1907 GAME AND FISHERIES. 



follows : "The necessity for the propagation and distribution of fish, and the 

 necessity for the improvement of the law, is apparent when it is remembered 

 that in this State there is annually consumed for food more than |41,000,000 

 worth of fresh fish, that more than |30,000,000 worth are taken from the 

 waters in our jurisdiction, that very much of this valuable fish product may 

 be destroyed by improper fishing or by not stocking our lakes and streams 

 or by the loss of the forests of the State. We must never lose sight of the 

 fact that the best inland lake or the best trout stream may have its fish, 

 supply destroyed in a single year, were there no restrictions placed on fishing. 

 Restrictive laws are necessary. Law is simply a rule of action. 

 When there were few people and much forest, fish and game, no 

 restrictions seemed necessary. Now we have 8,000,000 people in the State, 

 with a rapidly decreasing forest and less fish and game. We must have more 

 restrictive laws. The necessity for the law and its enforcement, and the pro- 

 tection of our forests, is better understood when it is remembered that the 

 game birds, fur-bearing animals and the game animals are worth annu- 

 ally more than |750,000, and that all this great value in annual product 

 may.be destroyed by non-observance of the law." Commissioner Whipple's 

 remarks are as applicable to Ontario as to his own State. It requires no 

 stretch of imagination to enable us to decide where the greater portion of 

 the 110,000,000 W9rth of fresh water fish annually imported into the State 

 of New York is procured. In view of Mr. Whipple's statement, it behoves 

 us in Ontario to be up and doing, for the purpose of perpetuating what should 

 be worth millions of dollars annually to the people of the Province. How 

 can this be best accomplished ? Only by increased restrictive laws and honest 

 enforcement of existing ones. Laws are made in the interest of the public 

 at large, and are intended to be obeyed. 



The illegal catching and shipping of immature undersized fish has 

 caused considerable trouble to the Department, and no doubt in some cases 

 has been the cause of injustice to some fishermen desiring to act in full 

 accord with the laws and regulations. Experience has convinced me that 

 in justice to all concerned, a staff of reliable, practical and competent 

 inspectors must be engaged to inspect shipments at the different points from 

 which shipments are made. This action is imperative to -prevent a repeti- 

 tion of unsatisfactory transactions that have occurred in the past on the 

 Niagara frontier. The men employed in this work must not only know their 

 business, but must have the courage to do it without fear or favor, and must 

 not allow any interference with them in the honest discharge of their duties 

 from any source, not even by irresponsible parties who may desire to pro- 

 cure cheap fish by questionable nxeans. Anglers, in their zeal and anxiety 

 to protect their own interests, should realize that net fishermen have rights 

 that must be respected. 



Supplying the Home Market. 



From careful enquiries made, I am satisfied that the complaints from 

 various organizations and private parties that the fishermen will not supply 

 local dealers is much like pig-shearing — more noise than wool. I have 

 ample and satisfactory evidence that dealers all over the Province have fre- 

 quently to cancel orders for fish, the supply exceeding the demand. Many 

 of the fishermen who are not controlled by the American companies have 

 satisfied me that they only ship their surplus catch to the United States, 

 left over after filling all orders from local dealers. The price appears to be 

 the difficulty. As stated in Report for 1906, the home market is a matter 



