REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CXIII 



LAKE HURON. 



Pound nets. — A reduction iu tlic niiiubor of pound nets iu some places, especially 

 in the northern part of the lake, and probably also in Saginaw Bay, is called for. 



The recommeudatious made under pound nets in Lake Erie with respect to the 

 length of leaders, the .separation of individual nets in the string by gaps, and their 

 distance apart are considered to be applicable also to Lake Huron. It is recom- 

 mended that iu Saginaw Bay not more than 6 pound nets be allowed in a string, and 

 elsewhere in the lake not more than 3. 



North of a line drawn from North Point, Michigan, to Clark Point, Ontario, the 

 mesh in the cribs of all pound nets should measure not less than 4 inches in exten- 

 sion after shrinkage, and south of said line not less than 2^ inches. This would 

 provide for the use of only a large mesh iu that part of the lake where the wliite- 

 tish is the most important species and where the youug are being captured in undue 

 (]uantities, and would permit the taking of herring and other small species in those 

 localities where they are now mainly fished for. In the latter case the proposed 

 mesh is also larger than the one now employed, and would perhaps serve to liberate 

 a certain proportion of the undersized Avall-eyed pike, which are at present a 

 conspicuous feature of the catch. 



The use of jiound nets during November should 1)e prohibited north of the lino 

 above defined, in order to provide a close season for whitofish. 



All pound-net stakes should be removed from the water within thirty days after 

 the close of the fishing season. 



Gill nets. — The mesh in all gill nets should measure at least .5 inches in extension, 

 except that nets of 2|-inch mesh miglit be allowed to be fished on the Canadian 

 shore V)etween Sable River and Cape Hurd, from October 15 to November 1, for the 

 capture of herring, which, at that season, do not appear to be associated with young 

 whitefish in that locality. 



During November it would be expedient to prohibit fishing by any gill net having 

 a smaller mesh than 6 inches, which would serve in large measure to protect the 

 spawning whitefish. The use of any gill net within one-fourth mile of any fixed 

 net should be prohibited. The mesh iu gill nets used for the capture of sturgeon 

 should measure at least 11 inches in extension. 



Fyke nets. — The mesh in the bag of fyke nets should measure at least 2| inches in 

 extension. The number of these nets should be restricted in accordance with the 

 capacity or requirements of each region in which they are employed. 



Sehns. — The dimensions of seines and the size of mesh therein should conform in 

 each instance to the conditions under which they are employed. The mesh should 

 in all cases be sufficiently large to permit the escape of undersized fish, and the 

 number of seines, as well as the manner of their use, should be properly restricted iu 

 all i)laces. It should be prohibited to fish seines on or about the spawning-grounds 

 of any of the important fishes, or iu any place where their employment would be 

 unduly harmful. 



Xakcd hooks for sturgeon. — The method of taking sturgeon by means of naked 

 hooks or grapnels should be prohibited. 



Spears. — The use of spears for takiug fish of any kind should be prohibited. 



Sturgeon. — All sturgeon measuring less thau 4 feet long, by whatever means taken, 

 should be returned alive to the water. 



Pollutions. — The throwing into the water of fish offal (including dead fish taken 

 from the nets), of city garbage, and of all other substances deleterious to fish life 

 should be prohibited. Steps should also be taken to prevent injury by the waste 

 from sawmills and from manufacturing establishments of all kinds, both along the 

 shores and in all tributaries containing spawning-grourds of important fishes. It 

 is rcconmiended tliat in connection with all harbor improvements and other work of 

 that character, due i)recaution be taken in disposing of the material obtained by 

 dredging, etc., to prevent injury to any fishiug-grouads. 

 F. R. 97 yiii 



