9 



Winnipeg and the Manitoba waters that, in spite of the abuses to 

 which we have referred, anid in spite of the over-fishing, the yield of 

 fish has marvellously kept up, and that, notwithstanding a prevalent 

 feeling of uneasiness in regard to the present condition of these 

 waters, with the restrictive regulations which we now recommend 

 there is, in our opinion, no fear of the exhaustion of these fisheries 

 in the immediate future. 



as po 



ANNUAL CATCHES ON LAKE WINNIPEG AND SUGGESTED LIMITATION. 



We have taken special pains to ascertain with as much accur-acy 

 ssible, the total annual summer catches of whitefish in recent 

 years. The difficulty of collating from the official published reports 

 accurate totals of the catches in different years has been great, owing 

 to the lack of uniformity in the statistics, and the inclusion of winter- 

 caught and fall-caught fish, and other confusing methods, however, 

 we have elsewhere referred to, the following figures we believe to be 

 ss accurate as it is possible for such fishery returns to be. In compil- 

 ing these accurate returns from the figures on their books, the fish 

 companies have most willingly aided us, anid the inspector of fish- 

 eries, Mr. W. S. Young, took special pains and much trouble to get 

 at the exact figures and enable us to compile the returns. 



SUMMER-CAUGHT WHITEFISH LAKE WINNIPEG. 



In the round. 



1904 .................... 5,244,194 Ibs. 



1905 ....... . ............ . . 3,780,188 " 



1906 .................... 3,565,908 " 



1907 ........... . .......... 1,272,000 " 



1908 ...................... 2,335,000 " 



1909 ...................... 2,162,298 " 



___ n 



Total .................. 18,359,590 " 



Or an average of 3,100,000 Ibs. 



During the past year, 1910, we have included statistical investiga- 

 tions in our work, and have amassed a variety of returns of the takes 

 of fish, and we find that on Lake Winnipeg the summer-fishing for 

 the season of 1910, totalled up to 2,469,845 Ibs. of whitefish in the 

 round. This we consider a far more satisfactory showing than might 

 have been anticipated. The total catch specified in the regulations 

 for 1910 required that not more than 2,400,000 Ibs. of whitefish 

 should be taken; but the last lifts of fish, just before the season 

 legally closed were far heavier than the most experienced men could 

 have foreseen. As a matter of fact, during the last few days of the 

 season, a reduced amount of net was placed in the water in order to 

 avoid any excess in the catch over the specified legal quantity, but 

 the total catch was as stated above. There was also an undoubted 

 misunderstanding in regard to the total catch as defined in sub- 

 section 4 of section 12 of the regulations, dated April 18, 1910, which 

 was regarded as applying to whitefish ' in the round/ whereas on 

 the lake it was generally understood by the fishermen and .the fish 

 buyers that the total quantity specified was to apply to * dressed ' 

 fish. In the recommendations we make in the present report, the 

 limit we specify is for 'dressed' whitefish. It is generally held by 

 practical men in the fish business that the difference between the 

 dressed ' fish and fish in the ' round ' is about one-eighth of the total 



dressed" v. 



