ISTERIII REPORT 79 



Twenty-second Sitting. 



Wood Poixt, X.B.. October 3, 1908. 



Mr. S. F. ilorrison and Mr. S. Melanson, commissioners, opened the sitting in 

 :he usual formal manner in Mr. Herbert Snowden's store, when the following evidence 

 was taken : — 



Captain Xei.sox Peckham, Wood PorxT, said: I fish and farm and I remember 

 the shad fishery back forty years. At that time shad were very plentiful and a boat 

 in ten hours fishing with 100 fathoms of net would bring in 500 to 800 shad. I fish 

 with drift nets. Our nets were of linen Barbour's Scotch twine Xo. 16 and 18 knit on 

 r. -H-inch gauge, 58 meshes deep. This twine was in bundles of 6 pounds each and 

 cost $3.75 to $4 per bimch. This is hung on a float rope with lead on the bottom, 9 thread 

 rope taken up half. This same twine now costs $5.25. We tise now Xo. f?2 twine knit 

 on 4| and 5-inch gauge and the nets are knit 60 meshes deep. The nets used now are 

 much longer than when I began to fish. They run all the way from 250 to 600 or 700 

 fathoms. Our nets last only about two years. A fishing gear hei-e will cost for boat 

 8100 and $20 each for nets, and we will have about five nets which cost $100 more, 

 that is in all about $200 for a fit out. I think a man, James Barnes, began to fish ; 

 that was about sixty years ago. We used to split our shad, taking the head off, in the 

 back, leaving the backbone in with the tail on. We struck them first in puncheons* 

 and repacked them in half-barrels. They were sent to the States in schooners carry- 

 ing stone. At that time they were worth here from $3 to 3.50 per half -barrel. Sixty to 

 sixtj--five fish would weigh 100 pounds for the half-barrel. There were about forty 

 boats fishing along here in a distance of two miles at that time. I have seen some 

 spawn shad. The spawn was poorly developed, and the fish were poor. I think not 

 more than one or two in a hundred, very few of these fish appear about here. We go 

 looking for shad here from June 12 to 15. I remember catching twelve shad on the 

 first day of June. In these shad there was no spawn. For some years I did not carry 

 on fishing as I was away from home, but I began again about sixteen years ago. Shad 

 were not as plentiful then as they were when I stopped thirty years before, and they 

 have been getting less ever since. This is the poorest year we have had. We get some 

 salmon in our nets. They Weigh from 3 pounds to 7 pounds and bring about 15 cents 

 per pound. Shad sell here fresh at from 20 to 25 cents each, I fished from July 1 this 

 year and am still fishing (October). I got eleven shad two weeks ago. I would catch 

 about sixty half-barrels thirty or forty years ago. Forty years ago there were all of 

 forty boats fishing from here within a distance of two miles. As to the cause of tho 

 decline of shad I think it is catching the spawning fish. Another thing that causes a 

 loss about here — some people from the other side set nets in the strong tide. Shad 

 strike those nets when going up on the flood tide and are washed out when the tides 

 are running back. I have seen dead shad from these nets lying on the flats. I think 

 nets should not be set in where the tide is strong. I don't think sawdust has injured 

 us much about here. There is a small weir below us at Grande Anse, and it is mado 

 of poultiy netting and catches all kinds of fish. Laurence Gillis is chief owner, ^ry 

 view is. stop catching spawn shad and protect the fishing by close season from Septem- 

 ber 20 to July 1, following. 



George W.Wood said: I agree with what Capt. Peckham has said excepting that 

 I think the close season should be from October 15 until June 20 following. I caughc 

 n October 1, five shad this year, on September 30. I got sixteen shad and one salmon 

 weighing 4| pounds. Three of the shad wdghed SJ pounds each. The size of the 

 riet is 41 incjKS and 5 inches 60 meshes deep, 250 fathoms to a boat is the regulation. 

 I think that the weir at Grande Anse should be taken out and catching spawn shad 



