608 ' U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



improbable that this may have been a factor. On August 24, 1923, 

 while witnessing the lifting of a 3-inch gill net set for lake herring 

 in 30 fathoms off Sandy Pond, from three to nine dead and decayed 

 fish were brought up between each two corks (about 8 feet) , wrapped 

 about the threads of the net. The nets had been out for two nights 

 and a stiff breeze had induced the currents, which swept the fish along 

 the bottom and entangled some of them in the nets. 



CARP 



Another important nonindigenous species is the carp, which is 

 thriving in Lake Ontario, where conditions are suited to it. They 

 are caught for market at several points on both the American and 

 the Canadian shore, chiefly at the eastern and western ends. They 

 are taken for the most part in seines and traps on the American side 

 and by seines on the Canadian shore. 



SHAD 



Shad were introduced into Lake Ontario many years ago and for 

 a time were occasionally taken. Specimens are still reported at rare 

 intervals. 



FISHING REGULATIONS 



APPARATUS 



Gill nets. — The New York law allows no gill net of a mesh less than 

 4% inches to take whitefish or trout in Lake Ontario, and the Ontario 

 law allows none smaller than 4:}4 inches. For sturgeon New York 

 requires a gill net of not less than 10-inch mesh, while Ontario has 

 no requirements but regulates the length of the sturgeon that may 

 be possessed. For all other species gill nets of not less than 3-inch 

 mesh are legal. In addition, the New York law specifies that no 

 net may be set within ^ mile of land or within 1 mile of the mouth 

 of the Niagara River, except that nets may be set for herring from 

 October 15 to December 15 outside of an area 500 feet from shore 

 and outside a radius of 1,000 feet from the mouth of any river, bay, 

 inlet, or outlet. There are exceptions to this law in the case of some 

 of the larger bays. 



No Canadian fisherman may use a gill net of greater depth than 

 36 meshes, and certain restrictions are placed on fishing in the 

 Bay of Quinte. 



Seines. — No seine of less than 3-inch mesh may be used in New 

 York waters. Ontario does not specify the size of mesh that may 

 be used. 



Trap nets. — Pound nets are not licensed on Lake Ontario. Trap 

 nets are prohibited in the Ontario waters of the lake, but fyke nets 

 are allowed and may be of a mesh not smaller than 2}^ inches. Both 

 traps and fykes are allowed in New York but may not be of mesh 

 smaller than 3 inches. 



SIZE LIMITS 



New York State prohibits the taking of whitefish of less than 1 % 

 pounds in the round, trout less than 15 inches in length, wall-eyed 

 pike (yellow only) less than 12 inches, or sturgeon less than 42 inches. 



