GAME AND FISHERIES FOR 1928 11 



Mr. G. C. Toner undertook studies in connection with,^ — 



1. The pickerel versus the sucker during the spawning season of the former. 



2. Bass and bass fishing in the Georgian Bay. 



Mr. R. F. Cain carried on observations on Long Point Bay, Lake F2rie, 

 prior to, during and after the spawning season of the small-mouthed black bass. 

 Mr. R. J. Perkin carried out similar studies in the waters adjacent to Pelee 

 Island, Lake Erie. 



Mr. R. W. Peavoy, commenced a study on the early life-history of the 

 maskinonge in Pigeon Lake and Sturgeon Lake (Kawartha Lakes' District) and 

 later in the season followed up the spawning habits of the black bass. Mr. 

 Peavoy kept daily records of water levels, at chosen stations on both lakes, 

 and endeavoured to determine the effect of falling water levels on deposited 

 ova and young fry. 



During the summer a survey was made of the eastern end of Lake Erie to 

 determine, if possible, the reason for the decline of its fisheries. The survey 

 was under the joint auspices of the Federal Go\'ernment of the United .States, 

 the State of New York, the Ontario Government Department of Game and 

 Fisheries, the city of Buffalo, and the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. 

 The work of these various bodies was co-ordinated by Dr. Charles J. Fish, 

 Director of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, and the laboratories of the 

 new Buffalo Museum of Science w^ere opened for their use. In connection 

 with this survey, Mr. A. E. Allin studied the intermediate stages of fish taken 

 by the various gear employed. Messrs. H. H. MacKay and A. E. Allin studied 

 the distribution of fish and the food of the fishes in the shallow waters of Long 

 Point Bay, Lake Erie. Messrs. R. A. McKenzie, G. \V. McCracken and R. W. 

 Peavoy studied from the critical and experimental standpoints the spawning 

 operations carried out on whitefish and herring in Lake Erie. A number of 

 whitefish were tagged off Nanticoke in order to study their movements and their 

 rate of growth. Lake Erie fishermen have been advised to return tagged fish, 

 if still alive and uninjured, to the water and, if dead, to remove a few scales 

 from the fish, record its length, girth, weight and sex and return this information 

 along with the tag to the Department. 



In regard to the results of the investigations, the following concise references 

 appear to sum up the situation in reference to the reason for the decline of the 

 fisheries in Lake Erie: — 



"The question is not yet conclusively answered, but concerning all of the eastern end 

 of the lake, except its waters near the shores, it has been established that none of the causes 

 usually ascribed for the failure of the fisheries exists; the waters are pure and uncontami- 

 nated, bottom conditions are favourable, and there is an abundance of food for more fish 

 than ever were known to be in the lake." 



and, — 



"Concerning the general results of the survey, we can safely say that Lake Erie is 

 capable of supporting as many open lake fish as ever. The depletion appears to have 

 resulted from over-fishing and unwise fishing, and as such the remedy must lie in the hands 

 of those legislative bodies having jurisdiction over the lakes." 



A general survey of the Thames Watershed was made by Messrs. H. H. 

 MacKay, R. A. McKenzie and R. F. Cain. Mr. Cain is making a special study 

 of the ecology of the higher aquatic plants in streams and their economic 

 importance to fish. 



Mr. G. \V. McCracken made preliminary studies of the carp in Lake Simcoe 

 with special reference to their spawning habits and their relationship to black 

 bass. 



