44 THE REPORT ON [ No. 27 



illegal fishing, mostly that of netting, and all within a radios of tifceen miles, have beta 

 recorded within the last four months, and informations are still pouring in. 



The custom for. fishermen to take a license for a certain number of nets, and m 

 reality use a much greater, is believed to exist, yet this offence is small when compared 

 with those who fish with nets and without a license. The waters are so large and the 

 distances so great that the present staff of officers, with the unsuitable facilities at their 

 command for covering these distances, are unable to detect and control this illegal net 

 fishing. 



Rod Fishing. 



What is true in the ease of net fishing is also true of rod fishing. 



In Cranberry Lake, which is about four miles long by two miles wide, there were 

 thirteen fishermen nearly the entire summer fishing for the market. And in nearly all 

 the lakes adjacent to lines of transportation, where shipments to markets could be made 

 every day, and especially where the best bass fishing was found, the number of fishermen 

 was correspondingly large. 



The overseer who kept watch of the lines of transportation was powerless, because 

 the fishermen would be fortified in having a rod to every dozen allowed by law. He has 

 personally made several investigations upon complaints of excessive catch, and invariably 

 found the number of rods overbalanced the legal quantity allowed. 



Recommends Licensing Rod Fishing. 



He wishes particularly to call attention to this important fact, which is a great and 

 growing evil, destructive to our best fish and resorted to by a class of men who are 

 thriftless and worthless, and which can only be overcome by enforcing a license upon rod 

 fishing for market. Legislation in this respect will also greatly facilitate the overseers, 

 who can then have some check over licensed or unlicensed vendors. 



He is pleased to observe that the restrictions by " law " and " orders in-council " in 

 reference to the catch in close season, and especially through the ice, is, and will be,, 

 approved of by the people, and will be of incalculable benefit to our waters. This ia 

 already perceptible in the absence of shipments on the lines of stages hitherto resorted to. 



Overseers. 



In reference to overseers and their duties, he submits that the system of their 

 appointment over a large territory for a small salary carries with it two charac- 

 teristics, viz.: * , 



1st. They figure about the time they spend for the amount they get. 



2nd. After they serve what they think is sufficient for their remuneration, then 

 wait until informations come to them, and simply put in motion legal machinery. 



The first stage is a little activity ; the second a passive consent to act as a conduit 

 pipe if some other person works up a case for them. 



He has found in several instances where he has called to duty an overseer, he 

 invariably claims that he has already spent considerable time, and that it is impossible 

 for him to neglect the work he may be at, but if any person will send in informations he 

 will be pleased to prosecute. 



What People Expect of Overseers. 



That the people living even in the vicinity of fishing operations do not and can 

 know of but little of the violations, and they therefore expect the officers, not only to 

 ascertain for themselves what violations are being perpetrated, but that a vigilant search 

 for nets shall be made regularly and that action shall be taken without delay, in order 

 that such protection may be had before the waters are depleted of fish. 



Remuneration. 

 You will please observe that there is no remuneration for the overseers beyond their 



