194 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



FISHERIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, 1922 



The statistics of the fisheries of the Mississippi River and tribu- 

 taries, presented in this report, are for the calendar year 1922. 

 Excepting for the inclusion of the Atchafalaya River in the canvass 

 for 1922, the area covered and the method of taking the data were 

 so arranged as to make the statistics comparable with those of 1899 

 and 1903. A summary of these statistics has already- been pub- 

 lished as Statistical Bulletin No. 607, but the detailed statistics are 

 published herewith for the first time. 



COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FISHES 



Following is a list of the common and scientific names of the fishes 

 referred to in the tables and discussions in this report : 



Black bass Micropterus aalmoides. 



Bowfin Amiatus caivus. 



Buffalofish Ictiobus cyprinella. 



Carp, German Cyprinus carpio. 



Catfish and bullheads jAmeiurus (species). 



(.Ictalurus (species) . 

 Crannie jPomoxis annularis. 



Drum, fresh-water, or sheepshead Aplodinotus grunniens. 



Eels Anguilla chrysypa. 



Moon-eye, or toothed herring Hiodou (species). 



Paddlefish, or spoonbill cat Polyodon spathula. 



Pike and pickerel Esox (species) . 



Pike perch (sauger). . . {Stizosledion canadense grUeum. 



^ "^ ^ \btizosteaoin canadense. 



Pike perch (wall-eyed) Stizostedion viireum. 



Quillback, or American carp Carpiodes velifer. 



Rock bass Amhloplites rupestris. 



Sturgeon, lake Acipenser rubicundus. 



Sturgeon, shovelnose Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus. 



Suckers CatostomidiB (species) . 



Sunfish Centrarchidse (species). 



White bass Roccus chrysops. 



Yellow bass Morone interrupln. 



Yellow perch Perca flavescens . 



GENERAL STATISTICS 



The nmnber of persons engaged in the fisheries in this entire region 

 in 1922 was 19,122, as compared with 13,377 in 1903, the year covered 

 by the last canvass of this bm"eau. Nearly one-third of those engaged 

 were connected either with the pearl-button industry or the wholesale 

 fish trade. The total investment of the entire region amounted to 

 $7,345,034 as compared with S3,555,540 in 1903. As in the case of 

 persons engaged, a large part of the investment was in the pearl- 

 button industry and wholesale fish trade. Other items contributing 

 to the investment were the boats and gear operated by the fishermen. 

 The fyke net was the most widely distributed, except lines, of any 

 form of apparatus, occurring in all States except Pennsj^vania and 

 West Virginia. Slightly over one-half the entire number was used in 

 Illinois and Louisiana. Haul seines occurred in all but seven States. 

 Trammel nets and gill nets were not generally used, although in Iowa 

 trammel nets were quite common. Shrimp traps were used only in 

 Louisiana and Mississippi. 



