(d) Water Quality Tests: Water samples from specific lakes 

 are collected annually by field personnel and forwarded to 

 the Ontario Water Resources Commission laboratories for 

 analysis of total alkalinity, total dissolved solids and tur- 

 bidity. Tests were carried out on 753 water samples in 1966 

 as part of the lake survey program. 



The detection of pollution is another aspect of the water 

 sampling carried on by the Department's field staff. When 

 the presence of deleterious substances is suspected, water 

 samples are taken and forwarded to the Ontario Water 

 Resources Commission for analysis. In 1966, 87 such 

 samples were analysed. 



(e) Lake Reclamation — Lemke Lake: The reclamation of 

 Lemke Lake, situated in Alice Township six miles from 

 downtown Pembroke, was carried out jointly by the Depart- 

 ment and the Pembroke Outdoor Sportsman's Club in May. 

 1966. In mid-June, brook trout were stocked and exceptional 

 fishing has been experienced since. 



(f) Lake Superior: Amendments to the Ontario Fishery Regu- 

 lations and regulations made under the Game and Fish Act 

 prohibited angling for lake trout in Lake Superior, except 

 under the authority of a lake trout angling licence, issued 

 free of charge and valid for a period of 30 days. The licensee 

 was required to complete and return a creel census card 

 attached to the licence within 15 days after the expiry of 

 the licence. 



The returns for 1966 show a decided increase in the number 

 of lake trout harvested by a larger number of licensees. A 

 total of 2,515 licences were issued and 1,561 lake trout were 

 caught by anglers in 1966. compared to 858 licences issued 

 and 124 lake trout caught in 1965. 



(g) Commercial Fishing - Angling Conflicts: The policy of 

 providing the maximum economic and social return from 

 the fishery resources, causes, at times, some conflict be- 

 tween sports and commercial fisheries. The Department 

 aims to make use of the resources, sometimes by sports 

 fisheries, and in some locations and for some species by 

 commercial fisheries, but preferably by both. 

 Complaints that sports fishing has been affected by the 

 presence of commercial fishing are being investigated in 

 several areas. A three-year investigation of the fishery in 

 Sturgeon Lake, in the Sioux Lookout District, has begun in 

 order to develop management ensuring the maintenance of 

 quality angling as well as the utilization of commercial 

 species not otherwise being harvested. The question of the 

 affect of a commercial fishery during the spawning season 

 on the strength of year classes of walleye in Georgian Bay, 

 is under investigation. A similar investigation has just been 

 completed in the North Channel. 



On Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake, similar conflict exists 

 between the two fishing interests. Fisheries Management 

 Units on these lakes have been directing their attentions 

 to the solutions of the problems to provide for the most 

 compatible utilization of the fishery resource. 



LICENCES 



Gross revenue from the sale of angling licences in Ontario 

 is approaching three million dollars. Total sales in 1966 

 amounted to $2,971,295. Sales of all licences, including non- 

 resident seasonal, non-resident three-day, non-resident 

 organized camp, resident Provincial Park and resident Pro- 

 vincial Park organized camp, showed an increase. Sales of 

 non-resident three-day licence cdlitinued to rise from 69,401 

 in 1963 to 151,373 in 1966. The increase in revenue from total 

 licence sales this year was $124,178 or 4.3%, and constitutes 

 one of the more substantial increases in recent years. 



ANGLING REGULATIONS AND SUMMARY 



Gradual consolidation of angling regulations were made in 

 1965 and 1966. Changes in angling zones were accomplis'- ^ 

 over the two-year period to simplify seasons sufficientl. 

 that they could be illustrated on a map. In 1965, the Ang 

 Summary was doubled in size from previous years, including 

 more information for the sportsman. In 1966, the summary 

 was doubled again in size and maps of the Province showing 

 angling zones were included. For the first time anglers were 

 able to clearly understand angling-season-areas formerly 

 summarized only in print. 



NET SECTION 



The two Net Section staffs based at Port Arthur and Maple 

 assisted District personnel in fisheries management work 

 throughout 1966. Impounding gear (trap, pound and hoop 

 nets) were provided and maintained for fisheries investi- 

 gational work and spawn-taking operations. On some of the 

 larger projects, net section personnel actively assisted 

 district staff in the field work involved. In addition, the use- 

 fulness of impounding gear for commercial fishing was 

 demonstrated by net section specialists. 

 FISH HATCHERIES 



The production and planting of hatchery reared fish is an 

 important part of the fisheries management program in 

 Ontario. Some 17 hatcheries were operated in 13 districts 

 during 1966. Fish species cultured include brook, rainbow, 

 aurora and lake trout, hybrid splake, kokanee, whitefish, lake 

 herring, maskinonge, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth 

 bass. 



Fish culture in Ontario has evolved from a practical art into 

 an accurate science. The maintenance of records combined 

 with knowledge and experience has enabled our personnel 

 to predict such detailed information as weight gains over a 

 period of time from food calorie content. Though many prob- 

 lems of diet and disease control remain unsolved, there is 

 every indication that the rearing of fish can and will become 

 a far more efficient operation. To realize the benefits of 

 modern fish culture, it is necessary not only to up-date our 

 rearing facilities but also to encourage and promote the 

 technical training of hatchery staff. 



One Federal and 15 Departmental employees were trained 

 this year at a fisheries management course held at the 

 University of Guelph. Fish culture and techniques form 

 much of the basis of this course in fisheries management. 

 Limited use was made of the Little Current hatchery during 

 1966. Its closure was planned to coincide with a regrouping 

 of fish hatchery facilities on Manitoulin Island at the Sand- 

 field station. The North Bay Trout Rearing station was closed 

 in 1966 for a total renovation of hatchery and rearing 

 facilities. 



A new and modern hatchery building was completed at the 

 Normandale Trout Rearing station. Included were the instal- 

 lation of tray-type incubators, reinforced plastic rearing 

 troughs and a heat exchanger system for controlling the 

 temperature of water supplied to the incubators. 

 Pre-engineering and planning were carried out for the addi- 

 tion of six large earthen ponds at the Chatsworth station. 

 These ponds will be used in the production of the hybrid 

 splake. Present plans provide for an annual production of 

 500,000 yearling splake from this station for the rehabilita- 

 tion of Lake Huron. 



Planning and pre-engineering work was initiated in connec- 

 tion with the development of the Thayer property at Sault 

 Ste. Marie for the construction of an experimental station 

 and a school of fish culture. 



One policy was established prior to the end of the 1966-1967 

 fiscal year to mark, by fin clipping or tagging, all hatchery 

 fish. Fish planted in the spring of 1967 were marked with 

 the removal of the right pectoral fin. The primary aim of 

 this procedure is to facilitate the assessment of hatchery 

 plantings. 



