24 REPORT OF THE No. 32 



There are no fishways, but it is all clear sailing for the fish to get 

 through. 



Overseer Henry Osborne, Dante, reports that the catch of 1907 is a 

 little below that of previous years. There is an apparent increase in the 

 amount of pickerel over previous years, the principal of which is exported. 

 The coarse fish are sold or peddled through the country in the locality of 

 the fishing. No abuses have come under his notice, all the fishermen being 

 resident farmers in close proximity to the river. Upon close examination 

 he finds that the several close seasons are fairly well observed. Some of 

 the fishermen say they realize the necessity for their own benefit of protect- 

 ing the fish. There are no mills in his division, consequently no mill refuse 

 in the river. There are no dams or fishways, and nothing to prevent the 

 free passage of the fish. 



Overseer Theodore Peltier, Dover South, reports that there have been 

 no violations of the fishery laws in his division, and that the fishermen's 

 reports compare favorably with those of last year. 



Licenses having been cut off in the River Thames, there was no fishing 

 in the river this year. 



Overseer Remi Laframhoise, Canard River, reports that the carp fish- 

 ing has been a disappointment to the fishermen on the Detroit River, pro- 

 bably due to the lateness of the spring. However, some of the carp fisher- 

 men went to a big expense in constructing ponds in which to keep the carp 

 during the time the prices are low, which shows that carp are becoming a 

 commercial fish. He is strictly opposed to a carp license for the Detroit 

 River, unless there are restrictions on the size of mesh. The carp licenses 

 issued heretofore have contained no restrictions as to size of mesh to be used. 

 The seines used have been of much smaller mesh than necessary, and there 

 is a great temptation for the fishermen to keep the small pickerel and other 

 fish that are often caught in them instead of returning them to the water. 

 He would recommend that were a carp license issued for the Detroit River, 

 a mesh of not less than three and one-half inches extension measure should 

 be stipulated. However, the white-fish season has been fairly good. He 

 has noted that for some time the catch each season has been larger than that 

 of the preceding season. He is convinced that this result must be attri- 

 buted to the fish hatcheries. Large quantities of fry have been placed in 

 Lake Erie and the Detroit River by the United States hatcheries, and of 

 course our hatchery at Sandwich has helped to produce this result. But he 

 thinks that our hatcheries could be made to hatch twice as many eggs at 

 a very small additional cost, which might do away with the aid of a close 

 season in regard to different kinds of small fish. The catch has been about 

 the same as last year. He has been over his territory from time to time, 

 and is satisfied that the fishermen have fairly well observed the law. 



In regard to Game, he arrested one offender for shooting game out of 

 season, and fined him. 



Lake Erie and Geand River. 



Overseer H. A. Henderson, Pelee Island, reports that, from various 

 reasons, there has been a falling off in the catch of fish in this district, the 

 principal reason being the less vigorous prosecution of the fishing. His 

 returns for the year 1907 confirm these conclusions. A comparison of the 

 returns of previous years will, however, show that the fish still inhabit these 

 waters in fairly good numbers, but that less means are employed in taking 

 them. The season was very favorable to those employed in the industry, 



