distribution and/or the spawning success of smelt were continued during 1964. 

 This work, nearing completion, is of assistance in predicting where, in the lake, 

 smelt can be expected to concentrate in numbers sufficient for fishing operations. 

 Such areas are expected to change with the continuing "enrichment" of the waters 

 of Lake Erie. No progress was made this year on the proposed study of the 

 problem of alternating strong and weak year classes of smelt. Cannibalism by 

 yearlings on young-of-the-year is suspected, but the extreme scarcity of yearlings 

 (1963 year class) in 1964 made it difficult to obtain specimens for study. This 

 project was delayed until 1965 when yearlings from the 1964 year class are 

 expected to be abundant. 



LAKE HURON 



The several separate whitefish populations of Lake Huron, Georgian Bay, 

 North Channel and South Bay were sampled as in the past. This sampling 

 programme and subsequent age determinations from scale samples, allows deter- 

 mination of the relative strengths of year classes of whitefish produced in various 

 areas, and is an essential part of our search for the causes of fluctuations in whitefish 

 abundance. These samples also provide the basic for annual predictions for 

 management and for the industry of the quality of whitefish fishing expected next 

 year. In 1964 a study of whitefish during this first year of life was initiated. It is 

 now believed that the strength of a year class may be fixed either at spawning time 

 or during their first year after hatching. The problem of locating and catching 

 these very small, almost transparent young whitefish is difficult to solve. A special 

 plankton-type net for this purpose was developed and tested successfully during 

 1964. 



The exploratory gill-net fishing of Georgian Bay ended in' 1964 and the 

 crew and gear moved to the North Channel. Preliminary analysis of the catches, 

 suggested the possibility of catching good numbers of marketable chubs in some 

 areas without excessive nuisance smelt and without catching young whitefish. 

 An experimental chub fishery was recommended. 



A major study of whitefish in Southern Georgian Bay was concluded in 1964, 

 and a report is to be published in 1965. The research concludes that this popu- 

 lation of whitefish is now exploited as heavily as it should be. The effect of sea 

 lamprey control on this and other whitefish populations should be watched very 

 closely. Populations are expected to improve when predation is reduced, and 

 new kinds of control on the fisheries may be justified. 



The survival, growth and distribution of planted, unselected splake were 

 further documented in the fisheries of northern Lake Huron and of South Bay. 

 Plans are being laid for the large-scale introduction of selected splake as soon 

 as these become available. 



The section on Kokanee, elsewhere in this report, covers this "exotic" species 

 in some detail. There was no problem in selecting apparently suitable stream and 

 shoal planting and future spawning sites in various parts of Georgian Bay and 

 South Bay. A total of 1,750,000 eggs or "swim-up" fry were planted in Lake 

 Huron waters in the first of a series of four annual plantings. 



LAKE SUPERIOR 



The research programme on Lake Superior, under the terms of the Federal- 

 Provincial Agreement for Ontario Fisheries, is a federal government responsibility. 



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