Page 25 Division of Fish and Wildlife 



Trap-Line Management 



Trap-line licences were issued to the number of 4.883, of which 3.330 were to 

 Treaty Indians. 



Trap-line management in northern Ontario was greatly advanced by an agree- 

 ment with the Dominion Department of Citizenship and Immigration covering the 

 expenditure of $150,000.00 per year for ten years on Wildlife Management as related 

 to Indians. Half of this sum is provided by the Dominion being new funds over and 

 above those customarily spent by the Department in Indian areas. This has made 

 possible the establishment of a special group of sub-technical personnel known as 

 Wildlife Management Officers. As of the end of the fiscal year there were twelve of 

 these men in the field, of whom six were operating north of the northernmost railway 

 line. 



Co-operation with Wildlife Management Institute 



The co-operative program of pheasant studies on Pelee Island was concluded. 



Restocking 



A total of 70,455 pheasants were distributed during the season. Of these 

 43.250 were poults and adult birds released soon after distribution by gentle release, 

 and 27.205 were chicks which were reared and released by recipients, with a gratify- 

 ingly high degree of success. 



A few Hungarian partridge were moved from Rideau District to Quinte District, 

 and a few Pinnated grouse were released in Quinte District. These latter restocking 

 movements are as yet insignificant, but as techniques improve they can be expanded. 



Fur Farming 



The market for ranch-raised mink pelts continued its rising trend from the 

 fall of 1949, through 1950. The strong demand at good prices was due to the fact 

 that there was no backlog or carry-over of pelts from the previous year, coupled with 

 the fear of a shortage due to the stoppage of Russian furs from entering the North 

 American market. These conditions were welcomed by ranchers who had experienced 

 poor markets for the past three years. 



Standard mink brought remarkably good prices as did Pastel, Aleutian and all 

 phases of Silverblu in the mutation class. The anticipated increase in production of 

 Pastels materialized and is now competing with wild mink for the supreme position 

 in the mink market. 



There were indications throughout the year that the silver fox market was 

 coming back as renewed interest was shown again in long-haired furs. Standard silver 

 and the mutation foxes were in good demand and prices increased to the point where 

 ranchers can maintain the nucleus of their breeding stock without loss. With the 

 drastic cut in production and the s])irited promotional program that is in existence, 

 it is anticipated that the fox market will show steady improvement. 



Despite the good mink market, the higli rate of employment at intlationary 

 wages in other industries, due principally to the international situation, enticed a 

 number of smaller ranchers to seek employment elsewhere and discontinue fur 

 farming. This resulted in a net decrease of 319 ranches, as compared to the 



