Sixth Annual Report 



OF THE 



Game and Fisheries Department of Ontario 



To the Honourable J. 0. Eeaume, 



Minister of Public Worhs. 



Sir, — I have the honour to suhmit for your consideration, and I trust your 

 approval, the Eeport of the Department of Game and Fisheries for the twelve 

 months ending 31st October, 1912. 



The Statistics, Eeports of Inspectors, Wardens, Overseers and Deputy War- 

 dens, and oLher matters in connection with the administration of the Department, 

 will appear as usual, for the information of yourself, your colleagues, and the pub- 

 lic, which I venture to hope will receive the general approval accorded those pre- 

 ceding it. 



Laws and Eegulattons. 



I am pleased to be able to report that with few exceptions the licensed fisher- 

 men, of the Province have respected the conditions of their respective licenses, 

 which augurs well for the future. Those few failing to do so have received much 

 needed and costly lessons and I trust will not have to be repeated. I also have 

 great pleasure in reporting that, as a rule, the tourists arc more disposed to act in 

 accordance with the conditions on which their angling permits are issued. The 

 net fishermen, as well as the anglers, are evidently realizing that a strict observance 

 of the laws and regulations is imperative, to enable the Government to succeed 

 in their strenuous efforts to perpetuate and improve one of the most valuable 

 assets of the Province in the interests of present and future generations. It augurs 

 well for the future of the Province, and of the fisheries, to realize the general de- 

 sire to have the unwise and unnatural pollution of public waters abolished. Some 

 of our scientific authorities allege it is not practical to discontinue the death deal- 

 ing pollution of our lakes, rivers and streams. The health and stamina of the in- 

 habitants is absolutely necessary in our country to ensure their welfare and pros- 

 perity. Without digressing, it cannot be denied that the refuse of all that is taken 

 from the surface of the land should be returned to it. This is one of Nature's laws, 

 of which we have a most convincing illustration in our grand forest trees, growing 

 on rocks in less than fifteen or eighteen inches of soil. If these trees had been 

 deprived of the yearly stimulant accorded them by the decomposed leaves and other 

 matter, these rocks would have produced only useless stunted trees. All we have 

 to depend on comes from the land. 'W\^ being an undisputed fact, we should be 

 just, and also generous, to our best friend, by returning to it its proper share of 



[5] 



