LICENCES 



After being in effect for two years, the resident angling 

 licence was withdrawn on April 26, 1971 . 



SALE OF ANGLING LICENCES 



*Includes non-resident bow and arrow fishermen. 



EXTENSION 



Three field biologists specialize on this program for 

 landowners. Services presently available are literature, field 

 inspection and advice. Potential demand for such service is 

 great since there are over 62,000 southern Ontario major 

 (50 acres or more) landowners with stream or pond 

 holdings. 



PROVINCIAL FISHING AREAS 



Twelve areas were operated under intensive management to 

 provide trout fishing for the public. Use increased 25 per 

 cent over 1970 to over 92,000 angler visits. Over 239,000 

 hours of fishing were provided and 66,000 fish caught. 



WATER QUALITY STUDIES 



In 1971 , the Department expanded its efforts to detect and 

 reduce water pollution in Ontario. The year was marked by 

 the development of improved liaison with other government 

 agencies, together with new approaches to solving problems 

 of mutual concern. 



The monitoring of mercury levels in fish was continued, 

 with emphasis on those waters containing species of fish 

 with mercury concentrations above '/4 ppm. Problem waters 

 continued to include the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and 

 portions of the English-Wabigoon-Winnipeg River system. 

 Fish entering the domestic and export markets are tested to 

 ensure their compliance with federal health standards. 



Greater use of provincial waterways by large, oil-carrying 

 vessels has increased the threat of pollution by oil. The 

 Department, in co-operation with the Ontario Water 

 Resources Commission, undertook the development of a 

 contingency plan for dealing with oil spills. The plan is 

 designed to fit in with federal and international 

 contingency plans involving spills on the Great Lakes, as 

 well as with local plans in other parts of the province. In 

 1971, the Department provided surveillance and communi- 

 cations assistance on several occasions when an oil spill 

 occurred or threatened to occur. 



In recent years, the Department has become increasingly 

 concerned about the possible effects on fisheries of 

 highway construction and maintenance. In 1971 , liaison was 

 initiated with the Department of Highways with a view to 

 developing plans for minimizing any adverse effects of 

 highway projects. In the fall of 1972, the two organizations 

 will begin a detailed three-year study to assess the impact of 

 highway construction on a small watershed. 



NETTING CREWS 



Netting crews stationed at Thunder Bay and Maple 

 continued to construct and repair trap nets for the use of 



district personnel on field projects. In addition, they 

 provided instruction and guidance and actively participated 

 in some netting projects relative to the collection of eggs 

 for hatchery purposes; provision of fish for exhibitions, 

 pollution studies and fisheries investigations; and the 

 demonstration of impounding gear. 



FISHERIES INVENTORY 



Ontario waters continue to be surveyed to determine their 

 present and potential capabilities to produce fish, wildlife 

 and recreation. Survey crews were instructed according to 

 rigid standards at a special two-week training course at the 

 Forest Technical School near Dorset. 



In 1971, 974 lakes were surveyed. Fishing maps from 

 207 of the more popular lakes were printed on special 

 water-resistant paper and made available to the public at a 

 cost of 50 cents per map. 



Staff from Lindsay District and Head Office carried out 

 the wildlife and fisheries surveys which were the basis of a 

 "Cottage Capacity Study" in the Bottle and Catchacoma 

 Lakes region. This project, known as Lake Alert, is to assess 

 the number of cottages that a specific lake can withstand 

 while maintaining the quality of the environment. 



ANGLER SURVEYS 



The responses of 20,000 resident and non-resident anglers 

 to an angling questionnaire indicated that 522,000 licenced 

 resident fishermen spent 1 1 .4 million days fishing in 

 Ontario. Since only males over 18 required an angling 

 licence, the total does not include the fishing activity of an 

 estimated 760,000 women and children. Some 411,000 

 non-resident seasonal and 225,000 three-day licence holders 

 fished an additional 3.7 miUion days in Ontario and con- 

 tributed approximately 1 15 million dollars annually to the 

 economy of the Province. 



The most popular fish species sought by tourist anglers 

 were northern pike, yellow pickerel and bass in that order. 

 Ontario residents preferred to fish for yellow pickerel, 

 northern pike, smallmouth bass and brook trout. 



PROVINCIAL FISH HATCHERIES 



During 1971, construction was started on a large new sub- 

 station at Chatsworth hatchery. This faciUty will be ready 

 for rearing up to 800,000 fish in 1972, as a part of the Lake 

 Huron rehabiUtation program. 



Plans for a very large and complex new production 

 hatchery were prepared jointly by Ministry staff and 

 consulting engineers. This station is planned for construc- 

 tion at a site adjacent to the new Lennox power generaUng 

 station in south-eastern Ontario near the Village of Bath. 

 The large quantity of water, including a supply of heated 

 water from the hydro plant, will offer an advantage in 

 production unequalled anywhere in North America. 



An electronic data processing system was developed for 

 monthly monitoring of hatchery inventory and production 

 cost data. This program will be started at all Provincial 

 hatcheries in 1972. 



Investigation into fish diseases at Provincial hatcheries is 

 being continued by the Department of Microbiology at the 

 University of Guelph. A provincial disease control program 

 will be developed as a result of these investigations. 



Fish nutrition studies continued at the University of 

 Guelph as alternate ingredients of our standard diet were 

 tested with favourable results. 



Public interest in Provincial hatcheries continued to 

 increase with over 100,000 visitors in 1971, including 

 organized groups and school children. 



