38.-THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF LAKE ERIE, PAST AND PRESENT. 



BY C. M. KEYES. 



The subject suggested by the president of our State fish commission as the topic 

 of this paper is one of wide range and too extensive in scope to be thoroughly dis- 

 cussed in the time which I may occupy in courtesy to the gentlemen of this convention, 

 all of whom will doubtless have subjects and matters of great importance to the fishing 

 industry to bring up for consideration. I shall therefore be as concise as the subject 

 will allow, and not trench on your valuable time more than is absolutely necessary. 



The early fishing in the waters of Lake Erie was crude in character and limited 

 in operation. Up to the year 1850 fishing was mainly confined to the waters of the 

 bays, inlets, and rivers tributary to the lake, with some feeble efforts at gill-net fishing 

 by small row or sail boats operating near the islands, reefs, and along the shore of the 

 lake. There is no authenticated record that prior to that time any steam craft was 

 used in connection with the fisheries of the lake, nor, in fact, until some years after 

 that period. 



Fishing, as an industry of any considerable importance in Lake Erie, may fairly 

 be dated from the year 1850, although it did not attain to any great magnitude until 

 some years after that. 



Pound-net fishing commenced about that time, and from the very start gave new 

 impetus to the business; this was in consequence of the fact that the fish product 

 became at once much larger, was produced in a more merchantable condition, and 

 continued over a larger period of time each year, thus enabling the dealer to send his 

 fish with greater regularity and in much better condition to the markets of the country. 

 By reason also of being able to furnish the inland dealer with a constant and certain 

 supply of fresh fish, wholesale dealers in all the large cities established themselves, 

 thus becoming distributing-points for the fish food of the waters of Lake Erie and 

 enabling the consumers living at distant points to obtain a valuable addition to their 

 food supply and in a wholesome condition. 



The growth of the industry from the'period above mentioned was steady and cer- 

 tain. Each year witnessed uew and improved methods in catching, preserving, and 

 marketing the fish. In the early years, in fact until the year 1807, all the fish brought 

 to the local markets for handling, in amounts exceeding the requirements for imme- 

 diate shipments, had to be salted, thus getting to the consumer in a very inferior 

 condition as a food product. About this time the system of freezing fresh fish and 

 storing them in refrigerating rooms for winter consumption was put in practice at 



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