

13 



which was valued at $1,206. Messrs. Reid & Clark operated two large 

 barges, the North Star and the Wallace, and expended about $20,000 

 on ice houses, freezers, &c., to provide for a largely increased busi- 

 ness. The total export of fish from the lake was, however, little more 

 than that of the preceding year in quantity, viz. : a million and a 

 half pounds, valued at $54,360. The death of Mr. Clark, of the 

 pioneer fishing firm on the lake, in 1887, resulted in the dissolution 

 of the firm of Messrs. Reid & Clark, and Captain William Robinson 

 took over the plant and continued their operations. Freezers and ico 

 houses increased, more tugs and boats were employed and the total 

 yield of the fisheries doubled in extent and value. No less than 

 seven tugs and barges and 65 sail boats were engaged on Lake Win- 

 nipeg at this .time, and the total catch was 2,677,547 pounds, valued 

 at $114,808, of which 1,591,247 pounds of the value of $65,441 were Lake Winnipeg 

 exported to the United States and the remainder were sent to Ontario catch > 1887 - 

 or used locally. 



In 1892 the Manitoba Fish Company was_ formed, and took over 

 the business of Messrs. Gauthier & Co., and this year the limit of net 

 for each commercial company was reduced from 40,000 yards to 

 20,000 yords, commercial operations being confined to the specified 

 limits at the north end of the lake, and the weekly close time during 

 which the nets were to be raised for 36 hours were carried out. 



In 1893, there were 13 steam tugs and 30 sail boats, and a total Lake Winnipeg 

 of 67,350 fathoms of gill-nets used on the 'lake. The total value of f|^ n e outfits ' 

 the boats and gear was $190,800, and the total catch of fish was 

 3,873,281 pounds, about 140 men being employed in the fisheries i-ii 

 that year. 



On the other lakes of the province, the development of the Lake Manitoba 

 fisheries was less marked. On Lake Manitoba, in 1855, commercial Fl sheries. 

 fishing was commenced by Messrs. Smalley and Chantler, of West- 

 bourne, who handled 100,000 pounds of fish in that year. Mr. Hugh 

 Armstrong, of Portage la Prairie, handled 240,000 pounds, Peter 

 'McArthur 75,000 pounds, and R. Bullock, of Selkirk, 77,000 pounds, 

 a total catch of 492,000 pounds, and the operations were wholly 

 carried on through the ice in winter. 



In respect to Lake Winnipegosis, so late as the year 1894, com- Fisheries of 

 mercial fishing can scarcely be said to have been carried on, as the 

 fishermen on the lake operated only in a limited way and sold their 

 fish to the trading firms or to the recognized fish companies. 



The fisheries of Lake Winnipegosis remained comparatively 

 undeveloped until about twenty years ago. Settlers began to come 

 into the country at that time, and fishing operations were carried on 

 in the first instance for their own use and soon developed into a 

 cojnmercial fishery. In 1896, there were representations made to the 

 Dominion government to allow commercial fishermen from outside 

 to come on to the lake, and the district inspector was asked to report. 

 He reported that the settlers already on the shores of the lake, and Recommendation 

 who were coming in in considerable numbers, could do all the fish- that fishing be 

 ing and that any commercial fishing should be confined to the north residents, 1896. 

 end of Birch island, that is the north end of the lake, which had 

 heretofore not been very much fished, that region being comparatively 

 inaccessible. Lake Winnipegosis at this time had no railway com- 

 munication, but in 1897 the railway reached the lake and gave a 

 great impetus to the fishing. One tug was placed on the lake and 

 63 fishing boats, and a large number of eastern fishermen sent in 

 applications to operate commercially ; but in order to prevent danger 



