DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

69
all along the whole line of country, where the planting of young fish has been done
from this hatchery, some of whom at one time refused to recognize the benefits of
fish culture, are all now loud in praising the Sandwich Fish Hatchery for the good work
which it has done. To show how very large the catch of whitefish has been this year
I will just quote the number of pounds of fish caught at one station in Lake St. Clair,
in order to compare it with that of last year. At this station last year with four nets
there were caught 5,404 pounds; at the same station this year with three nets 21,835
pounds were taken. t other fishing stations in the same lake the catch was equally
as large—in fact the catch was so large that the Detroit fish market was over-stocked
with these fish. Last year the market price of whitefish in Detroit was from 7c. to
8c. per pound, whereas this year it is very difficult to get more than 5 cents er
pound. I cannot say as much for the catch at the Bois Blanc Island Fishery
this season, although it has always been considered a great fishing station. Westerly
winds prevailed almost all the time through the season, and the water, in consequence,
was shallow and was very much like a low tide. The fish that were caught
here were much smaller than those of former years.
Enlargement of the Hatchery.
I might mention in this report the almost absolute necessity of having more
hatching room in the hatchery for nearly every branch of the culture of fish. We
need a great deal more tank room than we have, but cannot make the room without
making use of the private apartments of my family—which is already small enough
for any degree o comfort. Th:s fact I have before pointed out in my previous reports
and I think it would be highly advisable for the Department to build a dwelling for
the officer in charge of this hatchery, and then the whole hatchery could be turned
into use for the purpose for which it was built.
Very satisfactory accounts are to be found in a number of letters, hereto
appended, from fishermen, and others, showing the undoubted success of this
hatchery, and of the greatly increased supplies of whitefish and pickerel in this section
of the country. Statements made by the fishermen themselves, clearly show
that this improvement in the fisheries is very largely due to the great number of
young fry which have been bred and turned out from this Sandwich Hatchery.
These evidences in favor of the work performed at this establishment should be sufficient
to induce the Fishery Department to enlarge the hatching facilities of the
building to its greatest capacity.
This report is respectfully submitted.
WILLIAM PARKER,
Officer in Charge Sandwich Hatchery.
Iom.—The letters above referred to from fishermen and others will be found in the general
report under "Practical Results from Artificial Fish-Breeding."