RESEARCH BRANCH 



' OBJECTIVES 



I 1. To provide management branches with useful, tested 

 information on forest, fishery and wildlife resources. 

 2. To develop management techniques. 



ORGANIZATION 



The Research Branch is divided into four Sections and their 

 subordinate units with the following functions and responsi- 



I bilities. 

 FISHERIES SECTION 



Great Lakes Unit: Rates of growth, reproduction and mor- 

 tality of commercial and game fish in lakes Huron, Erie and 

 Ontario. 



Game Fish Unit: Lake trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass 

 and walleye. 



Selective Breeding Unit: Development of brook trout -lake 

 trout hybrid which can survive in presence of sea lampreys. 

 Other Units: Lake productivity — classification of produc- 

 tive capacity based on chemical fertility; parasites — identi- 

 fication and assessment of effects; limnology — physical 

 and chemical characteristics of lakes. 

 FORESTRY SECTION 



I Silviculture Unit: Studies of forest culture, reproduction 



I and growth of important tree species and associated vege- 

 tation; logging effects on forest stands; cultural herbicides; 

 controlled fires; seeding and planting. 

 SitaUnit: Evaluation of soil features, climate and nutrients. 

 Tree Breeding Unit: Selection and breeding of forest trees 

 of superior quality and resistance to disease. 

 Reforestation Unit: Studies of nursery problems and of 

 planting and care of plantations. 



Other units: Wood quality; forest mensuration and statistics; 

 forest economics; white pine blister rust. 

 WILDLIFE SECTION 



Big Game Unit: White-tailed deer, moose and upland 

 :aribou. 



Predator Unit: Timber wolves. 



Upland Game and Waterfowl Unit: Small animals and birds, 

 5uch as rabbits and pheasants. 



Diseases and Parasites Unit: Identification, frequency, dis- 

 rribution and effects. 



Furbearers Unit: Habits, behaviour and effects of environ- 

 nent on animals such as beaver and marten. 



u_ 



MECHANICAL SECTION 



Development, improvement and testing of equipment and 

 instruments to meet special needs of Department. 



FISHERIES SECTION 



The Department's fisheries research program discovers new 

 facts and techniques necessary to the scientific manage- 

 ment of the complex sport and commercial fishery of 

 Ontario. 



Great Lakes Programs 



LAKE ONTARIO 



In 1965, studies designed to understand factors limiting the 

 survival of juvenile whitefish were initiated in the laboratory. 

 The lake trout project, in co-operation with New York State, 

 has been an attempt to re-establish a self-reproducing 

 population of this species in the lake. 

 A walleye project has continued since 1956 to determine 

 levels of exploitation by anglers and by the commercial 

 fishery in the Bay of Quinte. Considerable information on 

 growth, food, mortality and movements has been accumu- 

 lated. 



A project initiated in 1958 and designed to learn something 

 of the life history and ecology of the American eel during 

 that part of its life spent in Lake Ontario has continued. This 

 is of concern because of the possible effect of the St. 

 Lawrence Seaway installations. 



An attempt is being made to establish kokanee — a land- 

 locked variety of sockeye salmon — as a new species in 

 Lake Ontario for both commercial and recreational fishery. 

 In each of the past three years plantings of eyed eggs and 

 swim-up fry were made. As kokanee are plankton feeders, 

 it is hoped that they will find the enriched open waters of 

 Lake Ontario to their liking. 



A start was made in 1966 to describe the life history, ecology, 

 movements and abundance of white perch, which has 

 quickly become a dominant species in the Bay of Quinte. 

 In 1966, a staff scientist investigated in Japan the potential 

 of the Japanese salmons for introduction into Ontario. In 

 addition to the merits common to the whole genus — high 

 value and ease of management — two species are fresh 

 water loving and warm water tolerant, and therefore may be 

 worthy of trials here. 

 LAKE ERIE 



Smelt and yellow perch have become the principal species 

 of importance to commercial fishermen in Lake Erie. Most 

 of the research was on reproduction, distribution and food 

 of these two species. 



Studies on smelt during 1966 concentrated on the problem 

 of describing the distribution of young-of-the-year to supple- 

 ment the virtually completed work on distribution of year- 

 lings and adults. Reproduction was poor, probably because 

 of a violent storm soon after peak spawning. A general 

 survey of smelt abundance by area was conducted through- 

 out the lake during July and August, making use of informa- 

 tion on vertical distribution that has emerged from past 

 studies. 



The effect of dominant year classes in yellow perch was the 

 subject of intensive study. 



