582 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
valued at $2,691,866. Since then there has been some decrease in the 
number of persons employed, but a steady increase in the number of 
pound nets and gill nets, the two most important forms of fishing 
apparatus used, and also in the total amount of capital invested. The 
yield of products, except in 1893, has greatly increased in quantity, 
but has not in any of the years named equaled that of 1885 in value. 
In 1899 it was slightly exceeded in quantity by that of 1890, but was 
next in value to that of 1585. 
A noteworthy feature of these fisheries is the change that has taken 
place in the abundance of the different species of fish. In 1880 the 
white-fish was more abundant than any other species and constituted 
nearly a third of the products, but in 1899 the catch had decreased 
to 5,094,014 pounds. In the same period sturgeon decreased from 
7,557,383 pounds to 1,129,348 pounds. The yield of trout was larger in 
1899 than in 1880, but it has decreased considerably as compared with 
1885, 1890, and 1893. Offsetting these decreases, herring has increased 
from 15,967,517 pounds to 59,918,576 pounds, while the aggregate 
quantity of several other species, not shown separately in the statistics, 
increased from 16,948,600 pounds to 36,978,714 pounds. The. decline 
in the abundance of some of the more valuable species is therefore 
being compensated for by an increase in the cheaper varieties. 
Comparative table showing the number of persons employed in the fisheries of the Great 
Lakes in 1880, 1885, 1890, 1893, and 1899. 






Lakes. 1880. 1885. | 1890. 1893. 1899. 
SUPERIORS eee ease e pe eile teteielelears\-lalararereeietarsiatateraiateeraiee 414 914 | 653 916 613 
Michigans oe. sca sem ecice ecclesiastics acericcesee cissenls 1,578 3, 379 2,877 3, 928 3, 255 
LUTON tee eisoetac oes cece Cele cme im anstieee seme seeaes 470 892 726 944 1, 241 
StiC lain Been ae a see cho. meee orioae soebe see 356 272 611 529 442 
Breet is cat Sa ees ass nae bate ee eae. 1, 620 4, 298 4, 482 3, 622 3, 728 
Omntariore ee scien mis sew eiciivle slepeeclewinis ewiele|sieielniereeietale 2 O12 600 389 241 391. 
Mota acs Hak ses SEES e ees cee etieeee sewers tees 5, 050 10, 855 9, 738 10,180 9, 670 






* Includes St. Clair and Detroit rivers. 
Comparative table showing the apparatus and capital employed in the fisheries of the Great 
Lakes in 1880, 1885, 1890, 1893, and 1899. 













Vessels and | Pound nets er iS ater te | 
co andtrapnets,| Gill nets. Seles. | Other | Shore ane 
Lakes and ‘ appa- | property | Total in- 
years. | | ratus, |and cash} vestment. 
No. | Value. | No. | Value.}| No. | Value. | No. |Value.| value. | capital. 
Superior: | 
S80 emcee 161) $26, 240 43] $14,950} 4,630 $25,280) 32] $2,010 $200) $12,700) $81,380 
Ik Gs ease 519} 100,735} 230) 67,520) 7,557) 78,082} 43) 2,920) 1,155) 177,521) 427,933 
189022 ce- 328} 85,275} 140} 34,435) 5,974) 63,476} 19 955} 2,763) 179,778] 366,652 
1893 2eeeree 447| 139,035} 276) 63,415) 8,899) 87,680} 14 500} 1,565) 209,512} 529,024 
189925 seeee 315) 69,045) 162} 25,820) 7,229) 99, 283 1 50} 1,058) 167,023) 372,083 
Michigan: | 
1880 Ese eeee §36| 188,375) 476] 185,425] 24,599) 124,740| 19} 2,040} 1,455) 104,100} 551,135 
Ikebe Sac 1,402) 368,326] 715] 253,840) 58,516) 326,902) 87] 6,950) 13,457) 788,356) 1,757,831 
1890 Se eeres 1,102} 266,331] 844] 244,880) 40,896) 215,914) 30} 3,480} 13,460) 693,159) 1, 437, 224 
1893e-eese" 1,549] 357,987] 785} 181,385] 54,232) 352,084; 28} 2,520} 27,863) 1,092, 219} 2, 063, 497 
1899 ER Seen 1,178] 281,968) 805) 186,349} 49, 857| 288,395) 11 510} 29, 285) 2, 087, 829) 2, 915, 241 
Huron: 
SSO Series 111} 20,905) 189} 49,425) 3,360) 20,600) 28) 5,600) 3,500 3,700} 103, 730 
ISSO meee 561} 72,946} 586) 118,350) 3,444) 35, 333)...../..-..-. 23,100) 140,620) 385,349 
S00 Ree ccee 417| 36,898) 551) 88,515) 2,206) 21,665 6 600} 7,155} 254,025) 408, 858 
1893 sees. 520} 87,645) 731) 108,508} 4,923) 53,071 1 75| 38,807) 236,285} 503,700 
1899.......1 639) 87,585; 996) 111,839] 5,676) 64,384 9 673] 8,188] 208,989] 474,953 
