AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3429 



Q. Some tables appear on page 81 of your book, and you say : 



Captaiu Atwootl enumerates in his " Remarks on the Fisheries of the Coast of 

 Massachusetts," published in the Report of the United States Fishery Commissioners for 

 1841-'72, l4 -! the following years as noted for extreme variation in catch. 



1831 Great catch, 385*559 barrels inspected. 



1831-1839 Gradual falling off. 



1839-1844 Fell to 75,000 barrels in a year. 



1841 Only 50,992 barrels. 



1841-1861 Gradual increase. 



1861-1H71 200.000 barrels. 



1871 (*) 234,000 barrels. 



Now, to your mind, does that table show a steady falling off and decrease 

 of the mackerel fisheries of the United States ? A. A steady falling 

 off? 



Q. Yes ; and decrease throughout all the period from 1831 to 1871. 

 A. No. It shows a series of fluctuations. 



Q. Then you do not consider that the fisheries of New England are in 

 a state of ruin ? A. To what fisheries do you allude in particular ? 



Q. I allude in the first place to the mackerel fishery ; do you consider 

 that the mackerel fishery of New England is ruined ! A. Certainly not. 



Q. In some respects it is rather increasing, is it not! A. I think that 

 it is liable to increase and decrease ; it is subject to great fluctuations. 



Q. Take halibut, haddock, and that kind of fish; is this fishery in a 

 state of ruin, or anywhere near it? A. I think that the halibut fishery 

 there is in a state of rapid deterioration. 



Q. You think that there are none caught on George's Bank! A. I 

 think that there are a great many caught at George's Bank, but not so 

 many, or nearly so many, as was formerly the case. 



Q. Do you not know that there has been a very great catch of them 

 of late years, and that there have been found, not on George's, but near 

 George's, at a depth of 200 fathoms of water, a very large quantity of 

 halibut? A. I have no doubt that they will find them all round the 

 Gulf of Maine at that depth in what is described as St. George's Gulf, 

 Justin the same way as I think they will find them throughout the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, in deep water. 



Q. I suppose that the necessities of the great market of New York 

 and elsewhere has caused more attention to be given to the pursuit of 

 halibut than was formerly the case? A. That is a commercial question 

 which I cannot answer. 



Q. Leaving out the reason, has there not, for some reason or other, 

 been more attention paid to the pursuit and discovery of halibut, and a 

 real increase in the product? I do not mean in the number of halibut 

 in the sea, but in the number of them taken to market ? A. I cannot 

 say ; but I can draw your attention to a very remarkable statement with 

 regard to halibut, of which, perhaps, you are aware, namely, the repre- 

 sentations that have been made by American fishermen to the French 

 consul in Boston, for permission to fish for halibut on the Newfoundland 

 coast, at present in the supposed occupation of the French ; this shows 

 a strong desire to seek halibut in every direction. 



Q. How does that matter bear upon the question whether halibut is 

 not to be found on the southern coast of New England, near the George's 

 Bank, or about there, in very great abundance, and that there- has been 

 an additional stimulus, forborne reason or other, given to the halibut 

 fishery ? A. I did not understand that you put that question. 



Q. That is my question. Now you say that the Boston fishermen 

 have applied to the French consul for such permission ?-- A. Certain 



