34 THE REPORT UPON No. 32 



He also suggests that the King Fisher be placed on the free list, and a 

 license fee be placed on muskrat trappers, as 4,920 skins were taken this sea- 

 son at 30c. per skin, amounting to |1,476. 



Overseer Thomas Mansfield, of Pickering, reports that he visited up and 

 down the lake on several occasions, got a report that some one was fishing 

 at the extreme west end, and went up to investigate, but found that they had 

 left. He got some track of the parties, and will be on the lookout for them 

 in the future. Outside of this he did not hear of any illegal fishing. 



There are no fishways in his division. There was very good fishing in 

 the lake, especially of salmon trout and whitefish, which are without a 

 doubt on the increase, but the fishermen did not do quite so well with herring 

 on account of the winds off the lake, which were quite frequent. They are 

 ai the present time complaining of the Department making the size of mesh 

 3 inches for herring, which they say is too large, and that they cannot make 

 a living with that sized mesh. He also thinks it is too large, from his per- 

 sonal experience. There is the same complaint from the anglers about the 

 carp as in previous years doing considerable damage to the line fishing. 



As for game, he does not think that the law has ever been better observed. 

 Everyone seemed to observe the law, the consequence being that the ducks 

 stayed around quite late. 



Overseer J. C. May, of St. Catharines, reports that there has been a 

 marked increase in whitefish and herring, but the fishermen had to stop on 

 account of the very poor prices. 



The law in his division has been well observed, except in a few cases of 

 illegal dip net fishing. He confiscated several dip nets at the Twenty Mile 

 Creek, and also one at Port Dalhousie. 



As far as the game laws are concerned, there have been no violations that 

 he knows of. 



Overseer J. H. Murdoch, of Bath, reports that there has been an 

 unusually good catch during the past year, all kinds of fish having been 

 plentiful, especially whitefish, which are the most profitable to gill net 

 fishermen. To his knowledge there have been no violations among the fisher- 

 men. 



Angling was good. Bass were abundant. A good number of tourists 

 visited there in the summer. 



The close seasons were well observed, and all felt pleased with the seu- 

 scn's catch. 



Overseer W. Sargant, of Bronte, reports a large increase in the catch of 

 fish during the past year, and had the fishermen obtained the same price as in 

 the former year they would have almost doubled the money as compared with 

 last year, but owing to such a large catch on Lake Erie the result was herring 

 was very cheap. 



The fishermen smoke about three-quarters of their fish, and in that way 

 realize a great deal more than if they were sold fresh. In fact there are 

 more fish smoked in Bronte than any place he knows of. All the fish have 

 been sold in home markets, Toronto being the chief place. He has seen 

 Toronto take 2,000 baskets a week and realize a fair price. 



Trout fishing is increasing each year, and he has seen some very fine 

 ones caught. One catch of 400 lbs, averaged 13 lbs. per trout. 



Angling was very fine in the Twelve Mile Creek. 



The laws have been well observed by the fishermen. He has been over 

 his division a number of times during the year, and has always found them 

 living well up to the law. 



3a G.p. 



