B. C. SEA-LION INVESTIGATION 37 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 38a 



23. APPENDIX A. 



i. formal questions submitted to salmon canners and others. 



Sea-Lion Comimission. 



(Appointed under Authoixty Biological Board of Canada.) 



1. Are Sea-Lions injurious to the Fisheries of British Columbia? 



2. Have your own fishing operations ever been injured or interfered with by them?. .. 



3. Please state the nature of such damage this year and the estimated loss: 



Gear $ 



Mutilated fish 



Diverted run of fish . . . . 



4. Other years ? 



5. Is the lessened run of fish (if any) attributable to Sea-Lions? 



6. Has the Herring Fishery been interfered with this year by Sea-Lions? 



7. Have you noticed any steady increase year by year to the amount of injury caused 



by Sea-Lions ? 



8. Are Sea-Lions of any commercial value ? 



9. Do they assist your fisheries in any way? 



[Methods of dealing with Sea-Lions if considered to he injurious to the 



Fisli erics of B^CA 



1. Do you recommend complete extermination or merely a reduction in numbers?. .. . 



2. Could your company deal witli this question in your neighbourhood without 



Government aid ? 



3. If not, in what manner ■could the Government most effectually aid you ? 



[Al By employing hunters under Government sxipervision ? 



[Bl By offering a bounty open to all willing to hunt ? 



[CI By providing money or ammunition to be expended under the control 

 of the fishing companies ? 



4. Can you give information as to the existence of Rookeries or other places frequented 



by Sea-Lions in your neighb )urhood ? 



5. What is the best time for killing them ? . . . 



6. What is the best method ? 



7. What is the best evidence on which to pay the bounty ? 



(At present the muzzle is taken as proof.) 



8. Should the bounty be paid for pups, or adults, or both? 



9. What has been the effect of the bounty for killing Sea-Lions upon this year's 



fishing? , 



10. Have you any remarks or suggestions to make not covered by the above list of 



questions ? 



11. Have you examined the contents of Sea-Lion stomachs ? 



ii. formal letter sent by the secretary of the commission to canners and otheks. 



Sea-Liox Commission. 

 To the Manager, 



Dear Sir, — On behalf of the Sea-Lion Commission appointed under the authority 

 cf the Biological Board of Canada, we invite your cordial assistance in getting infor- 

 mation and opinions regarding the alleged depredations of these animals. 



It has been stated that sea-lions destroy fish and fishing gear and interfere with 

 the free prosecution of fishing operations by means of seine nets and other appliances. 



38a— 4 



