24 DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 9 



In addition, 373,314 fingerlings were planted, slightly fewer than the number 

 planted the previous year. The policy of planting fry and small fingerlings will 

 be abandoned, unless a surplus is available or crowded conditions warrant distribution. 



Brown Trout: 



The Department continued the policy of rearing brown trout yearlings for re- 

 stocking suitable streams in southern Ontario, and the results are most encouraging. 



During the year approximately 59,600 sizeable yearlings were planted and plans 

 are under way for increasing facilities for handling larger numbers of this species. 



Rainbow Trout: 



(a) Steelhead trout — 



Excellent progress was made in connection with the rearing of rainbow trout 

 fingerlings; an increased production of 205.5 per cent was obtained. In addition 

 to this 6,727 yearling and adult rainbows were distributed. 



(b) Kamloops trout — 



The advantages to be derived from planting this variety of rainbow trout in 

 sipring fed lakes, which show similar characteristics to those inhabited by speckled 

 trout, were set forth in the previous report of the Department. 



Twenty-five thousand eight hundred fingerlings of this variety were planted 

 during the year. As soon as a plan can be developed, a substantial number of 

 yearlings will be planted annually in conjunction with surplus fingerlings which can- 

 not be carried over winter. Annual egg production will depend on a domesticated 

 breeding stock which is being developed. 



Lake Trout: 



The total distribution of eyed eggs and fry was approximately 28 per cent 

 greater than the previous year. There was a decrease of 33 per cent in the distri- 

 bution of fingerlings. 



The successful collection of large numbers of lake trout eggs in the fall 

 of the year by commercial fishermen working in conjunction with the Department's 

 spawntaking crews, depends primarily on weather conditions. It is obvious that 

 the technique governing the successful collection of spawn cannot be carried out 

 in a most satisfactory manner during rough and stormy weather on the Great 

 Lakes. Conditions of this nature existed during the spawning season of lake trout 

 in 1938. 



Whitefish: 



There was a decrease of approximately 15.6 per cent in the distribution of 

 whitefish fry as compared with that of the previous year; this was due to two 

 factors, firstly the spawntaking harvest in the vicinities of Kenora and Fort Frances 

 was greatly reduced on account of an early freeze-up, and secondly the spawning 

 run of fish in the Bay of Quinte area, Lake Ontario, was much smaller than in 

 previous years. 



Herring: 



The distribution of herring fry was more than nine times that of the preceding 

 year. This distribution was due in the main to the increased collection of spawn 

 on the Bay of Quinte area. Lake Ontario. Small collections were made on Lake 

 Erie but, as was pointed out in the previous year's report, there are many hopeful 

 signs of the return of the herring or Cisco in Lake Erie. The reason for this may 

 be ascribed, in part at least, to the effective legislation imposed and enforced In 

 regard to commercial fishing in this lake. If the present population of herring in 



