AWAKD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3407 



Q. You have spoken of the effect of the tide at Prince Kdward Island, 

 and as to there being not only water at the temperature the mackerel 

 requires, but also the tide. Suppose a body of witnesses swore that 

 two-thirds of the catch of mackerel, for instance, in Bay St. Lawrence, 

 are taken within three marine miles of the coast, and another body of 

 witnesses swore that the larger body of the fish is taken outside, and 

 the smaller body inside, which would be the party whose evidence would 

 agree with your scientific knowledge of what ought to be the result? 

 A. I would say, as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence is concerned, that 

 scientific evidence all tends toward throwing the food near the shore, 

 and it is the food which attracts the fish. 



Q. You would, therefore, be inclined to think that the large quantity 

 of mackerel would be taken inshore? A. Certainly. <--'** .< 



Q. Are you aware that the Dominion Government of bite years have 

 taken great pains to restock the rivers ? A. Yes. 



Q. Have you any idea whether they would have any appreciable effect 

 upon the maintenance of the sea fisheries ? A. I think there can be no 

 doubt that in the course of two or three years the. effect will be most 

 marked, but it takes some time to restock a river. The principal opera- 

 tion, however, is no doubt perfect. It is the manner of restoring again 

 to its natural condition tbe food supply of the fish which formerly existed 

 on the coast, and that is being done in various localities with a'i possible 

 rapidity. You allude, I suppose, more particularly to the fish ascending 

 their spawning rivers by means of fish-ways over mill dams, and restock- 

 ing rivers in that way and also restocking by means of the ova of different 

 varieties of fish, salmon, white fish, bass and others. 



Q. Those measures have an important effect on the sea fishery ? A. 

 A very important effect on the sea fishery, simply because they bring 

 tbe sea-fish inshore. The cause of the sea-fish gradually ceasing to come 

 inshore in various localities is the destruction of the former lure which 

 brought them in, namely, the bait, the fry, young fish. 



Q. Has the fact of the coasts of Kova Scotia and Prince Edward Isl- 

 and being studded with small islands any effect on the value of the 

 fisheries, and, if so, what ? A. The orographic features of every coast 

 line exert an amazing influence on the fisheries. A sandy shore, sup- 

 posing the marine climate is fitted for it, is characterized by an extra- 

 ordinary development of shell-fish ; whereas a shore which contains 

 many bays and promontories is distinguished by the ordinary sea-fish 

 and by other classes of animal life crustaceans for instance. Thus, for 

 example, when you get on the coast of the United States as far south as 

 Long Island, New Jersey, and Delaware, the coast line changes alto- 

 gether and with it the character of the marine life. There is there an 

 abundance of all forms of shell-fish, and also many forms of warmer 

 water-fish which come in from the Gulf Stream. The shell-fish on our 

 coast, although the marine climate is well suited to certain varieties, 

 such as the whelk and various kinds of clams, still the quantity which 

 is found on our shores is comparatively small, except in certain localities 

 where there are banks of particular description. Wide expanses of 

 sandy beach are especially adapted to be the home of the shell-tish ; 

 whereas, on the contrary, jutting shores, headlands, and rocky promon- 

 tories, are especially adapted to the crustacean food for ordinary sea-fish. 



By Mr. Dana : 

 Q. You are testifying to a large extent from the report f A. I ain. 



* By Mr. Thomson : 

 Q. The scientific knowledge you have is not to be altered when given 



