shipping them, saves them time and expense, and enables them to take more fish. 18. I have never known nor heard of any Canadian vessel fishing in American waters, and I consider this right of no value. 19. I consider that it would be a great benefit to Canadian fishermen if the Americans were excluded from our inshore fisheries, and I know of no benefit which we derive from the American fishermen. ELIAS RICHARDS. Sworn to at Getson's Cove, in the county of Lunenburg, this 11th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. JOSEPH W. LOCKHART, J. P. No. 137. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, JAMES GETSON, of Getson's Cove, in the county of Lunenburg, fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 1. I have fished from twelve to fourteen years along the southern coast of Nova Scotia, around Cape Breton, eastern side of New Brunswick, around Prince Edward Island, around the Magdalenes, on the Canadian coast of Labrador, and on the Banks, and am well acquainted with the inshore fisheries in Lunenburg County. I have taken all the kinds of fish found on the above-mentioned coasts. 2. I have fished this summer and last around Prince Edward Island and the Magdalenes, and on Bank Bradley; and I saw there many American vessels, some engaged in taking mackerel, and others engaged in taking codfish. Last summer I saw as many as fifteen at one time fishing together day after day. I saw during last summer as many as two hundred. These I saw before the middle of August. These American mackerelmen carry from fourteen to twenty men to each vessel. Four years ago, when fishing in the North Bay, I have seen over four hundred American mackerel-vessels in a fortnight; and I have, along with other fishermen, put the number of American vessels down at from five to six hundred. These vessels catch the most of their mackerel inshore, within three miles of the shore; and in my opinion it would not pay to fish mackerel unless they were taken within three miles of the shore. 3. Last summer and this summer I saw large numbers of American codfish vessels around Prince Edward Island and the Magdalenes. I saw last summer often from twenty to twenty-five in a day engaged in taking codfish. The Americans take all their fish in the North Bay by trawling. Very few Canadian vessels take fish in the North Bay by trawling; they use mostly hook and line. I consider trawling a very injurious method of taking fish, as it destroys the mother fish. The Americans carry from eight to ten thousand hooks on their trawls to each vessel. By trawling the bait lies on the bottom, and the big fish take it; this is not the case in hand-lining. 4. The American codfish vessels carry about fourteen men on each vessel, and take about six hundred quintals on each trip. They make three trips. 5. I fished in the North Bay for mackerel when the fisheries were protected, and our vessels did better than when they were not protected, and took more fish. The Americans fished inshore at that time to a large extent, they made off when a cutter appeared, and returned when she disappeared. I saw several American vessels seized when I was there during the protection time. The Americans made a practice of running into us, and their vessels were stronger and more numerous than ours, being built of oak. 6. The Americans get bait and ice along the coast from Cape Sable to Labrador, and without this they could not carry on successfully the Bank fishery. JAMES GETSON. Sworn to at Getson's Cove, in the county of Lunenburg, this 9th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. JOSEPH W. LOCKHART, J. P. No. 138. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, JAMES PUBLICOVER, of New Dublin, in the county of Lunenburg, fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 1. I have been engaged in the fishing for thirty-five years down to 1871 inclusive. I have fished all along the southern side of Nova Scotia, around Cape Breton, on the eastern side of New Brunswick, around Prince Edward Island, around the Magdalenes, and on the Labrador coast. I have taken all the fish found on the above-mentioned coasts. 2. Between eight and ten years ago I have seen in Port Hood Harbor, at one time, eight hundred sail, of which number over seven hun. dred were Americans. I would be safe in saying that there were over a thousand sail engaged in taking mackerel in one season in the North Bay. Some years I have seen more and some less. These vessels took mostly all the mackerel inshore. 3. These American vessels carry from twelve to twenty-two hands. They took from four to five hundred barrels of mackerel to each vessel, on each trip. Ran into the Strait of Canso, landed their fish, refitted and went out again. They came in again and took a full cargo for home, often fifteen hundred barrels. They generally made two trips, sometimes three. When in the cod fishery in the North Bay, I have seen many Americans also taking codfish. These codfish vessels carried from ten to twelve men, and took from six to eight hundred quintals. 4. When in the North Bay the fisheries were protected by cutters for some time. The Americans fished inshore when the cutters were out of sight, and made off when a cutter appeared. This was always my experience. I have seen two American vessels made prizes of by a cutter. 5. The inshore fisheries in Canadian waters, within three miles of the shore, are of more value than the off-shore fishery. I would say more than double. 6. Our Canadian fishermen catch codfish in large quantities around the coast within three miles, also halibut. I have seen many American vessels take codfish on the Labrador coast within three miles of the shore by seining. 7. For twelve to fifteen years I have taken mackerel in the North Bay, and in my experience they varied in quantity and quality, being some years good and others poor. Mackerel schools have struck into this harbor this year pretty plentifully. 8. The herring fishery in Canadian waters is all inshore, and they are taken all inshore. The Americans buy these herring for bait all along the coast; by buying they save time and expense. 9. I have never known or heard of any Canadian vessels going into American waters to take fish, nor do I know of any benefit to Canadians from this right. 10. I have seen Americans running into harbors in Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island to cure fish. When a gale of wind comes on they do this. 11. I have often seen the Americans transshipping their cargoes at the Strait of Canso; by so doing they save time and expense and take more fish. 12. It is a great advantage to the Americans to get bait and ice along the Canadian coast, and this they do from Cape Sable to Labrador and wherever they can. Without this bait, and ice in which to preserve it, they could catch no fish. 13. When in the North Bay I have often been lee-bowed by American vessels, and I have seen them running into Nova Scotiau vessels. 14. If the Americans were shut out from our inshore fisheries it would be of great benefit to Canadian fishermen, and I know of no benefit that we derive from American fishermen. JAMES PUBLICOVER. Sworn to at New Dublin, in the county of Lunenburg, this 9th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. BENJ. RYNARD, J. P. No. 139. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, DONALD MCDOUGALL, of Main-a-Dieu, in the county of Cape Breton, merchant, make oath and say as follows: 1. I have been engaged in the buying and selling of fish for twentyfive years, and am well acquainted with the fisheries as carried on here, and am well acquinted with the fishermen from Big Lorraine to Miri Bay, and have done business with American fishermen. 2. The fish taken in this vicinity during the past twenty-five years has been codfish, mackerel, herring, halibut, and salmon. Formerly halibut was very plentiful, so much so that our inshore fishermen could always catch a fare, but since the Americans came here trawling for them they have almost disappeared. The best halibut grounds are within three miles of the shore, and on these grounds the Americans trawled. Our fishermen never trawled for halibut. 3. In this vicinity there are taken annually from five to six hundred barrels of mackerel, and are not quite so plentiful as they have been ten or fifteen years ago. There are taken in this vicinity about a thousand barrels of herring. On average there is taken about from seven to eight thousand quintals of codfish. The most of the people in this vicinity depend upon the fishing, which they carry on in small boats inshore. 4. The Americans have always been on this coast, year after year, fishing mackerel. The Americans come inshore and fish mackerel, and diminish the catch for our inshore fishermen. The Americans purchase herring for bait very generally, and then go out on the banks to fish codfish. The Americans around here have fished inshore for codfish and halibut. 5. The Americans trawl on Scaterie Bank for codfish. They trawl to the bottom and catch the mother fish, which are full of spawn. They dress their fish on the fishing grounds, throwing overboard the offal, which is very injurious to the fish, the sound bone killing many large fish. 6. The practices of the Americans tend to injure the inshore fishery very much. 7. Mackerel run inshore to feed and spawn, and our fishermen take them inshore. Americans have taken mackerel all round our coast, and have at one time transshipped mackerel in this port. This privilege saves fish and enables them to make a larger catch. 8. The Americans get ice and bait in harbors round our shores, and without ice and bait they would be unable to make successful voyages. 9. I have never known nor heard of any Canadian vessels fishing in American waters, and know of no benefit they can derive from so doing. 10. The large number of American vessels fishing in Canadian waters must diminish the catch. 11. If Americans were excluded from our waters, I have no doubt but it would be a general benefit to Canadian fishermen. DONALD MCDOUGALL. Sworn to at Main-a-Dieu, in the county of Cape Breton, this 28th day of July, before me. No. 140. GEO. RIGBY, J. P. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, JOHN BAGNALL, of Gabarus, in the county of Cape Breton, at present of Louisburg, in the county aforesaid, fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 1. I have been engaged for about fifty years in the inshore fisheries, in and around Gabarus Bay, in the county aforesaid, and have taken mackerel, codfish, herring, and halibut, and am well acquainted with the manner in which the inshore fishery is there conducted. 2. About six or seven years ago there were some American fishingressels in Gabarus Bay. During the past five or six years they have purchased bait in small quantities in Gabarus Bay. 3. Mackerel and halibut are taken in Gabarus Bay. Codfish and herring are taken in large quantities. Three years ago about three hundred barrels of mackerel were taken in this bay, and there are about one hundred boats fishing around the bay, and this summer these boats bave taken from eight to sixty barrels in each boat. In Gabarus Bay there are from six to seven thousand quintals of codfish taken yearly. All this fish is taken in boats. To the people around Gabarus Bay these fisheries are of great value. 4. The mackerel and herring are inshore fish, and are mostly all taken inshore. Three-fourths of the mackerel and herring is inshore. I am to-day at Louisburg, but reside and fish at Gabarus. JOHN BAGNALL. Sworn to at Louisburg this 26th day of July, in the county of Cape Breton, before me, PATRICK O'TOOLE J. P. for and in the County of Cape Breton. No. 141. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, PETER BOSDET, of West Arichat, in the county of Richmond and province of Nova Scotia, merchant, make oath and say as follows: 1. During the past thirty-two years I have been engaged in the fishing trade, and my acquaintance with the fisheries on our coasts extends over that period. 2. The herring fishery is about the same as it has been in the past. The mackerel vary from year to year. From 1871 to 1874 the mackerel were plenty, but they were scarce in 1875 and 1876. I believe that the scarcity of 1875 and 1876 will not, however, be permanent. 3. The use of trawls and the throwing overboard of offal are both very injurious to the cod fishery. Both these practices tend to drive away the fish from their usual haunts. 4. The herring fishery is altogether inshore, that is, within three miles of the shore, and the greater part of the mackerel are caught within the same distance. I consider that the inshore fisheries are of much greater value than those outside. 5. I am strongly of opinion that the inshore boat fishery on our coasts has been greatly injured by the Americans baiting the fish and drawing them away from the boats. I refer only to the mackerel in making this statement in this paragraph. Ι 6. 1 consider that it is a great benefit to the Americans to be allowed to land and dry their nets and cure their fish on our coasts. The privilege of transshipping cargoes is also a great advantage to American mackerelers, and they can of course make more trips and catch more fish than they otherwise could, and by this means, I believe, that they can make three trips to the fishing-grounds in the same time in which they could otherwise make two. The privilege of getting bait on our shores is also a vast advantage to American codfishermen who indeed could not profitably carry on the codfishery without this privilege. The procuring of ice on our shores is also essential to the codfishermen, as without this they cannot keep their bait fresh. 7. The privilege of fishing in American waters is of no practical advantage whatever to Canadians, and I never heard of Canadians availing themselves at any time of such privilege. S. I consider that the Canadian boat fishermen could carry on their fishery more profitably and successfully if the Americans were excluded from within the three-mile limit. P. BOSDET. The said Peter Bosdet was sworn to the truth of this affidavit, at West Arichat, in the county of Richmond, this 2d day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. No. 142. E. P. FLYNN, In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, FRANCIS MARMEAN, of Arichat, in the county of Richmond and province of Nova Scotia, merchant, make oath and say as follows: |