1899 ] GAME AND FISHERIES. 49 



He is not aware of any abuses ; all the fishermen seeming disposed to obey the 

 regulations. As far as his observations go, the close seasons were well observed, and 

 no illegal fishing came to his knowledge, nor were there any complaints laid. 



Lake Erie. 



Overseer William Stewart reports : 



That while his district (Pelee Island) should be one of the best in Lake Erie owing 

 to the quantity of fish, there is now very little fishing carried on, on account of the 

 disadvantage under which the fishermen are placed as compared with those in other 

 districts. 



They complain, he says, that owing to the high wages demanded by the employees, 

 the expense of keeping up the pound nets and boats, and the small price paid by the 

 dealers for the fish, it is impossible to pay expenses ; that the scarcity of stakes for the 

 pound nets, and the absence of a home market also tend to mitigate against those 

 fishermen ; that they now dispose of their fieh to United States fish dealers, and that 

 not having any other market they are entirely at the mercy of American buyers. 



The fishery laws have been well observed, not a single case of illegal fishing coming 

 under his notice. He further reports that the vigilance displayed by Oaptain Dann, of the 

 Dominion Government steamer " Petrel," has done much to prevent poaching by United 

 States fishermen. 



Overseer Lamarsh reports : 



That there has been a gratifying increase in the catch in his district over that of 

 1898 of all kinds of fish caught, except sturgeon, which shows a decrease of 3,914 

 pounds, but that the value of sturgeon caught was greater than that of last year owing 

 to the increase in price ; that there was an increase in the catch of herring of 

 65,344 pounds, and of whitefish 11,321 pounds; that pickerel shows a great increase over 

 1898, the total catch being 161,262 pounds, an increase of no less than 120,425 pounds ; 

 that perch shows an increase of 21,460 pounds, and that the quantity of catfish taken 

 was nearly double that of last year. 



The close season was well observed, only a couple of cases of illegal fishing coming 

 under his notice. The offenders were duly punished by the infliction of a fine and con- 

 fiscation of the nets. 



Nearly all the fish from his division are exported to the United States. 



Overseer Laird reports : 



That the fishing began in earnest about the 1st of May ; that it has been the best 

 season for a number of years, certainly the best since he has been overseer on the Like 

 Erie shore of Kent Oounty ; that the fish were on the shore all season, there being no 

 gales to drive them to the other shore. He calls attention to the large increase in the 

 number of fish taken this year, especially of herring and whitefish, and states that these 

 were of a greater size than in former years. He urges the importance of the Government 

 boat " Petrel " being wintered on Lake Erie, representing that being tied up for the 

 winter at a northern port she is too far away from her beat ; that it is late in the fall 

 and early in the spring that the Americans do the poaching ; and that if the " Petrel " 

 were to winter at some port at the west end of Lake Erie they would not be able to 

 carry on poaching to so great an extent, as she could be kept in commission for a much 

 longer period. He is of the opinion that some means will have to be adopted to get the 

 carp out of Rond Eau Bay, as he does not think they can be caught during the winter 

 months with hoop nets for which a license has been issued. He thinks it will have to 

 be done in. warm weather as he is sure they do not run in cold weather, though in the 

 summer it is difficult to get any one to undertake this work, as the fish then are entirely 

 unmarketable. He thinks some radical steps should be taken to exterminate them, or 

 our finer qualities of fish will be all driven out of the bay. 



Overseer Sullivan reports : 



That the fishing season has been most satisfactory j that there has been an increase 

 in the catch of herring, whitefish, pickerel and pike, while there was a decrease in that of 

 sturgeon ; that the quantity of fish sold in Canada was about 25 per cent., and of that used 

 for home consumption five per cent. 



No abuses of any kind came to his notice, and the close seasons were, he believes, 

 well observed. 

 4 G.F. 



