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197<br />
.Rattlesnake Harbor, but found it deserted.<br />
At Club Island Station there were twenty-four boats and one tug fishing an<br />
average of 12,000 yards of nets each. These nets were principally 4 to 4 inch mesh,<br />
but fishermen promised not to use them again. The catch and prices were up to the<br />
average. The nuisance of fish offals was avoided here by converting them into oil.<br />
At Squaw Island Station I found over fifty boats and three tugs, the former<br />
operating from 10,000 to 12,000 yards of net each and the latter over 20,000 yards<br />
each. This fishing station is controlled by the Messrs. Noble of Killarny. Hero<br />
also were the nets of small mesh. Fish offals were rendered into oil. Fishermen<br />
reported catch and prices fair.<br />
On arriving at French River, our feed pumps having broken down, I got a small<br />
tug to run over us to the Bustard Islands, where I had been led to expect to find American<br />
fishermen and every description of illegal fishing, instead of which I found the<br />
reputed Americans to be Canadians, and the only men I had met with who fished in<br />
accordance with the law. Their fish were purchased by Mr. Davis, of Detroit,<br />
unculled at 8 cents a piece, and are carried by steamer to Alpena, Michigan. There<br />
are three establishments here, owned by Porter & McLeod, of Wiarton, Lincoln of<br />
Southampton, and McLean of Goderich, respectively, fishing about 8 boats each, the<br />
catch of which was not quite up to the average, which they attribute rather to the<br />
5 inch mesh than to a scarcity of fish.<br />
I then visited Killarney, but as my presence was not needed there, I proceeded<br />
to Mudge Bay, Manitoulin Islanas, the eastern limit of pound net fishing in the north<br />
channel. Arriving at Mudge Bay, I learned Messrs. J. & C. Noble had been fishing<br />
4 pound nets which were not up to the legal size. The catch, which was shipped to<br />
Buffalo, was reported fair,<br />
I ran into Gore Bay from stress of weather, but was unable to ascertain the<br />
whereabouts of Overseer Brinkman, so I decided to call upon Captain Wilson, fishery<br />
overseer at Sault Ste, farie. I saw quite a number of pound nets on my passage up,<br />
but having no plan of licensed limits decided to wait for the overseer. As Captain<br />
Wilson was unabie to accompany nie, I went down to see overseer John Marks, of<br />
St. Joseph's Island, but found that he had gone to Sault Ste. Marie. The lightkeeper<br />
at Sister Rocks, Mr. Weightman, however, being familiar with the fishing grounds, I<br />
took him to examine Stephen Frechette's pound net at Portlock harbor. Frechetto<br />
is a licensed fisherman, who reported a very poor catch, attributable rather to improper<br />
fishing than scarcity of fish. His net was also undersized the heart having<br />
3 inch meshes. Accompanied by lightkeeper Weightman, I left for Bruce Mines, to<br />
visit the pound net fishermen of St. Joseph's Island, but learnt that the Bruce Mines<br />
men had abandoned those fishing grounds for others below Thessalon, and near<br />
M.issisauga River.<br />
I found four pound nets in the vicinity of Tenby Bay and Kaskawong River, two<br />
owned by Mr. Sims and one by Malcolm Matheson. These three were licensed.<br />
The other pound was owned by American fishermen, living on Drummond Island, and<br />
said to be in American waters, though others contended it was in Canadian waters.<br />
Having no means of determining the boundary, I did not interfere with this net. I<br />
found a small trap-net inside the Kaskawong River, set for bass ad pike, for which<br />
I could find no owner, and had i removed. The catch of fish in this locality was<br />
reported fair, and was bought principally by the Buffalo Fish Company and Davis of<br />
Detroit, at average prices. Nets, as usual, undersized.<br />
Arriving at Sault St. Marie, I was joined by Overseer Wilson for a tour of his<br />
district. On the way down stress of water and a leaking boiler dchiyed us at Campeinent<br />
D' Ours Island. Leaving here I ran into Bruce Mines for shelter, and sent<br />
to Thessalon for guardian Strain. Overseer .Marlcs joined me here and reports all<br />
fishermen in his district licensed. He was in doubt as to the position of the net set<br />
by American fishermen. Guardian Strain having arrived I started for Mississauga.<br />
River. Below Thessalon I found three licensed pound nets belonging to Messrs Marks<br />
and Dobie. Good catches and prices reported. Fish shipped by line boats to Canadian<br />
ports. From here I ranovor to the Grants, where I found three boats fishing for<br />
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