REPORT 



DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



FOE THUS TTEAB 



1900. 



To the Honorable 



Francis R. Latchford, 



Commissioner of Fisheries for Ontario : 



The undersigned has the honor to place before you the Annual Report of the 

 work of this department for the year 1900. It is satisfactory to be able to state 

 that the department is not only self-sustaining, but that it is also a source of 

 some considerable profit, there being a surplus over and above the expen- 

 diture of nearly $8,000, the net revenue amounting to 835,44x85, and the total 

 expenditure to $28,612. 



STATISTICS. 



The statistics, which are to be found in another portion of the report, have 

 been carefully prepared, and furnish much interesting and valuable information. 



Every effort has been made to procure complete and accurate returns from 

 the fishermen as to their season's operations, and it is believed that the data 

 is as authentic as it is possible to make it. There has, however, been a 

 disposition on the part of a considerable number of the fishermen to withhold the 

 particulars asked for until absolutely forced from them, owing, perhaps, to the 

 erroneous supposition that the information, if imparted, might be used as a basis 

 for increasing their license fees, curtailing their privileges, or introducing more 

 stringent conditions into their licenses ; and this has unavoidably materially 

 delayed the presentation of the report. 



Licenses to fish with 1,893,000 fathoms of gill net, 471 pound nets, 499 hoop 

 or fyke nets, 95 seines, 107 dip nets, 3 machines, and several thousand baited 

 hooks were issued. 



The occupation has given employment to 2,502 men, 91 tugs, and 1,187 

 boats. 



An estimated capital of $789,042 is invested in the industry. 



The aggregate catch amounts to 25,698,591 pounds, which shows a decrease 

 as compared with last year of 1,789,888 pounds. (See table p. 80). 



The estimated value of the catch is $1,333,293.82. (See table p. 81). 



Statements are given showing the number of licenses issued by each overseer 

 (p. 78); the revenue derived from each division (p. 54); the number in detail of fisher- 

 men, tonnage and value of tugs, vessels and boats, quantity and value of all 

 fishing material, and the kinds and quantities of fish caught (p. 56-77); comparing 



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