15 



easterly waters, as on the Great Lakes, &c., there are at least ten 

 different methods of taking fish, that is, ten different kinds of gear, 

 on Lake Winnipeg and Manitoba waters generally, gill- nets only 

 are used. There is considerable hook fishing for cat fish and coarse nrfndpal gear used 

 fish with baited hook, and in the Red river drag seines are operated in Manitoba, 

 and a few dip nets. The large destructive pound nets, which are 

 so commonly used in eastern waters, have not been permitted for at 

 least 20 years in Manitoba waters, excepting in certain lakes in the 

 Keewatin district where a special concession was made chiefly for 

 the purpose of capturing sturgeon. A quarter of a century ago, the po 

 Selkirk Fish Company and Messrs. Gauthier & Co., experimented unsuccessful. 

 with pound nets in Lake Winnipeg, but they did not appear to be 

 as successful as in eastern waters. Pound nets are used every fall 

 for Dominion hatchery purposes on grounds where the parent white- 

 fish assemble for spawning purposes, and the method is much prefer- 

 able to taking the fish in gill-nets as the quality of the spawn in 

 gilt-netted fish is not only inferior but often quite useless for hatch- whitefish 6 useless 

 ery purposes. f r hatchery 



The Commission found that very widespread criticism was being 

 expressed by the public in regard to the methods adopted for supply- 

 ing the Winnipegosis hatchery with spawn by the use of gill nets. It 

 was asserted and the assertion was supported by much evidence given 

 at the sittings of the commission, that the privilege of gill-netting 

 white-fish in the close season for hatchery purposes had been, very 

 seriously abused, and had proved a total failure, as comparatively few 

 eggs were obtained, and these were altogether in too bad condition hatchery, 

 for hatchery purposes. Notwithstanding the small quantity of spawn 

 which was sent to the hatehry, a very large quantity of whitefish 

 was obtained which were transported from the lake in carloads and 

 bought and shipped by the fish companies. 



Gill-netting, as at present carried on, includes steam tug fishing, 

 sail boat fishing and skiff fishing, while the winter fishing operations 

 are carried on by nets fished through holes made in the ice. The tugs pi sll j n g 

 used vary in tonnage from 10 to 25 tons, and each tug is allowed to 

 use a specified quantity of nets, namely, S.,000 yards. Large steamers 

 are provided by the companies for carrying fish both in a fresh and 

 frozen condition, these steamers being valued at from $10,000 to 

 $30,000. The sail boats are about 32 feet long, two-masted and half- 

 decked, and are built principally in Selkirk. A sail boat costs about * 

 $400, fitted with sails, &c. The skiffs employed are light carver-built Fighin , kiffg 

 row boats, costing probably about $15 each, some costing more, others 

 less. Gasoline motor boats have been tried experimentally in they 

 lake fishing, but have not been up to this time adopted. 



The gill-nets used in summer fishing are Scoth twine (linen). 

 about No. 40, and are 18 to 24 meshes in depth, an increase in the 

 depth of nets as compared with a few years ago, when, on an average 

 the nets were about 15 meshes ; but for winter fishing much shallower 

 nets are used. In most places, indeed, many of the nets are not more 

 than from 6 to 12 meshes deep, according to the depth of the water of 

 the localities fished. , 



The method of reaching the summer fishing grounds is as fol- 

 lows: The fishing boats are towed out from the fishing station usu- fishing grounds, 

 ally about daybreak by the fish company's tugs. The fishing stations, 

 it may be explained, are usually at some point conveniently access- 

 ible to the fishing grounds, either on an island or at some prominent 



