168 American Fisheries Society 



ject of attention in these early times, 70 years ago. The first 

 Superintendent of Fisheries in Upper Canada was Mr. John 

 McCuaig, and he seemed to have only one officer under him, 

 Mr. William Gibbard, of CoUingwood, who looked after the 

 more westerly waters, Lakes Huron and Superior; they found 

 great difficulty in enforcing what is called in the printed re- 

 ports the "New fisheries act of 1859." 



A system of leases for fishing locations along the Great 

 Lakes was introduced, but in carrying it out much trouble was 

 experienced. Some fishermen occupied the locations without 

 making the required payments, in the hope, the officer reported, 

 that after twenty-one years' possession they would have a title 

 even against the Crown; but many claimed that they had 

 already paid rents to alleged owners, who were supposed to be 

 lessees of the Crown Lands Department, Toronto. Ten fam- 

 ilies, for example, at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, paid rent for 

 seven years (from 1852) to James Paxton, Amherstburg, 

 who himself rented land at $50 per annum, with the alleged 

 fishing rights. The officer reported that Paxton had not 

 paid the rent and owed the Crown Lands Department $350, 

 or seven years' dues. The officer favored fishery leases to 

 responsible men, because it would have the effect, he thought, 

 "of ridding certain localities of a reckless and lawless class of 

 men who are doing their best to depopulate our waters." Reck- 

 less overfishing seemed to have already begun, even when the 

 country was still sparsely settled and virgin forests extended 

 everywhere. We see how lacking in uniformity, and how 

 incomplete was the fishery administration in eastern Canada, 

 now formed of the five Provinces from Ontario to the Atlan- 

 tic coast. 



Federal Fisheries Act, 1868. — A new era commenced at 

 confederation, and on the same day upon which the act re- 

 ceived the Vice-Regal signature (May 22, 1868) whereby the 

 Department of Marine and Fisheries was created, the fisheries 

 act also received the necessary assent of the Governor Gen- 



