

Anicrican FisJii'iics Soclefi/ 215 



of. ajul will no doubt receive the eoii.sideration it is entitled to 

 in the near future." 



l^eferrin,ii- to this matter in the re])ort for 1905, the then 

 deputy eomniissioner of fisheries did so as follows: "The 

 eireuhir k'tti'r which in 1!<04 was addressed to every licensed 

 tishei'nian in the [)rovinee notifying' him that he must nuike ar- 

 rangements for supplying the local demand for fish does not 

 ajjpear to have received that attention which was hoped and ex- 

 ])ected. This is a ipiestion of dollars and cents, and not of 

 ])atriotisni or sentiment. It rests with the public and not with 

 the fishermen to establish a home market, which can only 1)0 

 accomplished in two ways, namely, by the Dominion Governnu'nt 

 pi-ohil)itiiig export, or residi'uts of the ])ro\ince being prepared to 

 pay the price for Ontario fish they realize in thi' Tnited States." 



You see, gentlemen, there are j\ist two ways, ami if the 

 ])eop!e say. we will have our own fish, tliey will choose the former 

 way. 



"The i)ublic fail to recognize the changed conditions from 

 those ])re vailing fifteen years ago. At that time the fresh water 

 fisheries of the United States had not been de|)leted. neither was 

 the fishing business of Ontario C(mtrolled l)y jiowt^rful American 

 cond)ines. Xot many years l)ack. fishermen on the shores of 

 Lake Erie Avere satisfied to sell herring at one cent ])er pound, 

 whitefish and salmon trout at five cents a pound — the price now 

 n'alized in many markets for the much abused cai']). However 

 desirable it may be to have our home markets abundantly sup- 

 plied with good wholesome fish, this will not occur under present 

 conditions, but our fish will reach those markets paying the most 

 for them. 



As to the ownershi]) of the gear, tugs, boats, nets, etc., etc., 

 operated by tlie fishernu'U. Such enquiry is not recpiired, if, 

 as stated in report for 1905, this department found, upon as- 

 suming the administration of the fisheries in 1898, that the fish- 

 ing industry of the Great Lakes was largely controlled by Ameri- 

 can companies. If Amer'can ownership and control ])revailed 

 in 1898, we may rest assured that such control prevails now to a 

 far greater extent than in 1898. We have the most convincing 

 ])roof of American control when we revert to the well known fact 

 that at least three-fourths of the fish caught in the Great Lakes 



