36 



these meadows, and, it is said, they are taken out with pitchforks 

 and other implements. From some of the evidence taken, it appears 

 that the hay meadows are not very frequently overflowed, one witness 

 stating that it was not more than once in ten years that the lake 

 rose so high, and, as Lake Dauphin is becoming 1 a popular residential 

 resort, over 10 cottages having been built on its shores, and Dauphin 

 Beach having acquired a reputation as a holiday resort, we do not 

 recommend that any steps should be taken to lower the lake. We 

 may add that we were not able to visit the lake or see the actual con- 

 ditions. 



DETAILED ANALYSIS NECESSARY FOR ANNUAL STATISTICS. 



Uniformity not 

 observed in 

 statistical returns. 



Different catches 

 for each fishing 

 area should be 

 recorded. 



Fishermen and fish 

 firms should make 

 sworn returns. 



Owing to the widespread statements that the supply of fish has 

 decreased in Manitoba waters, and that excessive catches have been 

 made, the commission paid a good deal of attention to the returns 

 published in official reports covering a considerable period. They 

 found at every point that it was hardly possible to estbalish any 

 correct comparisons owing to the manner in which the statistics were 

 compiled by the various fishery officers and reported by the inspec- 

 tor. It is absolutely necessary that the quantities of each kind of fish 

 should be separately stated for each lake or fishing area, and that 

 the summer, winter and fall catches should be all separately detailed. 

 The present system of aggregating the returns renders it impossible 

 to find exactly how the catches of fish have risen or declined in par- 

 ticular waters or localities. Thus, in the returns of. fish taken in 

 Lake Winnipegosis, the catches include the takes of fish in the alto- 

 gether separate waters of Water Hen and Dauphin lakes, and sim- 

 ilarly in the returns for Lake Manitoba the catches on Lake St. 

 Martin are included; and the returns from Lake Winnipeg include 

 all its tributaries. In some of the former reports the returns arc* 

 most confusing, the catches on the Red river being classified along 

 with the returns of the islands of the north end of Lake Winnipeg, 

 such as Berens, Reindeer and Selkirk islands. There has been, and 

 still is, no uniformity in the method of compiling these returns, 

 and for statistical purposes the figures given are practically useless. 

 It would be not difficult to devise a complete statistical form where- 

 by the catches in ail the separate lakes and localities could be given 

 and the totals made out in such a way that from year to year com- 

 parisons could be made and the increase or decrease of the fish, 

 locally as well as generally, accurately ascertained. The suggestion 

 we make that the fishermen should be required to make sworn 

 returns, and that the fish companies or fish dealers should aUso be 

 required at regular intervals to furnish accurate sworn returns of 

 the quantities of fish handled by them, should bo effective hi bring- 

 ing about a more satisfactory state of things, so that in the future 

 the annual statistics of the fisheries of the province would have 

 some value and some accuracy. The takes of fish under settler's 

 and Indian permits would require to be included in the classified 

 returns. 



EXTENSIONS OF TIME UNDESIRABLE. 



Extensions of time 

 undesirable and as 

 a rule inopportune. 



The department is, at times, strongly pressed to temporarily 

 modify the regulations, especially in regard to the length of the fish- 

 ing season. Requests for extension are sent to Ottawa and urged 



