1908 GAME AND FISHERIES. 61 



them until they got into American waters, when they ran into them for the 

 iifth time, nearly swamping them and jamming his boat pretty badly. Being 

 now in American waters, the American overseer examined their tags, took 

 their names, and let them go. One man proved to be the same from whom 

 T took a boat and net once before, and probably having a gasoline boat this 

 time made them more desperate for fear of losing it. They proved to have a 

 very large minnow net and a barrel with minnows, and a big stone about 20 

 lbs. weight, which he raised and threatened to throw into his engine, (Mr. 

 Fraser's). They then proceeded up the river again to Eockport, patrolled 

 down south side of Grenadier Island, at the foot of which there are a few 

 very small islands. On one of these he got a couple of spears and jack last 

 year, and thought it well to look over the place again. On landing he found 

 hanging up to dry a large gill net and another in a box, also another jack, 

 which he seized and brought away under great protestations from a woman 

 who was there. 



To sum up, he says that from all sources and information the fishing in 

 the St. Lawrence has been better than in previous years for most kinds of 

 fish, except black bass, which are getting scarcer all the time, rarely a man 

 catching the limit, and he would recommend that they be replenished in 

 some way. 



Ducks were plentiful where there was any open water on April 1st and 

 many a hunter spoke to him very wishful. 



Overseer James McNairn, of Iroquois, reports that there has been a 

 decrease in the catch of small-mouthed bass, caused by the shortness of the 

 close season. 



No fish are exported from there. They are all used for home consump- 

 tion. 



The only abuses that exist are catching bass while on nests after the 

 season opens. He would suggest that the close season be from 1st July 

 instead of the 16th June. 



The several close seasons have been strictly observed, so far as he knows. 



There were no violations except that some parties were fishing with gill 

 nets. j\o fines were imposed, as the parties were not caught. The net was 

 seized and destroyed. 



There are no fishways in his division. 



Overseer George M. Slate, of Itockport, reports that the last season for 

 bass and pickerel fishing was the best for some seasons past. The river in 

 places were swarming with minnows, and he considers the allowing of min- 

 now fishing to be a great benefit. 



During the latter part of the season, maskinonge was quite plentiful, 

 and a goodly number was caught weighing from 10 to 40 lbs. 



Good duck shooting was limited to a couple of weeks, although there 

 were plenty flying. 



He has pleasure in reporting that there were no violations of the law. 



Overseer George Toner, of Gananoque, reports that for many years pre- 

 vious to the season of 1908 net-fishing was very prevalent in the St. Law- 

 rence River, with the result that fish of almost any kind became very scarce. 

 This militated against the interests of those who wanted to fish for profit and 

 who desired to keep within the law, as well as against those who, for various 

 reasons, wanted to promote the reputation and increase the attractions of 

 Gananoque and the Canadian Thousand Islands as a tourist's resort. 



On assuming the duties of overseer there was much opposition offered 

 to his work, on the part of those who had heretofore used these waters much 



