190a DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 



are not allowed in the summer months. The game fishing in the river has 

 improved since they allowed hoop nets, and if fishermen are, and would be 

 honest, all lakes and rivers that have bull-heads, pike and suckers should be 

 fished with hoop nets. Should bass or lunge be caught in the hoop net it does 

 not hurt them. Therefore I would recommend the government to grant licenses 

 for hoop nets alone, with the understanding that anyone not returning a bass or 

 lunge to the water their licenses would be cancelled at once and their grounds 

 transferred to another. This would put a stop to all illegal fishing, as there is less 

 illegal fishing every year. The fishermen realise that it does not pay to take the 

 chances of being fined. ' 



There was a misunderstanding around Hastings and Campbellford about 

 large mouth bass, and swamp bass and there were a few shipped, but I told them 

 last spring the law re black bass was the same for all bass and I am fully 

 satisfied the law has been well observed in this division. 



Re-stocking the Trent River. This can be done very cheaply, as there can 

 be one or more bass hatcheries started and run at a small expense. At or near 

 Mr. Rod Kellers, near Healey's Falls, would be a good place for one. The govern- 

 ment, in my mind, should start hatcheries all through Ontario where there are 

 suitable waters and places. There is no doubt that the fishing industry in 

 Ontario is only in its infancy, and if proper attention is given to starting bass 

 hatcheries and restocking the fine waters all throughout Ontari i, it will only 

 be a few years before there will be a great saving of food — I mean it will take 

 the place of meat and a good revenue will be received by the fisheries depart- 

 ment. 



I stated last season that the government should aid the fishing industry, 

 just as well as the cheese, or butter, or fruit growers, or breeders' associations. 



I strongly recommend that there should not be any nets of any kind allow- 

 ed in the Bay of Quinte, or any lake in P. E. County or Weller's Bay, or any 

 waters east of Peterboro, north of the St. Lawrence River, in the spring at the 

 time when all the game fish are spawning, as they should not be disturbed. The 

 fishermen stand in their own light when they do this, as I am fully satisfied 

 they would catch as many fish in the fall and winter as they do now, and would 

 get from two to four cents per pound more for the fish. This, to my mind, is a 

 matter that should be looked into. It is too bad to see fine fish sell for half 

 price, when, if they were allowed to grow a few months, they would bring double 

 the money. 



I had to fine one man, at Bancroft, for allowing the refuse to go in the 

 water, and a few more will have to be fined unless they fix up the floor in the 

 lower part of their mills so that the saw-dust will not go through. All the mill 

 owners in the southern part observe the law well. 



I find more fish are being consumed every year. I think more than one- 

 third of the catch in this district is consumed in Canada, and they are the best 

 fish as well. Our worst fish are shipped away. 



District Overseer Mathen, Brockville, reports that the fishing on the St. 

 Lawrence River during the year has been much better than in former years. 

 His district has been well inspected, the different overseers attending faithfully 

 to their duties. Pike fishing has been good, and maskinonge fishing excellent. 

 The report that Americans were fishing in our waters for minnows with seine 

 caused considerable trouble, but on investigating, he found in every case that 

 hook and line only were being used by them. Even this is objected to. He 

 would recommend a close season for pike, the same as on the American side. 



District Overseer Pratt, Penetang, reports that the season of 1932 will 

 always be remembered as a very early one, the bay being entirely free of ice on 

 April 10th. His operations began on April 15th, when he sailed from Midland 



