1932 ANNUAL REPORT. 1931 57^ 



FISH CULTURE 



Satisfactory progress is being made in the fish cultural work of the 

 Department by means of its numerous hatcheries and rearing stations. 



Quantity of fish distributed is often considered the index of progress in 

 fish culture, but this is only true when the quality, that is, the fitness of the 

 fish to withstand the vicissitudes and struggle for existence in open waters is 

 considered, and when the planting methods are in accordance with existing 

 knowledge. 



Provincial fish hatcheries under Provincial jurisdiction were the first to 

 go into the propagation of game-fish and that, by the way, was their original 

 objective. This programme was slightly altered in 1926 when eight hatcheries 

 located in Ontario and under the control of the Dominion Government were 

 taken over. Although these are chiefly concerned with the propagation of com- 

 mercial fish, whenever suitable arrangements or modifications can be made to 

 assist in the production of fingerling fish as in the case of trout such facilities 

 are established. However, with the development of rearing stations for the 

 culture of larger trout at strategic points throughout the Province the propa- 

 gation of game-fish species at commercial fish hatcheries with the possible 

 exceptions of lake trout, maskinonge and pickerel will be more or less abandoned. 

 The centralization of the culture of speckled trout at rearing stations leaves 

 commercial fish hatcheries free to carry on lake trout to the fingerling grade, 

 that is, in limited numbers and providing the water supplying the hatchery is 

 suitable for the purpose. 



Speckled Trout 



The limitations set on the culture of trout excepting as fry and early finger- 

 lings were overcome by the establishment of the Normandale Trout Ponds in 

 1924. This station acts as a focal point for speckled trout eggs supplied to 

 rearing stations in southern Ontario. A rearing station is a semi-natural or 

 artificial enclosure of wood construction placed along a stream run in sequence 

 or battery arrangement. Before a site is chosen it is given a rigorous inspection 

 by officials of the Biological and Fish Culture Branch of the Department and, 

 briefly, must meet the following requirements — a spring source under absolute 

 control; control of the major portion of the stream run; excellent physical and 

 chemical conditions of the water including temperature control throughout the 

 year; proper requirements of volume and gradient; accessibility must be such 

 that speedy delivery of fish by truck and rail is made possible. 



Three subsidiary and two major trout rearing stations meeting with the 

 above requirements were established during the past two years. The subsidiary 

 stations are located (1) at the headwater springs supplying Gibson's creek. 

 Provincial Government Reforestry Farm, Charlotteville township, Norfolk 

 county; (2) headwater springs supplying Marsh creek, near Codrington, North- 

 umberland county; (3) deep-seated springs, Petawawa township, near Pembroke, 

 Renfrew county. These three stations will be able to handle at least one and 

 a half million fingerling trout. The new major stations are located at the 

 headwaters of Coldwater creek, near Sault Ste. Marie, District of Algoma, and 

 at the headwaters of Spring Creek, near Dorion, Thunder Bay District. 



The water supply at the Sault Ste. Marie Trout Rearing Station is excellent 

 from the standpoint of temperature, quality and volume, the latter measuring 



