PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1937 39 



pecially with the eft'ects of the deep trap net fishery on the abundance 

 of wliitefish in these two lakes. 



Two important forward steps were made in Great Lakes fisheries 

 administration durinfj 1937. First, the adoption by Wisconsin, 

 Illinois, ]Michioaii, Ohio, and the Province of Ontario of the flexible 

 rule method of measurino- gi\\ net meshes brought a troublesome 

 l)rol)lem to a satisfactory conclusion. The flexible rule provides an 

 extremely accurate and impersonal method of determinino- the legal- 

 ity of gill net meshes. Earlier methods of gauging gill net twine 

 were open to the criticism that the residts obtained varied according 

 to the jn-ocedure followed by the individual making the measure- 

 ments. The second important advance in Great Lakes fishery ad- 

 ministration was the passage of the ''discretionary power" act by 

 the Wisconsin Legislature. This law empowers the State conserva- 

 tion officials, after consultation with and on the advice of commer- 

 cial fishermen, to enact commercial fisheries regulations by decree. 

 As a result the conservation officials can meet emergency situations 

 readily and are also in position to frame a rational long-time pro- 

 gram for the rehabilitation of Wisconson's sadly depleted fisheries. 



Xo significant advance can be claimed in the fundamental prob- 

 lem of obtaining uniform regulations for Great Lakes fisheries, nor 

 does there appear to be nuich likelihood that adequate and uniform 

 regulations can ever be attained through the medium of interstate 

 agreement. The growing realization that satisfactory fisheries 

 regulations cannot be attained by the united action of the States is 

 reflected in a rising sentiment for the regulation of Great Lakes 

 commercial fisheries by a Federal or international agency. 



Active cooperation continued to mark the relationship of the 

 Great Lakes staff with the State officials and with the fishing in- 

 dustry. Cooperative projects requiring field work were the gill net 

 investigations on Lake Erie, the study of the effect of commercial 

 fishing on the game fish in Potagannissing Bay, Lake Huron, and 

 the general survey of the relationships between sport and commer- 

 cial fishing in southern Lake Superior and northern Lakes Huron 

 and ^Michigan. Dr. Van Oosten again issued numerous memoranda, 

 relative to Great Lakes fisheries problems, and on several occasions 

 at the request of State officials aided in the framing of commercial 

 fisheries regulations. 



The Bureau is greatly indebted to the University of Michigan 

 for laboratory space, and for numerous other accommodations and 

 courtesies extended to the staff'. 



FISHERY STATISTICS 



A complete analysis, by methods outlined in previous reports, was 

 made of the 1936 statistics of the commercial fisheries of Great Lakes 

 waters under the jurisdiction of the State of Michigan. There are 

 now available detailed records of fluctuations in fishing intensity 

 and in the production and abundance of the important commercial 

 species over an 8-year period (1929-1936) for each of the 22 fishing 

 areas or statistical districts into which the State of Michigan waters 

 have been divided. The statistical data on the wliitefish in Lakes 

 Huron and Michigan proved of great value in the study of the 

 whitefish fisheries of these lakes completed by staff' members during 

 the year. 



