FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, l!)23 



293 



The following table shows the statistics of the wholesale trade of 

 Lake Superior in 1922: 



Wholesale fishery trade of Lake Superior in 1922 



FISHERIES OF LAKE MICHIGAN 



In 1922 Lake Michigan ranked first among the Great Lakes in the 

 number of persons employed and second only to Lake Erie in the 

 amount of invested capital and quantity and value of products. 



The total number of persons employed was 2,617, of whom 1,011 

 were on vessels fishing, 707 in the shore and boat fisheries, and 899 

 «mplo3^ed as shoresmen and on vessels transporting. Comparing 

 the total number with previous statistics, it is seen that there were 

 fewer men reported in this canvass than in anv previous one except 

 that of 1880. 



The total investment in the fisheries of the lake amounted to 

 $4,247,964, of which $947,838 was invested in vessels and boats, 

 $644,599 in gear, and $2,655,527 in shore and accessory property 

 and cash capital. There were 356 vessels above 5 tons net engaged 

 in the fishery, 87 of them being operated by steam and 269 by gaso- 

 line. The gear emploved by these vessels consisted of 35,930 gill 

 nets, valued at $357,653, and lines to the value of $23,525. The 

 principal gear in the shore and boat fisheries consisted of pound nets 

 and gill nets, 704 of the former valued at $174,815, and 10,453 of 

 the latter, valued at $51,102. There was a very distinct decrease 

 in the number of all types of gear as compared to 1917. 



The fishery products of Lake Michigan amounted to 21,141,394 

 pounds, valued at $1,932,836. The more important species taken 

 in this lake were ciscoes, 6,763,533 pounds, valued at $244,392; 

 lake trout, 8,735,705 pounds, valued at $1,171,806; common white- 

 fish, 1,547,049 pounds, valued at $263,935; yellow^ perch, 1,244,768 

 pounds, valued at $85,748; and suckers, 1,519,667 pounds, valued 

 at $89,119. 



Compared with previous years, this is a distinct decrease in the 

 yield of ciscoes and whitefish and an ordinary production of lake 

 trout. The 1922 catch of sturgeon, amounting to 9,203 pounds, was 

 the lowest on record. In 1880 the yield of this species from Lake 

 Michigan amounted to 3,839,600 pounds. 



