DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES 



Records show that there were 491 cases in which offenders were appreliended 

 and charged with violations of tlie provisions of our Act and Regulations, and in 

 which convictions were secured. Fines and costs assessed and collected in these 

 cases are as shown in the statement of revenue previously submitted in this Report. 



In all, there was a total of 1036 cases in which seizure of goods and equip- 

 ment was involved, and the following is a summary of the articles thus placed under 

 seizure: — 



Pelts 1,967 Boats- 

 Deer and Moose Hides 9 Gasoline 4 



Live Animals and Birds 68 Row 9 



Fish (lbs.) 18,027 Steam Tug 1 



Fish (nos.) 900 Canoes 7 



Gill Nets (pes.) 310 Punts 9 



Gill Nets (yds.) 7,526 Motor Cars 4 



Dip Nets 33 Jacklights and Lanterns 8 



Hoop Nets 26 Deer and Moose 11 



Seine Nets 23 Venison (lbs.) 640 



Trap Nets 5 Moose-meat (lbs.) 325 



Hooks 231 Partridges 316 



Spears 61 Geese and Ducks 27 



Rods and Lines 33 Pheasants 53 



Lines 194 Decoys 51 



Creels 3 Ammunition — Rounds 236 



Tackle Boxes 10 Rabbits 19 



Traps 1,001 Quail 10 



Firearms 301 Miscellaneous 134 



In accordance with the practice which was in effect in previous years, these 

 confiscated articles, except those which were returned by sale to their original 

 owners, were disposed of by tender at public sales, notice of which was advertised 

 in the press. The amount derived from these sales is also shown in the statement 

 of revenue incorporated in this Report. 



REPORT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FUR FARM 



While pelt values have declined in common with other commodities during the 

 past few years, 1934 saw a distinct increase in the demand for information regarding 

 the ranching of fur-bearing animals in captivity. The silver black fox still retains 

 its position as the most important species of fur bearer, both in numbers and in 

 economic value, but mink are coming very rapidly to the fore in fur farming opera- 

 tions. It is encouraging to note that mink breeders are beginning more and more 

 to realize the necessity for producing a pelt which will meet the highest require- 

 ments of the fur trade if breeding operations are to be carried out on a profitable 

 basis. In some quarters there is an impression that ranch-bred mink are invari- 

 ably inferior to those trapped in the wilds. This impression has been created by 

 the number of inferior mink pelts which have come from ranches where the founda- 

 tion stock is of poor quality. On the other hand, when the foundation stock has the 

 right colour and texture of fur, the auction sales have clearly shown that ranch- 

 bred mink can fetch the highest prices and equal in quality trapped mink coming 

 from localities which produced the most desirable pelts. 



The rapid advancement of mink breeding has called for considerable investiga- 

 tional work into some of the conditions arising among these animals when bred in 

 captivity. Further studies of mink anaemia were made during the year which 

 substantiated and augmented previous findings. This disease has a wide distribution 

 throughout the Dominion and has been responsible for serious losses on many 



