FUR FARMING 



The 1968 Canadian ranch mink pelt market opened with a 

 spirited demand for dark and pastel types. The depletion of 

 the supply of these two types (in the fall) stimulated the 

 bidding at the early December sales which saw dark mink 

 advance from 10 to 15 per cent and pastels from 15 to 20 

 per cent over 1967 prices. 



While the demand for the lighter shades of mink was 

 good, it was obvious that the trade was not prepared to ex- 

 ceed the price levels established last year. Sapphires were 

 unchanged but pearls, violets, lavenders, hopes, Aleutians 

 and whites showed declines of from five to fifteen per cent. 

 These conditions prevailed through the January, February 

 and March sales with slight price increases for darks and 

 pastels and a firming of the demand for Aleutian and violet 

 mink. 



The Canadian sales were well attended with Canadian, 

 American, West German and Italian buyers taking the bulk 

 of the offerings. It was estimated that 95 per cent of the 

 Canadian ranch mink crop was sold by the end of February. 

 The reduction of the world ranch-mink crop by some four 

 million pelts failed to produce the strong market for all 

 types that was anticipated. 



The depressed mink pelt market which prevailed in 1967- 

 8, together with the high costs of production, particularly 

 for labour, caused 74 Ontario mink ranchers to discontinue 

 business. This represented a net decrease of 10,514 breeder 

 mink which were actually pelted, or a 4.4 per cent decrease 

 In the number of breeders kept as of January 1, 1967. 

 Breeder mink, which were sold alive to other Ontario 

 ranchers, were subtracted, thereby making this the net total 

 decrease from ranchers discontinuing business. 



For economic reasons and with a desire to reduce the 

 overall production of mink pelts, the number of breeders 

 kept on ranches in Ontario was reduced from 234,369 as 

 of January 1, 1967, to 208,570 as of December 31, 1968, a 

 decrease of 11 per cent. This reduction in breeding stock 

 resulted in some 63,000 fewer mink pelts produced in the 

 Province in 1968. 



The 1968-9 season saw the new jet mink offered in size- 

 able quantities on the New York market. While the top 

 bundle brought $270.00 per pelt, the offering was not up 

 to expectations and for the most part brought less than fine- 

 quality darks. It was indicated that the colour was dark 

 enough but the fur quality was lacking. 



The new Kojah mink, a long-haired mutation, was intro- 

 duced to the New York market for the first time and 

 brought an average price of $114.00 per male and $68.00 

 per female. The promoters of this new type have hopes that 



it will rival the Russian sable in popularity. 



There was an upsurge in the demand for fox pelts as well 

 as all long-haired wild furs. Large quantities of these types 

 are being consumed by the trimming trade and in the manu- 

 facture of "fun" furs and sportswear. 



Arrangements were made with a number of Ontario fox 

 ranchers for the purchase of live foxes by Connaught Medi- 

 cal Research Laboratories to be used in experimental work. 

 It is hoped that an oral vaccine for rabies in wildlife may 

 be developed. 



A total of 417 Fur Farmers' Licences were issued during 

 the year. Of these, 404 were renewals and 13 were for 

 newly established fur farms. 



FIELD SERVICES 



This unit is responsible for fish and game law enforcement 

 programs and for providing in-service training opportuni- 

 ties for conservation officers and other Department staff 

 charged with the enforcement of various statutes and regu- 

 lations. In addition, records of seizures and convictions are 

 maintained, and equipment seized as evidence is disposed 

 of according to statute. Records of sales of hunting and 

 fishing licences are now filed in a central licence registry to 

 be used to solve both management and enforcement prob- 

 lems. The provincial hunting licence examination program 

 is also a responsibility of this unit and through it an evalu- 

 ation of the results of hunter safety training programs in 

 reducing hunting accidents. 



LAW ENFORCEMENT 



The objective of fish and game law enforcement is to pre- 

 vent violations. To ensure good fish and wildlife manage- 

 ment, the public must be impressed with the need to obey 

 the regulations. Where education and publicity programs 

 fail, prosecution is necessary, and high standards of law en- 

 forcement are essential to successful prosecution. Through 

 in-service law enforcement training courses, officers have 

 become increasingly skilled and knowledgeable in han- 

 dling their cases in court, and a lower rate of dismissals has 

 been experienced. 



Legislation and regulations provided under The Game 

 and Fish Act, 1961-62, have been consolidated in summary 

 form for public distribution with maps and explanations in 

 simple terms. A Big Came Provisional Summary of seasons 

 was provided in January as an aid to hunters who must set 

 their vacation schedules in advance and to assist the tourist 

 operator in preparing his brochures and accommodation 

 arrangements. 



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