1902 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 61 



waters of this district ling, catfish, suckers and eels are very plentiful. He 

 suggests that permission be given to take them with nets, for which a license 

 fee should be charged. They are not desirable fish for many reasons, among 

 which and principal is that they destroy the spawn of the maskinonge and bass. 



Overseer Mullin, Nipissing, reports that there were fewer licenses issued in 

 his division this year than the year previous, but the catch was better, and the 

 sturgeon were the largest he had ever seen taken in that locality. There were 

 several attempts made to fish hooks illegally by parties from Sturgeon Falls. 

 He was not successful in his efforts to catch these parties, but succeeded in cap- 

 turing eighteen lines and hooks, which he destroyed. He reports that there 

 were some fine black bass and pike caught, but they were not numerous. 



Overseer Myers, Wellington, reports that the chief fish in his district are 

 speckled trout, and the catch this year to be about the same as last year. The 

 close season was well observed, and no infractions of the law came to his notice. 

 He reports having watched the streams closely, and that the mill owners were 

 obeying the law regarding sawdust and other refuse being dumped into streams 

 There were five fish slides in his district, all in good repair. 



/ Overseer Nash, Rat Portage, reports that there is an apparent increase in 

 the catch compared with the preceding year. This he attributes largely to the 

 fishing industry in that district being on a much better commercial and financial 

 basis than heretofore. He has been over his district some time during each 

 season, and few infractions of the regulations have been reported to him or come 

 under his notice. While on this subject he wishes to state such irregularities. 

 The pound net fishermen report having caught several sturgeon with hooks in 

 their bodies, which helps to bear out the charge made that poachers endeavor 

 to catch sturgeon, and are partially successful in Rainy River during the spawn- 

 ing season when these fish are going from the Lake of the Woods up Rainy 

 River to spawn. The waters in question being international waters, it has been 

 rather difficult in the past to apprehend the offenders, but in conversation with 

 the United States Consul at Rat Portage, he learned that his Government is 

 taking the matter into its consideration, and will likely join with this Depart- 

 ment in an endeavor to rid the district of law-breakers in this case. While this 

 illegal fishing may not actually be in this district, yet the evil results affect the 

 fishermen therein most directly. Early in the year it was reported to him that 

 illegal fishing was being carried on in Silver Lake, a small lake about fifteen 

 miles from Rat Portage. This, on investigation, he found to be true, and took 

 every precaution to prevent its recurrence, in which he believes he was success- 

 ful, as no further reports of a similar kind came to his notice. He did not 

 apprehend the parties, nor find any of their nets. This matter was fully report- 

 ed to the Department in his leter of February last. In closing he would say 

 that from all he can ascertain the year has been a profitable one to the fishermen. 

 The fish caught wore of an improved quality over the year 1901, being of good 

 size, firm and bright. The close seasons are being better observed, and fisherman 

 have fewer complaints to make, and, in all, the industry has apparently become 

 a healthy and substantial one. 



f Overseer Norris, Lanark, reports that the catch in his division has been 



small tor the number of licenses issued, owing to the fact that none of the fisher- 

 men had their nets set more than two months. The feeling of the locality is 

 strongly opposed to the granting of net licenses in the lakes. The people are 

 unier the impression that the hoop nets will take all kinds of fish, while the fact 

 of the matter is that very few pickerel or bass are caught in them, and they are 

 the only game fish in those waters. No doubt where pike are plentiful 

 they would be captured in quantities. He thinks it would be to the interest of 

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