1900 ] FISHERIES DEPARTMENT. 37 



Much difficulty is experienced in getting returns of the catch from the several 

 fisherman at the end of the season, and would recommend that an additional 

 charge of Si be made on such license, and that such amount be refunded at the 

 end of the year on receipt of the return of fish taken. 



The close seasons have been well observed. 



Several nets were seized and confiscated during the season. 



The law respecting the pollution of waters was strictly adhered to. 



Overseer Blow din, Cornwall : 



This officer reports that the fishing in his division has been exceptionally 

 good and that several big catches of maskinonge have been made by the anglers 

 who visited the district. All fish, except sturgeon, caught by the licensed fisher- 

 men, are sold in the neighbourhood, the sturgeon being shipped to Monti eal. No 

 illegal fishing or other violations of the fishery laws came to his notice, and there 

 were consequently no fines imposed. The close seasons for fish were strictly ob- 

 served. 



Overseer Villenen ve, Phmtagent . 



Reports an increased catch in his division, especially in pickeral and pike. 

 The catch of perch has also been very satisfactory. The fishermen claim, how- 

 ever, that there is a great falling off as compared with what it used to be. This 

 state of affairs has been caused by the filling up of the Ottawa River, with saw- 

 dust and other mill refuge, which has been allowed to be deposited in this river. 

 The spawning beds are covered with sawdust and the spawn deposited thereon 

 is lost, and it this state of affairs is allowed to continue the Ottawa River will 

 very soon be depleted of fish. 



He is pleased to report that the fishery laws have been strictly observed. 



The whole of the fish taken is used for home consumption. 



There are no fishways in the district and none are necessary. 



The fishing is carried on with gill nets and set lines. 



Overseer Loveday, Ottawa : 



In submitting 1 is report of the fishing operations for the past season, states 

 that the catch in some localities is not quite so good as in 1899. The reason for 

 this, he claims to be the result of the continued pollution of the Ottawa River by 

 sawdust, which is carried into the several creeks and bays where the fish usually 

 spawn, and eventually goes to the bottom, covering and destroying the fish eggs 

 deposited there. If this is not very soon changed, the extinction of fish life in 

 this river will, in his opinion, be extinct, as there are no spawning beds free from 

 this pollution. 



He finds great difficulty in enforcing the law respecting the sale of fish 

 during the close season, owing to the fac> that the possession of these fish is per- 

 mitted duting the close time, by the parties producing a lawful excuse, or in other 

 words, by producing bills of shipment of the particular class, of fish, presumed to 

 have baen shipped from the other provinces, over which we have no jurisdiction, 

 and would urge as a remedy therefor, the total prohibition of any kind of fish 

 during the period covered by the close season, no matter when or where caught. 



The angling, on the upper portion of the Ottawa River, was not so good as 

 last year. This, he attributes to the illegal netting on the Quebec side of the 

 river, over which no overseer had jurisdiction ; but as the Quebec government 

 has now invested him with authority to act, he will endeavor to put a stop to 

 this illegal work. There were some good sized fish captured, one bass weighed 

 6| lbs. and the combined weight of two pickerel was 19| lbs. 



On the Rideau River the bass and pickerel fishing was below the average. 

 This he attributes to the sudden falling of the water in the spring, after the fish 

 have gone up the small creeks to spawn, and they are therefore unable to get 



