1912 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 71 



size and quality of the fish, and in consequence that commercial fishing 

 would be advantageous to the fisheries. It would seem^ however, that it 

 will be ample time to test the correctness of this theory when there shall 

 have been established in the region a Canadian population sufficiently 

 large to consume the fish produced by these waters. At the present time 

 it would appear that all the fish that is required by residents along the 

 shores of the lake can easily be obtained by trolling and angling. No im- 

 pediment, however, should be placed in the Avay of local residents taking 

 advantage of the fish products of the lake, so that if the numbers of per- 

 sons locating in anj of the existing settlements or surrounding territory 

 should warrant it, some form of license might well be issued as occasion 

 demanded to supply their wants. Licenses have, indeed, already been 

 issued for the benefit of the construction gangs along the line of the 

 Grand Trunk Pacific Eailway, and the extension of this system of prac- 

 tically domestic licenses would seem admirably adapted to the gradual 

 exploitation of these fisheries as, in due course, settlement occurs. It 

 would appear, however, inadvisable to issue very many such licenses 

 without making provision for the inspection of the fish^ as on no account 

 should the netting of speckled trout be tolerated. 



Your Commissioner would, therefore, recommend: 



(1) That no commercial net fishing be allowed in Lake Nipigon for 

 the present. 



(2) That as occasion arises a modified license be issued to meet 

 purely local needs, but that in general the domestic license, strictly for 

 family purposes, be the only license issued for these waters. 



(3) That steps be taken to ascertain scientifically what classes of 

 fish inhabit these waters, as also their main feeding grounds and spawn- 

 ing beds, in order that accurate knowledge may be available to guide 

 the subsequent development of these fisheries. 



(4) That special care be taken to issue no domestic or other license 

 for areas which are the habitual feeding or spawning grounds of the 

 speckled trout. 



THE DOMESTIC LICENSE. 



This license, for a very limited amount of net, is issued for the pur- 

 pose of enabling resirlents along the banks of rivers or on the shores of 

 lakes to catch sufficient fish for the needs of their families, the under- 

 standing being that the catch is solely for home consumption and not for 

 trade purposes at all. Undoubtedly local inhabitants should be enabled 

 to take advantage of the products of the waters in their vicinity. The 

 ordinary methods of angling are, of course, open to them, but there are 

 classes of fish, most excellent for food purposes, which cannot be caught 

 by hook and line, as also certain seasons of the year when all the male 

 members, at least, of a family are busily employed throughout the day 

 on the farm or in other directions. It was to meet these conditions that 



