1904 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 47 



REPORT OF CAPTAIN OF THE CBUISEE GILPHIE. 



S. T. Bastedo, Esq., 



Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries. 



Sir, — I have the honor to submit my sixth annual report of the work 

 none by the Fisheries Protection Steamer "Gilphie" during the season of 



liH)4. 



On the 12th of April we began to prepare the vessel for service, but 

 owing- to the delay of having to put her in the dry dock, she was not ready 

 for sea before the 5th May, and we were not able to leave Owen 

 Sound before the 9th, owing to the rough weather. We reached Meaford 

 at noon, and found the fishermen awaiting favorable weather to proceed to 

 the fishing grounds. We arrived at Collingwood at 5 p.m., and saw Over- 

 seer Howard. On the following morning at seven we proceeded to the Chris- 

 tian Islands, a distance of twenty-five miles. It took us all day to reach our 

 destination, owing to the heavy ice encountered. The next day we started 

 out at 7 a.m., calling at Cedar Point and Giants Tomb Islands, and arrived 

 at Penetang at 5 p.m. There was no fishing. On Thursday the 12th, 

 while searching in the vicinity of Copper Head Island, we found one trap 

 net and destroyed it. On Friday and Saturday we patrolled between Camp- 

 bell's Bock and Parry Sound without finding any illegal nets. We cap- 

 tured one seine and 100 lbs. of fish on Monday while searching off Shawan- 

 aga Bay; the men escaped with their boat. The remainder of the week was 

 spent in patrolling Shawanaga Bay, Shebashekong, Campbell's Rock, Go- 

 home, Maxwell and Minnicognashene Islands, arriving at Penetang at 5 

 p.m. Saturday evening, but found nothinar irregular. Monday and Tuesday 

 were spent in washing out and testing our boiler, which we found all right. 

 On Wednesday and Thursday we made diligent search for nets at Muskoka 

 L'omahawk Point, Honey Harbor and McRae's Lake, without finding 

 any; but on Friday we succeeded in capturing two trap nets between Quarry 

 and Moore's Point. On Saturday we took on coal and proceeded to Pene- 

 tang, where we remained until Tuesday morning. Tuesday and Wednesday 

 were spent in patrolling between Penetang and Shebeshekong without finding 

 any nets, but on Thursday while searching the Freddy Channel we captured 

 one very large trap net, which we burnt. Again on Friday we captured 

 a trap net near the mouth of Byng Inlet, which was also burnt. We search- 

 ed again on Saturday, but without success. We lay up at the French River 

 on Sunday. 



On Monday, the 6th June, we visited the Bustard Islands, and found 

 five trap nets, which we burnt. We arrived at K* Harney on Tuesday even- 

 ing, and learned that Overseer Oliver had left there during the day. On 

 the following morning we left Killarney, and caught a party fishing ille- 

 gally and fined him $10. The following day being Dominion Day, no bus- 

 iness was transacted. On Saturday, the 2nd, we washed out the boiler and 

 fixed 'up generally. On Monday we went to Midland and took on thirteen 

 tons of hard coal, returning to Penetang in the evening. On Tuesday we 

 visited Jones Island, and succeeded in finding two trap nets, and on Wed- 

 nesday captured two more at Shawanaga Bay. The remainder of the week 

 was spent in visiting the Bustard Islands, Key River, Bad River, Killarney 

 and Little Current. No illegal fishing was discovered. We left Little 

 Current on Monday morning with Overseer Oliver on board, and spent the 

 week in going over his division, returning to Little Current on Saturday 

 afternoon. Monday, 18th July, we visited Point au Baril and Mink Is- 

 lands, and on Tuesday Palestine Island, where we captured four trap nets. 

 Wednesday and Thursday were devoted to patrolling among the islands 

 and pasting up notices, and on Friday we succeeded in capturing two trap 



