20 THE REPORT OF THE [ No. 68 



SYNOPSES OF THE FISHERY OVERSEERS' REPORTS IN THE PRO- 

 VINCE OF ONTARIO, FOR THE YEAR 1900. 



District Overseer Pratt, Penetanguishene reports as follows : 



" In receiving the past season's operations a good many conflicting situations 

 are found and seemingly paradoxical conclusions arrived at. In the first place 

 there is abundant evidence, evidence borne out by my own observation, that fish 

 are just as plentiful in the Georgian Bay as ever, while at the same time the catch 

 has been undoubtedly less, and the net result to fishermen and dealers not nearly 

 so favourable as last year. 



" What, then, are the causes for the decreased catch ? 



" Firstly, there seemed to be a general impression that trap nets were likely to 

 be licensed in the early part of the season, and a very considerable outfit of these 

 nets were got ready and put in operation, and when a great many of these were 

 afterward seized and destroyed, it meant in many cases that a man's total outfit 

 was gone and therefore he was unable to resume operations for some considerable 

 time, and in some cases not at all. 



" Secondly, the season was noted for most violent gales and it was a very 

 common occurrence to see nets washed up on jagged rocks and torn to shreds. 



" Thirdly, fish change their haunts and feeding grounds from precisely the 

 same reasons that wild animals on land do, that is either because their favourite 

 feed is scarcer or that they are obliged to move to avoid enemies that prey on 

 their particular kind. The bottom of our lakes is covered with certain species of 

 plant life which furnishes fish food in its season. This vegetable growth is not 

 very well understood, but it is known that in quantity and quality it varies from 

 season to season, from climatic and other causes, just as much as plant life on land, 

 and just as local in varied degree of productiveness. 



" I wish to say however that fishermen are in no way discouraged, they recog- 

 nize the past as being an off year, and they are fully alert to the fact that fish 

 are plentiful, only circumstances have been against a large catch. 



" Fishermen universally acknowledge that the department wishes nothing but 

 their welfare. 



" Regarding my own operations with the " Gladys " would say, that she was 

 put in commission on May 15th, and continued without interruption until the 

 closing of navigation, and while I can claim to have done good work I have no 

 hesitation in saying that a sail boat is the worst possible kind of a craft for pa- 

 trolling purposes, very often just when it is most necessary to be moving there is 

 either a dead calm or a gale, then again her accommodation, which fully as good 

 as the average 30 ft sail boat is not fit for the early or latter part of the season or 

 in any rainy or rough weather, it is all right in fine weather, but I say it ad- 

 visedly, a man's life or health is not safe. 



" This part of the Georgian Bay is becoming more and more a tourist resort 

 and it gives me great pleasure to report that without any exception those I have 

 conversed with freely consider that both bass and maskinonge are much more 

 plentiful, and that the department in establishing and maintaining a propogation 

 line and also maintaining good oversight is deserving the thanks of the entire 

 tourist fraternity, and one of the greatest pleasures I have had in my work was 

 the many expressions of satisfaction at the work being done. 



" J n regard to recommendations, I wish to say that they are few, the work of 

 the department is running smooth, and the regulations generally fit the require- 

 ments. 



" I have had a great many enquiries as to fishing in inland waters, several 

 applications to fish in same being forwarded to the Branch, but so far none grant- 



