114 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



These figures include the latest plantings that could possibly be 

 called due in the fall of 1884. Under the current method of computing 

 the numbers of young fish in tanks and cans, there is no doubt that 

 the estimates shown in the above figures are much too large. 



Following are a number of statements from fishermen and dealers, in 

 substantially the exact language of the parties making them, with re- 

 gard to the catch and the value of fish propagation and planting : 



L. Streuber, Erie, Pa., says: "Am a dealer and shipper of fro/en 

 fish, and fish considerable twine. Can give you the figures of my catch 

 for only the past two seasons, which is as follows : Catch of whitefish 

 for 1883, 110 tons ; 1884, 150 tons. 1 believe the propagation of white- 

 fish to be a great help toward keeping up a stock in the lakes ; so much 

 so that I am doing all I can to get a hatchery started here, believing it 

 will pay." 



C. D. Carter, another dealer and fisherman in the same city, says : 

 " My catch of whitefish for the past two years is as follows : 1883, 175 

 tons; 1884, 225 tons. I think that the planting of young whitefish in 

 Lake Erie has already done a great good toward keeping up and increas- 

 ing the stock of whitefish in its waters. I hope to see the hatcheries 

 kept up, and would like to see one here in Erie, believing we have a 

 good location for one, and that it is a good point to plant fish from, as 

 there are no carnivorous fish caught at the season of the year when the 

 young fish would be put in." 



 John Harlow & Co., of Erie, make the following statement: "For the 

 past five years our annual catch of whitefish has been about 150 tons, 

 until 1884, when it was 200 tons. The increase of 50 tons I attribute 

 to the planting of young whitefish from the hatcheries. I am very 

 much in favor of the planting, and hope it will be kept up, as I am sat- 

 isfied that it is of great benefit to the fishing interest of the lake. A 

 few seasons since we commenced catching very small whitefish — sc 

 small that we had to get smaller-meshed nets, and now we are getting a 

 larger class of fish again." 



H. Divel, fish dealer and practical fisherman, also of Erie, says: 

 "I have been fishing for some time, and think the whitefish for the 

 past three years have been increasing. I can give the figures of my 

 catch only for the past two seasons, as follows: 1883, 30 tons; 1884, 50 

 tons. 1 think the business of hatching and planting is of great ben- 

 efit in keeping up the stock; for, with the increase of twine, the white- 

 fish must soon be caught off if nothing is done to keep the stock good. 

 There can be no reasonable doubt about the young fish living and be- 

 coming full grown. They stand just as good a chance as those hatched 

 naturally, their danger from carnivorous fishes being no greater than 

 those hatched on the reefs." 



B. Divel, of Erie, gives similar testimony: "My catch of whitefish has 

 improved lor two or three years. The figures for the last two seasons 

 are: 1883,30 tons; 1884, 50 tons. From the fact that whitefish are 



