DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

217
APPENDIX No. 7.
IIAMTOBA ANP THE NORTll.TEST TERRITORIES.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FISHERIES FOR THE YEAR 1838, BY (R.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, INSPECTOR.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA1 31st December, 1888.
lion. CHARLES H. TtTPPER,
Minister of Marine and Fisheries,
Ottawa.
Sia,—I have the honor to submit my annual report on the fisheries of Manitoba
and the North.West Territories, for the year ending 31st December, together with a
summary of statistics and the reports of overseers and guardians under my supervision.
The area under my jurisdiction is very large, embracing as it does the whole of
the Province, as well as the adjoining Territories, and it would be impossible, except
at a great outlay, to fully test its resources. The districts within the Province have
only been partially developed, yet, there are fish of various kinds in abundance
Overseer Gilchrist has charge in Assiniboia, but nothing has been done towards promoting
the fishing industry much beyond the Qa'Appelle River and Long Lake
Districts. In the territories of Alberta and Athabasca, nothing whatever has been
done, but reports from Hudson's Bay officials and others, represent the lakes very
numerous, and fish of various kinds plentiful in them. A beginning was made thie
year in the territory of Saskatchewan, one firm having %ested Lake Winnipeg in the
vicinity of Grand Rapids, and caught a large number of whitesh. I would again
urge upon the Department the necessity for appointing, as in Assiniboia, art overseer
for the districts of Alberta, Athsbasca and Saskatchewan, to make a survey of the
inland lakes nnd other waters in those localities, with a view to ascertaining the
fishing resources of those as yet unexplored territories.
The catch this year has been very satisfactory, showing an increase upon that
of the previous year.
Catch for 1887, 2,994,737 lbs., value .... $129,094
do 1888, 4,648,250 do .. . 180,671
The Indian consumption was estimated last year at 1,500,000 lbs. for Manitoba
and is about the same again, this year. There is no way of even getting an approxi.
mate for the Territories, but Overseer Gilchrst, estimates the Indian catch in Assini-
•boia at 225,00() lbs. This would aggregate the InJian consumption, as far as known,
at 1,725,000 lbs., valued at $60375. The total catch then for 1898, trade and horn
.consumption, can safely be put at 6,373,20 Ibs, valued at $241,032. There has alsG
been an increase in the number of men engaged in fishing. Two hundred and fiftytwo
licenses have been issued during the year, yielding a revenue of $1,001 infese,
fines and forfeitures. With the exception of &tcssrs. Gauthier & Co., Robinson & Go.
nd Wright & Roberts, nearly all were small fishermen, using from three hundred to
a thousand yards of gill net each. There has been no material increase in the plant
and capital invested in the fisheries this year, and $73,000 would cover the total
amount.