12 THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



that the king of the waters, the gamey black bass, will satisfy all demands 

 for some time. The catfish is not protected by a close season in Ontario, 

 but by a condition of the license it cannot be netted between the 15th April 

 and the 1st October, which affords ample protection for both increase and 

 growth. 



Angling Permits. 



In the opinion of the undersigned the time has arrived when the Pro- 

 vince should charge non-residents a rod license for angling in the waters 

 of the Province. Heretofore free angling has been afforded all non-residents 

 who stayed at Canadian hotels and boarding houses and employed Canadian 

 boatmen ; but the number of visitors has so largely increased within the last 

 few years, that the drain upon our game fish has been very great. In fact 

 it is alleged that in many cases no regard whatever has been paid to the 

 regulation as to the size and number of fish which may be taken. So that 

 additional supervision of our angling waters during the tourist season is 

 absolutely necessary; and it seems but proper that visitors to the Province, 

 who bear no part of the cost of maintaining our institutions, should contri- 

 bute their fair share to this expense, and this can only be done by requiring 

 an angling fee. It is not believed that anv one will be discouraged from 

 coming to the Province on this account, as the entertainment provided him 

 when he comes is perhaps not to be equalled anywhere upon the continent. 



The Great Lake Fisheries. 



The correspondence inaugurated by this Province with the several States 

 bordering upon the great lakes, and which had for its object the promotion 

 of uniform laws and regulations, and a uniform policy governing the great 

 lake fisheries, has been continued during the year, and it is believed with 

 some effect. The difficulty has heretofore ' been that the State Legislatures 

 have been unable, owing to the opposition of fishermen of one State to laws 

 which might be passed in another State, to agree upon a code that would be 

 satisfactory to all alike; and, finding this to be the case, and recognizing 

 the disaster which must inevitably result from further delay, there is now 

 an agitation by some if not all of the States for federal control of interstate 

 waters. Secretary Root is manifesting commendable activity in the matter, 

 and is, it is understood, negotiating with the Dominion Government with a 

 view to a joint commission. So soon as the Federal Government of the 

 United States can obtain the control of the lake fisheries on their side of 

 the line, so soon may we expect something to be accomplished in the direc- 

 tion of what is desired to be attained, but not until then. Canada has always 

 been ready to negotiate, but, for the reason mentioned, recognized the futil- 

 ity of any action with individual States. But while the arguments in favor 

 of Federal control so far as the State Great Lake fisheries are concerned 

 are indisputable, with a view to a more speedy and satisfactory conference 

 with the Canadian Government, it does not of course follow That it is essen- 

 tial to such a result that the power to license as well as to regulate on this 

 side of the line should be vested in the Dominion Government, for on the 

 one hand eight jurisdictions with separate legislative powers are now con- 

 cerned, namely, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illi- 

 nois , Wisconsin and Minnesota, while on the other hand there is but one, 

 namely, Ontario. And there is no reason to suppose that less respect on the 

 part of Ontario fishermen for any policy and regulations agreed upon bet- 

 ween the two Federal powers would be required by the Province, — whose 

 property is at present jeopardized for the want of such policy and regula- 



