BUREAU OF FISHERIES Viur 
GREAT LAKES FISHERIES 
The evidence at hand clearly indicates a decline in the Great Lakes 
fisheries, so marked as to cause grave concern for the future of these 
fisheries. The very existence is threatened of the bluefin in Lake 
Superior, the blackfin in Lake Michigan, the bloater in Lake Ontario, 
and the sturgeon in all the lakes. In less than half a century the 
eatch of whitefish has declined from 21,000,000 to 4,000,000 pounds, 
and the sturgeon from 7,500,000 pounds to less than 100,000 pounds 
per annum. The aggregate catch has been maintained at a fairly 
fixed level by the substitution of more rough fish as the supply of the 
choicer species declined, and by greatly increasing the number and 
effectiveness of the units of gear employed. 
The problem of fisheries administration is a most difficult one, in 
view of the fact that jurisdiction is divided between eight States and 
a Canadian Province. The questions are not alone State, but na- 
tional and international. Jurisdiction over Lake Michigan is divided 
between four States; that over Lake Erie between four States and 
the Province of Ontario. There is a growing appreciation of the 
need for a better understanding of the problems and of better laws 
and their enforcement. Under such a division of authority it is 
difficult to get concerted action. 
At the invitation of the Governor of Ohio to representatives of the 
States bordering Lake Erie, the Province of Ontario, and this bureau, 
a conference was held at Columbus, Ohio, on February 16, 1927. The 
purpose of the conference was to attempt to secure coordinated action 
in conserving the fisheries of Lake Erie. Resolutions were adopted, 
which, if enacted into law, would afford greater protection to the 
fisheries. Subsequent progress toward the enactment of such meas- 
ures holds forth little hope of immediate action to meet the serious 
situation that exists. 
At the call of the Governor of Michigan on March 8, 1927, at 
Lansing, a conference of fishery officials from the States bordering 
the Great Lakes and from the bureau was held to consider ways and 
means for conserving the Great Lakes fisheries. Only measures of 
general application to all the lakes were considered, and proposals 
with respect to fishing gear, sizes of fish, and the taking of spawn 
were made by the several States and the Province of Ontario. 
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILD LIFE AND FISH REFUGE ACT 
Regulations for the administration of the upper Mississippi River 
wild life and fish refuge act of June 7, 1924, were signed and issued 
jointly on June 24, 1927, by the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of Commerce. These regulations prescribe the conditions 
under which hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities will 
be permitted. Areas of overflowed bottom lands along the Missis- 
sippi in the States of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, from 
Rock Island, Tll., to Wabasha, Minn., are being acquired by the 
Department of Agriculture as rapidly as possible. 
There are many sloughs and bayous within the limits of the reser- 
vation, some of which are navigable to boats of light draft, which 
may be utilized for growing fishes for restocking streams, and to be 
inoculated with the glochidia of the fresh-water mussels, thus helping 
to perpetuate this important industry. 
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