1917 GAME AND FISHERIES. 13 



Toronto, Dec. 7th, lOlT. 

 D. McDonald, Esq., 



Actifig Deputy Minister of Game and Fisheries. 



Sir, — I beg to submit my report for the season of 1916. 



The past season proved to be the worst that was ever experienced by both the 

 licensed fishermen and anglers around Toronto. Were it not for the formerly des- 

 pised carp none of the licensed fishermen would have made half a decent living. 

 With the advent of the trunk sewer it was expected that the fishing would improve 

 and that the fish would return to their old haunts, but up to the present there has 

 been no apparent increase, the sewer has stopped the pollution and if restocking 

 with lake trout and whitefish fry was carried out on a liberal scale the fishing 

 might be brought back to something like what it was in old times. 



The game and fishery laws Avere well observed, very few infractions of the act 

 occurred. Both the Island constables and the city police deserve the thanks of the 

 Department for the interest they take and the work they do in the protection of 

 the fish and game. 



The majority of returning deer hunters say they found the deer about as 

 plentiful as ever, but all report the partridge as very scarce, and unless next spring 

 turns out a more favourable breeding season than the last it will require another 

 year of protection to get up anything like a good stock of birds. 



With reference to the restocking of the waters of the Province with game fish 

 by the Department, am sorry to report that the results in a great many instances 

 are not at all what they should be, and unless means are taken, before the young 

 fish are planted, to rid the waters of the ling and other coarse fish that infest them 

 the results can never be expected to be any better. The waters can be made fairly 

 safe for the young fish if the destruction of their enemies is gone about in a 

 business-like way. 



The output of the baes ponds and brook trout hatchery at Mt. Pleasant was 

 not quite as large as last year, owing to the unprecedented heavy and incessant 

 rains during the months of April, May and June, the source of the water supply 

 became polluted and proved fatal to a great number of the young trout that had 

 just hatched out. It did not affect the young bass in the ponds. The output about 

 equalled last year's, which was a record. The same calamity can never occur again 

 owing to the wisdom and energy of Superintendent Edwards, he having unearthed 

 a supply of pure spring water on the hatchery property which has been piped direct 

 to the hatchery from its source and adds immensely to the value of the property as 

 a hatchery proposition. 



The Ontario Government fish hatchery at Mt. Pleasant is to-day one of the 

 beauty spots of the Province, transformed from a rough swamp bottom all through 

 indefatigable efforts of Superintendent J. T. Edwards. 



Yours respectfully, 



Henry Watson, 



Warden. 



