50 THE REPORT ON [ No. 27 



Overseer McCall reports : 



That on the whole, the fishing in his district for the year 1899 has been a prosperous 

 one, though there has been a diminished catch of herring and perch, which he attributes 

 to natural causes, their place being taken by other species. There has, he says, been a 

 gain in whitefish, and in every other kind, more particularly in bass. There was a very 

 large catch by anglers in Port Rowan Bay, probably the largest in the last ten years. 

 In the Normandale division there has been a great falling off in the quantity of fish 

 caught, supposed to be caused by the growth of weeds and moss, which loosen after a 

 heavy wind and fill the nets, and which it is impossible to get out until the nets are 

 thoroughly dried and brushed out. 



He does not think the amount of fish sold in Canada would exceed five per cent. 

 He says that the fact that Long Point reaches from the main land to a point twenty- 

 one miles in length and nineteen miles from the shore at the eastern extremity, makes 

 it an extremely difficult place to guard against illegal fishing ; that no fines were inflicted 

 but a seizure of two senies was made in May last : that there are no saw mills on 

 streams in the district ; that there is one fishway in a dam on Manticoke creek, and 

 that only one stream is dammed so that fish cannot ascend it, namely, Patterson's 

 creek at Port Dover ; that this dam is built of solid masonry and on the rock bottom, 

 so that it would be almost impossible to put in a fishway. He does not think it neces- 

 sary in this case, as Black creek empties into Patterson's creek below Jonathan Ellis' 

 dam and is a much larger stream and better adapted for fish to ascend for breeding 

 purposes. 



Overseer Farrell reports : 



That there was an increase in the catch of fish in his division in 1899. 



There was no fish exported from this district ; 270,000 lbs. were sold in Oanada and 

 12,000 lbs. used for home consumption. 



No abuses exist in his division. The close season has been strictly observed owing 

 to the constant attention of the overseer. 



Two dip nets were seized on the 8th of April, 1899, and the seizure reported to 

 the department. He received instructions not to prosecute. 



The mill owners in his division observe the law, and rubbish and sawdust are not 

 allowed to get into the waters. Particular attention is paid to this. There are only two 

 fish slides in his division ; one, which is at Dunville, is in bad repair. He reported the 

 matter to Mr. John Scott, the Dominion Superintendent of Works, who said he was 

 waiting an appropriation from the Government in order to do the work. 



The fish sb'de at Caledonia is in good condition. 



Overseer Garner of Welland reports : 



That all the fish taken in his district are sold to the Buffalo Fish Company ; that 

 the German carp are becoming very numerous, and he recommends that some steps be 

 taken for their extermination ; that no cases of illegal fishing came to his knowledge, and 

 that the close seasons were strictly observed. 



Lake Ontario. 



Overseer Charles Ogg reports : 



That the catch of whitefish has increased both in number and size, and the general 

 is that the fisheries are improving, especially the herring. 



The inshore fishery on Burlington Beach was impeded somewhat owing to the pre- 

 vailing east winds, but notwithstanding this the catch was so large that the prices of 

 the local market were low. 



Being his first year in office he was unable to compare the figures of the season's 

 catch with those of previous ones, but from what information he could gather the fisheries 

 are improving considerably. 



The figures given in his statistical report are, he believes, under the actual catch, 

 as many fishermen state that they kept no account of the fish disposed of to campers and 

 cottagers on the beach as they were purchased in small quantities. 



All the fish caught in his district were sold in Hamilton and immediate neighbor- 

 hood. 



He has found no abuses existing. The close seasons have been strictly observed. 



