total does not include personnel engaged In packing, filleting or other shore 

 operators, so that the total number earning their living In the commercial 

 fishery was considerably greater. Increases in the number of licences issued 

 during the year was due largely to an increased interest in bait -fish. Over 

 one hundred and fifty additional bait-fish licences were issued in 1955. This 

 increase was due also to the introduction of bait-fish dealer's licences, 

 which permit the purchase and re -sale of the live fish. 



In Leike Erie a sharp increase in both blue pickerel and yellow 

 pickerel production occurred during the year. One-third of the entire com- 

 mercial fish production of the province consisted of pickerel from this lake. 

 The production in Lake Erie was up over the year previous by one and one -third 

 million pounds, even though there was a noticeable reduction in perch and white 

 bass landings. 



Production in Lake Ontario also was up slightly for the year but with 

 these two exceptions all the other fishing regions showed decreased landings. 

 Georgian Bay whlteflah continued the downward trend to a more nearly average 

 production of Just over one and one -half million pounds. The fisheries in 

 Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron and North Channel all show decreases in catch. The 

 production of Lake Superior trout dropped off somewhat under the continuing 

 attack of the sea lamprey. The fishery in this lake is looking to the united 

 research and lamprey control measures of the Province of Ontario, Canada and 

 the United States to eventually reduce the parasite and so allow the lake trout 

 population to be built up again. 



Production of goldeyes in the interesting, almost wholly Indian 

 fishery in the northern part of the Province, was drastically reduced, largely 

 due to the poor market conditions which prevailed for this species. 



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