530 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



MISSISSIPPI RIVER BETWEEN LAKES PEPIN AND KEOKUK 



Statistics of the fisheries of the Mississippi River between Lakes 

 Pepin and Keokuk were obtained for the year 1930 for the second time 

 since they were collected as a part of the complete survey of the 

 Mississippi River and tributaries for 1922. These two surveys have 

 been made, as were those for Lakes Pepin and Keokuk, primarily to 

 determine the biological and economic effects on the fisheries of this 

 section following the construction of the Keokuk Dam; also, to fore- 

 cast the probable effects of any subsequently constructed dams in this 

 region. 



The fisheries of the Mississippi River between Lakes Pepin and 

 Keokuk, exclusive of those for mussel shells, employed 607 fishermen 

 during 1930 as compared with 675 in 1929. The catch amounted to 

 3,539,760 pounds, valued at $252,184, which is an increase of 13 per 

 cent in the catch and 10 per cent in the value of the catch as compared 

 with the catch and its value for 1929. 



Considered according to the value of the catch, German carp was 

 the most important fish taken, accounting for 46 per cent of the total 

 catch and 35 per cent of the value of the catch. Buffalofish ranked 

 next, accounting for 24 per cent of the catch and 27 per cent of the 

 value of the catch, and catfish and bullheads third, accounting for 1 1 

 per cent of the catch and 24 per cent of the value. Other species of 

 importance were fresh-water drum or sheepshead, suckers, and bowfin. 



OPEEATING UNITS BY GEAR 



The catch of fishery products in the Mississippi River between 

 Lakes Pepin and Keokuk was taken by 308 regular fishermen, 299 

 casual fishermen, 271 motor boats, 479 other small boats, 219 haul 

 seines having a combined length of 38,451 yards, 15 gill nets having 

 a combined length of 2,616 yards, 151 lines with 44,000 hooks, 8 

 trammel nets having a combined length of 1,600 yards, 3,515 fyke 

 nets, 301 pound nets, and 609 baskets. 



CATCH BY GEAR 



Two types of gear accounted for 92 per cent of the catch of fishery 

 products taken in this region diu-ing 1930. First in importance were 

 haul seines, which accounted for 66 per cent of the catch and 59 per 

 cent of the value of the catch. Fyke nets ranked next, accounting 

 for 26 per cent of the catch and 30 per cent of the value of the catch. 



OPERATING UNITS BY STATES 



Iowa ranked foremost in the number of persons fishing in that part 

 of the Mississippi River between Lakes Pepin and Keokuk, account- 

 ing for 40 per cent of the total; Wisconsin ranked second with 32 per 

 cent; Minnesota, third, with 20 per cent; and Illinois fourth, with 8 

 per cent. Iowa also ranked first in the number of fishing boats, 

 accounting for 43 per cent of the total. Wisconsin followed with 30 

 per cent. 



CATCH BY STATES AND COUNTIES 



The fisheries of the Mississippi River between Lakes Pepin and 

 Keokuk were prosecuted in 6 counties in Illinois, 8 in Iowa, 3 in 

 Minnesota, and 6 in Wisconsin. The fisheries of Iowa accounted for 



