some extent by additional pelt-outs when the pelts of breed- 

 er mink will be offered for sale. 



The low prices and inactivity in the mink pelt market can 

 be attributed to the economic conditions which caused the 

 present slump in the stock market in the United States, the 

 largest mink consuming country in the world, and to a lesser 

 extent in the Canadian market. The tight money situation, 

 with high interest rates, has had an adverse affect on the 

 brokerage, manufacturing and the wholesale branches of 

 the industry which operate to a great extent on credit. 



The efforts of the National Board of Fur Farm Organiza- 

 tions, have been redoubled in their attempts to obtain quota 

 legislation on the importation of mink pelts into the United 

 States. Any restrictive import measure would adversely af- 

 fect Canada and particularly Ontario, the largest fur pro- 

 ducing province, because most of the top quality wild mink, 

 and a good percentage of fine quality ranch mink produced 

 in Canada, are exported to the United States. Developments 

 are being closely watched by the Canada Department of In- 

 dustry, Trade and Commerce and Canada Mink Breeders. 



In anticipation of a poor pelt market and for economic 

 reasons, the number of breeder mink kept on Ontario 

 ranches as of January 1, 1969, remained virtually the same 

 as for January 1, 1968. The increase in the number of mink 

 pelts produced in 1969, as compared to 1968, is attributed 

 to the small increase in the number of breeders kept and 

 the number of breeder pelts placed on the market due to 

 ranchers discontinuing business. From information obtained 

 from the Fur Farmers' Reports, the Provincial production 

 per female kept was calculated to be 3.57 and the mortality 

 from all causes was 2.44. 



In December, 1969, 51 Ontario fur farmers discontinued 

 business due to the low pelt prices. It is obvious that un- 

 less there is a dramatic up-swing in the market where ranch- 

 ers can at least recover production costs, there will be a 

 further serious contraction of the industry in the Province 

 in the next year. 



The small production of ranch-raised fox pelts sold to 

 good advantage with the present demand for all long-haired 

 furs. Large quantities of these types are being used in the 

 manufacture of "fun furs" and sportswear. 



The incidence of disease on Ontario fur farms was minimal 

 in 1969. Six cases of distemper, four cases of tuberculosis, 

 three cases of pseudomonas, and one case of piasmacytosis 

 were diagnosed at the Ontario Veterinary College, Univer- 

 sity of Guelph. The largest loss due to distemper was 326 

 mink on a ranch where they had not been vaccinated. The 



loss due to pseudomonas was kept to a minimum by the 

 prompt use of vaccine stored at the College for this purpose. 

 The one case of piasmacytosis is not representative of the 

 status of this disease on Ontario ranches. Traces of this dis- 

 ease can be found on most ranches. However, as ranchers 

 test for this disease without reference to the College, no ac- 

 curate record of its prevalence is known. The disease is con- 

 trolled by killing those mink that show positive to the test. 



During 1969, a total of 387 Fur Farmers' Licences were 

 issued; of these 358 were renewals, 27 were for newly es- 

 tablished fur farms, and two licences were issued with retro- 

 active provisions to legalize the operation of unlicensed 

 farms in the previous year. 



FIELD SERVICES 



This is a service unit providing liaison between fish and 

 game management and the preparation of regulations, 

 amendments to regulations and The Game and Fish Act, 

 1961-62, and amendments. It is responsible for law enforce- 

 ment programs, the training of conservation officers, and 

 the maintenance of seizure and prosecution records. In ad- 

 dition, records of angling and hunting licences are main- 

 tained in a Central Licence Bureau incorporating hunter and 

 angler surveys for management purposes and law enforce- 

 ment. Hunters and anglers may also be serviced in the mat- 

 ter of replacing lost licences by this bureau. Hunting licence 

 examinations are a responsibility of Field Services in co- 

 operation with the Provincial hunter training program. 



LAW ENFORCEMENT 



where education programs fail to obtain the necessary co- 

 operation of the public, charges may be laid. The objective 

 of preventing violation can sometimes be achieved by issu- 

 ing warnings. Where court action results, a high standard 

 of law enforcement training is essential. 



A Provisional Summary of the Big Came Seasons was pro- 

 vided seven months in advance of the open season, followed 

 by a more comprehensive Summary of the Regulations and 

 Seasons several weeks prior to the commencement of fall 

 hunting. In addition to these two hunting publications, con- 

 solidated office copies of The Game and Fish Act, 1961-62, 

 and the Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1969, were made avail- 

 able for distribution to law enforcement officers, courts, 

 legal counsel and the public. 



The training of conservation officers and others, con- 

 cerned with the enforcement of provincial and federal 

 statutes, is continuing with a total of thirty-eight officers 

 and other personnel receiving in-service training during the 

 year at Nym Lake Staff House, Fort Frances Forest District 

 and the Ontario Forest Technical School, Dorset. 



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