1904 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 



possible to increase from either source, and the depletion will continue. 

 Americans, though well equipped with hatcheries, are experiencing the 

 greatest difficulty in obtaining a sufficient supply of ova, and for some 

 years have been obtaining large quantities from Canadian fishermen, our 

 law that no trout or whitefish under two pounds in weight shall be taken 

 allowing a greater number of these fish to mature and reproduce. 



It was, however, made clear at the Conference that this Province could 

 not longer justify limiting the number of licenses issued or the maintenance 

 or enforcement of more stringent or even the present restrictions so long 

 as indiscriminate fishing was permitted in adjacent waters, and under prac- 

 tically no restriction whatever; that there must, therefore, be no occasion 

 for surprise if, in view of the fact that nearly the whole burden of restraint 

 has heretofore fallen upon Canadian fishermen, they should be relieved 

 from the observance of some of the restrictions which had hitherto been 

 t>nforced; and that if the decline in the Great Lake fisheries was due to ex- 

 cessive fishing, the censure for it must rest principally, if not wholly, upon 

 the American fishermen or authorities, as the failure to provide effective 

 and protective measures and to regulate the fishing carried on had certainly 

 been indefensible and unjustifiable. AVith the increasing number of fisher- 

 men operating in the lakes, and with the improved means of handling the 

 nets which have of recent years been introduced, it is more than evident 

 that if something is not immediately done to meet the effect of this increas- 

 ed attack, our lakes will soon be exhausted of their riches. But no sane 

 people can expect that Canadians will enforce measures to prevent such a 

 calamity which are not adopted or enforced by the Americans. 



Domestic Licenses. 



These licenses continue to be issued for some of the interior lakes, par- 

 ticularly in the eastern part of the Province, the Department being of the 

 opinion that where game fish do not abound, it will be advantageous to 

 resiuent settlers to receive licenses at a nominal fee for small quantities of 

 gixi net to take fish for their own consumption, but not for barter or sale. 



. . Jt I 

 Hoop Net Licenses. 



It has also been considered advisable to grant hoop net licenses in cer- 

 tain lakes in which fishing has not heretofore been carried on, where it has 

 been reported that the coarse fish were multiplying at the expense of the 

 beaer classes. It is impossible to restore or increase the game fish unless 

 the worthless kinds are first exterminated; and the hoop net is the only 

 implement of capture with which this can be done effectively without in- 

 jury to the better classes. As an illustration of this, it may be mentioned 

 that an Overseer reports that a fisherman in his division caught and des- 

 troyed 2,700 dog fish during the season in his hoop nets. In some places 

 where these nets have been fished for a number of years, it might be advis- 

 able to discontinue them for a period. 



Spearing Licenses. 



The privilege to spear coarse fish, carp, suckers and pike has been grant- 

 ed for a number of years to residents in the vicinity of Burlington Bay, and 

 every year some 100 huts in which the spearing is done may be seen upon 

 the ice. The fee charged for a license to spear has been but $1.00, suffi- 



