Much of the summer work, however, was concerned with the netting, 

 measuring, weighing and tagging of fish. Scale samples were also taken so 

 that growth rates and age composition of the various fish populations could 

 be determined. These data when analyzed will aid greatly in assessing 

 the status of the fishery and in the development of appropriate management 

 plans. 



6. KAWARTHA LAKES FISH MANAGEMENT UNIT 



The nature of the work carried out by this Unit was quite similar to 

 that conducted on Lake of the Woods. The second year of a continuing 

 study was completed in 1964 and trap netting was carried out on Pigeon, 

 Sturgeon and Cameron Lakes, Nogies Creek Fish Sanctuary and Omemee 

 Mill Pond (Pigeon Creek). Most of the fish so captured were tagged and 

 fin clipped and subsequently released after all relevant data pertaining to 

 length, weight and age had been recorded. This is all part of a study to 

 determine population size, rate of growth, fish migrations and the extent 

 of natural reproduction in the areas concerned. Such information is used in 

 conjunction with water fertility data and fish harvest statistics (creel census) 

 to determine a suitable fish management plan for the Kawarthas. 



The tagging and transfer of largemouth bass and maskinonge from the 

 Nogies Creek Fish Sanctuary in the fall has been continuing for many years, 

 and has been closely allied to scientific studies of these two species. A number 

 of fish are transferred annually to other waters in the Kawartha chain and 

 the maskinonge particularly have contributed directly to the public fishery. 

 The Kawartha Unit is now in charge of this annual transfer and is responsible 

 for the collection and analysis of data on the tagged fish that are captured by 

 anglers. 



7. FISH POPULATION STUDIES 



Several biological surveys requiring much more than routine effort were 

 conducted during 1964. In these special studies, particular attention was given 

 to the abundance, age composition, rate of growth, utilization and distribution 

 of existing fish populations. Such work was carried out on Rainy Lake (Fort 

 Frances Forest District); Shawanaga Basin of Georgian Bay (Parry Sound 

 Forest District); and Batchawana Bay of Lake Superior, North Channel at 

 Blind River, and Bright Lake (Sault Ste. Marie Forest District). In addition, 

 special investigational work was initiated in 1964 on Kashwakamak and Mis- 

 sissagagon Lakes (Tweed Forest District) to determine the effect of planting 

 hatchery-reared walleye fry and fingerlings in areas containing established 

 populations of the same species. 



REGULATIONS 



The establishment of longer open seasons continued in 1964 with respect to 

 early spawning fish, prolific species, and those that are maintained to a large degree 

 by the planting of hatchery-reared stock. The following amendments were in effect 

 during 1964: 



(a) The early opening (last Saturday in February) of the brook trout season 

 in southeastern Ontario was extended to portions of northeastern Ontario 

 and angling through the ice commenced on February 29th. The season 

 on rainbow trout opened on the same date in the same parts of Ontario. 



(b) Parts of far northern Ontario bordering on Hudson and James Bays were 



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