1902 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 59 



trout may probably be explained by the increased quantity of spawn placed in 

 these waters by the Booth Fishing Company. About eighty per cent, of the fish 

 is exported to the United States, the balance being consumed in Canada. The 

 Booth Fishing Company is the principle purchaser. A considerable quantity is 

 sent to Winnipeg. The close seasons have been well observed so far as he is 

 aware. Only one complaint of illegal fishing was made to him, but in this 

 matter it was impossible to ascertain the truth of the report. There are no saw 

 mills in operation in those waters, excepting two at Port Arthur, and conse- 

 quently there is no injury to the fishing from that source. There are no fish- 

 ways in the district. The great depreciation which has taken place in the 

 quantity of fish caught shows the great need there is for a hatchery in that 

 district, as with the continual fishing year after year, and the destruction of 

 spawn which annually takes place, the catch is bound to decrease. In 1901 the 

 total value of the catch was $98,198.76 ; in 1902 the value was only $76,997.69, 

 being a decrease of $21,201,07. The Government has recently leased Nepigon 

 Lake to the Canadian Fish Co., and this no doubt will greatly increase the total 

 c&tjth of fish on the north shore of Lake Superior. 



\ / Overseer Mclntyre, Peterboro, reports that he is not in a position to give 

 any particulars as regards clause 37, as no licenses have been issued except for 

 catfish of which he has received no report. There was a good catch of fish in 

 his division, much better than last year and they were all consumed in the 

 neighborhood. He thinks keeping the water down in the lake last spring in 

 April and May saved a great amount of spawn, as the fish could not get up on 

 the marshes to spawn, where the spawn would dry up when the water went 

 down. He would favor the licensing of hoop nets for catfish, as there are a 

 great many in Rice Lake and Indian River. No violations came under his 

 notice. The close season was strictly observed. 



Overseer McKirdy, Nepigon, reports that there has been an increase of visi- 

 tors to Nepigon. The number of permits issued were 64 foreign, netting 

 $990.00; 21 Canadian, netting $105 00; total $1095.00, an increase of eleven 

 permits and $145 over last year. The fish taken has been fully better than the 

 average weight of other years, being slightly over 2| lbs. each. As usual, those 

 who visited the stream during June and early in July had the best fishing. 

 They had a few more flies to contend with, but were better satisfied, as there 

 were not the number of visitors then as there were during August. The river 

 has been patrolled by Overseer Charles de Laronde, and the camping grounds 

 were never in better condition. A gentleman who revisited the river after a 

 number of years expressed himself as delighted with the change in the sanitary 

 condition of the camps, He is pleased to report that the war waged against the 

 pike (which were fast taking control of certain portions of the river) has been 

 a decided success. Some thousands of pike which would average 10 lbs. each 

 have been destroyed, as well as large numbers of pickerel (equally destructive 

 to the trout) and suckers. He thinks it would be advisable to continue the net- 

 ting of these destructive fish during the coming season, as there are still large 

 quantities left, and the more that are taken out the better will be the fishing. 

 As usual, during August the the river was taxed to its utmost to accommodate 

 the visitors, frequently three or four parties having to camp at one place, which 

 is undesirable. He would suggest that Overseer Charles de Laronde be 

 instructed to commence his duties earlier and be supplied with a man to help 

 him lay out three or four new camping grounds in favorable location. 



Overseer McNabb, Orillia, reports that the close seasons were well observed 

 in his district. Whitefish, salmon trout, herring and bass were very plentiful 

 in Lake Simcoe. The law regarding the dumping of mill refuse in the water 



