586 U. S, BUKEAU OF FISHERIES 



insignificant (37,491 pounds) in the American fisheries, and in 1917 

 ranked fourth with 1,145,250 pounds. The catch in 1922 was 

 sliglitly less in quantity and relatively less important. 



GIZZARD SHAD 



The gizzard shad or sawbelly is a small commercially unimportant 

 fish that is said to have found its way into Lakes Erie and Michigan 

 from the Mississippi drainage through certain connecting canals 

 and is now working its way northward. In November, 1919, a fisher- 

 man brought me specimens which he selected from the swarms 

 present in his pound nets in Colpoy Bay (a small indention in Georgian 

 Bay), and it is said that in 1920 they were extremely abundant in 

 Saginaw Bay. The presence of the gizzard shad here has no ecological 

 significance so far as is known. 



FISHING REGULATIONS 



Regulations similar to those promulgated by the governments of 

 Michigan and Ontario for Lake Superior are in force. (See p. 576.) 



* LAKE ERIE 



DESCRIPTION 



LaKe Erie has an area of approximately 10,000 square miles, 

 exceeding in size only Lake Ontario. Its length is about 250 miles 

 and the average width is about 45 miles. It is bounded on the north 

 by the Province of Ontario, on the west by the State of Michigan, 

 on the south by Ohio and Pennsylvania, and on the east by New 

 York. Lake Erie receives the waters of the upper Great Lakes 

 through the Detroit River, and drains through the Niagara River. 

 The deepest water occurs in the eastern sector, in that part wliich is 

 bordered by Pennsylvania, New York, and the portion of the Cana- 

 dian shore lying eastward of Long Point. The maximum depth 

 recorded is 35 fathoms off Long Point. The stretch for 100 miles 

 between Long Point and Point Pelee is a nearly flat plain covered 

 by no more than 14 fathoms of water. East of Point Pelee is a shelf 

 with numerous islands and reefs, having a maximum depth of 7 



fathoms. 



FISHING INDUSTRY 



HISTORY 



Lake Erie offers most favorable conditions for the growth of fish, 

 and in practically every census, in spite of its small size, it has led 

 all the lakes in quantity of production. On account of its shallow- 

 ness, warmth, and diversified conditions many species of fish occur 

 in its waters, and no less than 15 species have at one time or another 

 been important in the commercial catches. 



Every device known to the fishermen of the Great Lakes is em- 

 ployed on Lake Erie. In a general way the kind of apparatus used 

 depends upon the species to be taken, and since in the' past the impor- 

 tant species have varied from year to year, and since the devices of 

 capture have gradually been improved, the history of the fisheries of 



