1905 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 29 



THAMES RIVER. 



Overseer Boler, Byron, River Thames, , reports that the eatch of fish was 

 small this season. The principal fish at this point caught were suckers and 

 several pike. 



No violations of the fishery laws have come under^ his personal observa- 

 tion. 



The fishway on the north side of the river at Byron needs some new 

 planks in it; he notified the. tenant of the mill regarding the same. 



Overseer Crotty, Bothwell, River Thames, reports that on account of there 

 being no seine licenses issued for past year, he can come to no conclusion as to 

 the increase or decrease in what the natural catch would be. 



Of the catch for 1905, 50 per cent, was exported, the fishermen getting a 

 price for the coarse fish that for home consumption would not be thought of, 

 nor would they be used. 



No abuses exist. 



The close season was strictly observed, and no illegal fishing came to his 

 knowledge, therefore there were no fines or confiscations. 



There are no mills or dams now in his district, and the fish have a clear 

 r i- ght of way. 



LAKE ST. CLAIR. 



Overseer Drouillard, Walkerville, reports that he is sorry to be obliged 

 to say that the present season has been a disappointment so far as the catch 

 of whitefish is concerned, but not altogether discouraging. He would con- 

 sider the catch of other kinds quite favorable. 



He is happy to state that no abuses have existed during the year in his 

 division, and consequently no complaints of any violations have come to his 

 knowledge against the fishermen, but, on the other hand, some of the fisher- 

 men owning pound nets in Lake St. Clair complained bitterly against the 

 poachers coming from the United States in launches, and not only robbing 

 the nets of what they contained, but destroying them in many instances, and 

 under the existing circumstances it is impossible for' him to offer the fisher- 

 men anything but sympathy, as he has no means of assisting to suppress such 

 depredations. 



DETROIT RIVER. 



Overseer Laframboise, Canard River, reports that from what he can learn 

 from the fishermen, the catch has been about the same as last year. There 

 have been less whitefish taken and more carp and other kinds of fish. It is 

 claimed that the constant blasting at the lime kiln crossing keeps the white- 

 fish from coming up the Detroit River. He has been told by reliable people 

 that they had picked up dead whitefish on the Bois Blanc Island shore that 

 had been badly cut up by the said blasting. It is also claimed by some of the 

 fishermen that the German carp are getting to be a valuable fish, as they have 

 been sold this year for from two to five cents per pound. 



There was about 80 per cent, of the catch exported to the United States, 

 the balance being used for home consumption. 



He has had but two complaints of infringement of the fishery laws for 

 illegal fishing, but he did not find any one. 



It is reported that American poachers come around Fighting Island with 

 tremble nets, which thev drop in a school of fish, and in a few minutes thev 

 pull out and go with their catch, and it is almost imnossihle for a man to reach 

 + hem with a rowboat. He thinks that an overseer should be authorized to get 



