243 



In regard to the letter read from Mr. Dunning of Wisconsin, I see he 

 touches upon a point upon which our Commissioners are unanimous ; that is, 

 that a restriction should be made not only as to the size of the fish marketed 

 but as to the size caught. There are people who come to us — our own people, 

 and strangers who come in droves — and tliey fish not so much for food but to make 

 records, and every two-inch minnow is counted as a fish and taken away, or kill- 

 ed, and our waters are depleted in that way to a much larger extent than anyone 

 can imagine. We think a restriction should be made upon the size of the fish 

 caught and the fish to be marketed. We are going to recommend the establish- 

 ment of fish hatcheries in Ontario — we have no fish hatcheries now ; there is one 

 in Newcastle, it is true, and one in Sandwich, but they are Dominion o-overn- 

 ment fish hatcheries — and we propose to have fish hatcheries of our own and pay 

 special attention to fish rights and fish ; and in fact in every way possible to try 

 and so arrange matters and so carry out the intelligent ideas which we borrow 

 from othei\s, as to make our Province a thoroughly good fishing country ao-ain. 

 We have had no permanent wardens. Our wardens are paid a nominal salary of 

 forty dollars a year, and not wishing to nicur the ill-will of neighbours, thev very 

 wisely pocket the forty dollars a year and do nothing. There is no protection, and it 

 simply arises from the fact that it has been everybody's business and nobody's 

 business in particular to enforce the laws. We look forward, gentlemen, with 

 much anxiety, also with much pleasure, in anticipation that you will help us in 

 these matters, aiding us to arrive at some sort of reciprocal law, some sort of re- 

 ciprocal feeling whereb}^ the two countries will be more united over this Fish and 

 Game matter, which will lead to a better feeling on both sides of the line and will 

 lead to more close protection of game. 



I think, gentlemen, that this is all I have to say at present. Later on. as the 

 discussion proceeds I may have more to add. 



I am very glad indeed to see so large a meeting, and am sure I shall be able 

 to tell our Government what a good and interesting meeting we have had and 



what a good reception we have had here ; and I hope when next we meet 



because 1 hope we shall meet frequently — I shall be able to make more happy 

 statements than I have done to-day, because to-day our cause is deplorable. I 

 hope that next time the tale I tell you will be a brighter and better one. 



Secretary : We have with us a Commissioner from Michigan, and from all 

 lean read from their reports, that State has done the most thorouo-h and effective 

 work on the great lakes of all the States, and, if he will, I would like to hear 

 something from him in answer to the Canadian Commissioner about the close 

 season that he speaks of there, more especially. 



Mr. HoYT Post : Mr. Chairman, there is another subject connected with 

 the call of this meeting that I am, and our Commission is, more interested in than 

 that which has been suggested. I, myself, am inclined to agree with what the 

 gentleman from Ontario has said of the desirability of a close season in whitefish 

 catching, but there are some things which he suggested which come to my mind 

 and remind me of the diHiculties in the way. Now, he discusses the proposition 

 as to whether or not pound nets should be permitted. At the present day you 

 could no more abolish the pound net in the State of Michigan than you could 

 fly. You go among the fishermen and you would find that the pound net fisher- 

 men would claim that it is the gill nets that do all the harm ; and the o-ijl net 

 fishermen claim it is the pound net fishermen who do all the harm. Lar»Tely thev 

 are both correct when they are speaking of one other. Now, with reference to 

 the size of the mesh : That is the line, principally, upon which the Michio-an 

 Commissioners thus far have been directing their efforts to protectino- the white- 

 fish. It is very well to say that you shall not catch a fish be3^ond a certain 



