ANNUAL REPORT, 1944-45 23 



small game animals and birds not in excess of the numbers authorized to be killed 

 or taken by this Act (Game and Fisheries Act) or the regulations in respect of 

 which special open seasons may be provided." 



Amendments to the Special Fishery Regulations for the Province of 

 Ontario in 1944 were as follows: 



(a) The open season for black bass and maskinonge in all the waters 

 of Lake Erie was changed to extend from June 25th to December 15th; and 



(b) The open season for black bass and maskinonge in the waters of 

 the River St. Lawrence was changed to extend from June 16th to October 15th. 



Amendments to the Migratory Bird Regulations were in accordance with 

 the details as outlined in the reference to ducks, geese and snipe previously record- 

 ed in this report. 



ENFORCEMENT 



This Department is responsible for the administration throughout Ontario 

 of The Game and Fisheries Act and the regulations which may be provided there- 

 under, as well as The Special Fishery Regulations for the Province of Ontario pro- 

 vided by the Federal Government under The Fisheries Act (Canada), The Migra- 

 tory Birds Convention Act, insofar as the regulations apply in Ontario, and The 

 Wolf Bounty Act. 



For the enforcement of this legislation the Department maintains a staff 

 of Game and Fisheries Overseers whose services are augmented at different periods 

 of the year, but principally during the period of the Spring Fish spawning season, 

 by additional seasonal overseers. In addition members of the Ontario Provincial 

 Police force co-operate with our regular officers to secure better observance of the 

 various provisions of these legislative enactments and regulations. 



The work of enforcement is also assisted by the efforts and co-operation of 

 the hundreds of Deputy Game and Fishery Wardens who annually apply for such 

 appointments. This co-operation with the regular Overseers by these Deputy Game 

 Wardens is provided without expense to the public and serves a very useful purpose. 

 It is more than probable that the services rendered by these honorary officers are 

 generally speaking not to the extent of making seizures and prosecuting those who 

 have been apprehended violating the provisions of the legislation with the enforce- 

 ment of which we are charged, but rather for the purpose of advising and drawing 

 to the attention of those who might be contemplating such violations the impor- 

 tunities which might result, and thus they act principally in a preventive rather 

 than an enforcement capacity. They undoubtedly render good service on behalf of 

 the general public, and it would be difficult to estimate the value of the assistance 

 which is thus voluntarily provided. 



In the performance of their duties enforcement officers did apprehend 

 offenders on many occasions, and in such cases this action was followed by the 

 seizure of equipment which was being employed in connection with the violations 

 so witnessed. During the period of the fiscal year under review there were 1,247 

 cases in which seizures were made from such offenders. These seizures were 

 the result of action provided by Game and Fisheries Overseers in 1146 cases, by 

 Deputy Game and Fishery Wardens in 9 cases, by members of the Ontario Pro- 

 vincial Police Force in 25 cases, and by members of municipal police forces in 3 

 cases. In the remaining 64 cases the seizures resulted from action in which Over- 

 seers, Deputy Game Wardens and Provincial Police constables co-operated with 

 each other. 



