on to bank 

 Bradelle, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where I took 20,000 more of cod- 

 fish, 25 miles from shore, i caught my bait for this trip off Prince 

 Edward Island, about three miles off from shore ; the bait I used was 

 mackerel. It is the usual custom of the vessels from Nova Scotia, 

 bound to the Banks codfishing, to buy bait from the shore people of 

 Newfoundland and Nova Scotia ; the average price of herring is about 

 $2 per barrel. I have paid as high as $3.50 per barrel. 



The market of the fishing vessels buying bait of the shore people is a 

 very profitable one for the shoresmen, as they get more for their her- 

 ring, selling them fresh, than any other way they can dispose of them. 

 I have been to Newfoundland, to buy fresh herring, seven seasons, and 

 when I first went there the people hardly had a net or a boat, and they 

 were living very poorly ; but now, owing to the herring trade with the 

 American and other vessels, they are prosperous and are living in good 

 style. They own boats and nets, and all of this prosperity is directly 

 owing to this trade. There is no other market for these herring, and 

 they would be useless if it were not for the market this trade affords 

 On the Banks, for a fresh trip> we first use herring to start us, and then, 

 after the first fish are caught, we use the refuse fish for bait. I have 

 caught four trips on the Banks without having any herring, and took squid 

 on the Banks, and these squid, with the refuse, was all I used. I should 

 say that if all the vessels would carry salt bait they would do full as well 

 as they do now with herring. I think using fresh bait makes the fish 

 dainty. The Provincetown vessels this year have done as well as any ves- 

 sels with fresh bait ; they using clams. I have never heard of any boats in 

 the Bay being injured before the talk this year; but I have known the 

 boats to flock around the American vessels to get the benefit of their 

 bait, so that the vessels could not get a line into the water. 



I have been in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 10 seasons mackereling, in 

 American vessels ; never with seines ; always with the hook. The best 

 season's work I ever made in the bay was $iOO to a share. The poorest 

 season was 8200. I have not been in tbe bay for four years. Some years 

 we get more inshore; some years get more offshore. I should say that 

 one-half of the mackerel are, in my experience of hooking, taken in- 

 shore, viz: within three miles. I never heard or knew of such a thing 

 as fish cleanings hurting the fish ; that is a new idea. 



The American seiners have made a great deal of money in seining 

 mackerel off their own coast ; this I know, being where I could ascertain 

 this fact. 



The American cod and halibut fishery is a deep sea fishery entirely. 



Years ago a few trips were made up around Anticosti, but it is noth- 

 ing to the great sea-fishing. Now they take all their fish on the Banks, 

 off shore ; none less than 12 miles off, and some 300 miles off. 



JAMES McISAAC. 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



COUNTY OF ESSEX, ss. GLOUCESTER, Aug. 21, 1877. 



Then personally appeared the above named James Mclsaac, and made 

 oath that the above statement, by him subscribed, is true. Before 

 me, 



(L- S.) DAVID W. LOW, 



Notary Public. 



