1911 GAME AND FISHERIES. 41 



Overseer R. C. Fowler, of Emerald, reports that his appointment to office com- 

 ing in the month of March, placed him in rather a difficult position. Most of the 

 applications for licenses had been made through his predecessor, some of the fees 

 having been paid, and some not. Xo adequate record of these transactions wa& 

 furnished him. It therefore meant a good deal of work to get things straightened 

 out. 



The commercial fishing in that district has been very poor this season. 

 Fishermen hardly cleared expenses during the first half of the season. Whitefish 

 particularly being almost a minus quantity. Salmon trout were a little better, in 

 fact they saved the situation for the fishermen this season. The fishermen realise 

 that these salmon trout are the product of the hatcheries. 



The latter part of the season, both whitefish and salmon trout have improved. 

 Taking the season as a whole, the catch will be much below the average. 



The anglers had better luck, although they have seen better fishing, most of the 

 anglers seemed pretty well satisfied. Two licenses were granted for the catching 

 and sale of minnows, instead of one as last year. Both anglers and guides say 

 that this position has been the means of having a better quality of bait supplied. 



The Regulations have been well observed. A few fishermen showed some dis- 

 position to infringe, but on being cautioned they gave no more trouble. The 

 patrol boat under the able management of Capt. Fleming, is of great service 

 to the local overseers in having Regulations observed. 



A great annoyance and loss is caused the fishermen by the eels. They eat up 

 fish out of the nets, and in so doing snarl up the net so that it takes hours of 

 hard work picking out these knots. Between loss of fish and time, it means a lot 

 of money every season. They also suck up a great deal of spawn, almost living on it 

 during the spawning seasons. There is a time every year when these eels come in 

 on the sandy shores. He would suggest that a limited number of fishermen be 

 allowed to seine them. If a limited number only were allowed this privilege, 

 there would be good money in it, and they would be very careful not to abuse the 

 privilege, for fear of losing their license. At the same time no injustice would 

 be done by granting this privilege, as all fishermen would benefit by the destruc- 

 tion of these pests. 



He would also suggest that it would be better to have the open season for plover 

 and snipe the same as for ducks. 



Overseer E. R. Fox, of Nortliport, reports that he has patrolled the waters 

 in his division as often as he thought necessary, and he found the fishermen obey- 

 ing the law, and has hardly had a complaint this year. The hoop net fishing was 

 as good as last year, but the gill net fishing for whitefish has been very poor, as 

 the month of October was very warm and there were no heavy winds to clear the 

 weeds out of the bay, and the whitefish go to the top of the Avater and the nets tfof 

 the bottom, so do not catch them. He thinks they axe just as plentiful as last 

 year. There were many more anglers in his division than last year, and they 

 report good fishing. 



Re Game. — Ducks are quite plentiful and of a good quality — much better 

 than last year. But in his judgment the law for them is not veiy good, as the 

 open season for ducks is the 15th September, and for snipe, plover and mud hens 

 the 1st September, which gives persons a chance to hunt in the marshes and a 

 chance to kill now and then a duck, as an overseer cannot be in the marshes 

 all the time. He thinks the muskrats are on the decrease, as they bring a 

 very large price, and there are a great many more trapping them. He would like 

 to see the season closed for a period of two years, and they would be very plentiful. 



4 G. F, 



