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U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



FISHERIES OF LAKE ERIE 



In 1922 Lake Erie ranked first among the Great Lakes except in 

 the number of persons engaged, in which respect Lake Michigan 

 ranked first. Lake Erie is one of the lakes whose production has 

 been fairly well maintained throughout the period covered by the 

 available statistics. Certain of the important species show material 

 decreases, principal among these being sturgeon, lake trout, and 

 whitefish. It is evident that the total production has been main- 

 tained through the greater catch of formerly unimportant species. 



In 1922 the fisheries of Lake Erie gave employment to 2,504 per- 

 sons. Of these, 582 were on fishing vessels, 1,226 in the shore and boat 

 fisheries, and 696 employed as shoresmen and on transporting vessels. 



The total investment in the fisheries and related industries 

 amounted to S5, 161,482, of which $950,359 was invested in vessels 

 and boats, $917,466 in gear, and $3,293,657 in shore property and 

 cash capital. There were 106 fishing vessels over 5 tons net, 69 of 

 them operated by steam and 37 by gasoline, altogether carrying 

 36,555 gill nets valued at $260,999. In the shore fisheries there were 

 380 power boats and 555 rowboats operating 5,849 gill nets, valued 

 at $36,995; 3,931 pound nets and trap nets, valued at $554,510; 

 752 fyke nets, valued at .$35,190; 213 haul seines, valued at $29,685, 

 and lines to the value of $87. 



The products aggregated 55,079,128 pounds, valued at $2,944,204. 

 Of this quantity, Ohio is credited with the greatest amount (37,342,813 

 pounds), followed, in order, by Pennsylvania, New York, and Mich- 

 igan. The principal species were pike perch, all species, 22,357,996 

 pounds, valued at $1,285,399; ciscoes, 16,158,239 pounds, valued at 

 $804,601; carp, 5,899,181 pounds, valued at $242,937; vellow perch, 

 2,969,332 pounds, valued at $177,492; and whitefish, 922,209 

 pounds, valued at $173,402. 



FISHERIES BY STATES AND COUNTIES 



The following tables show, by States and counties, the extent of 

 the fisheries of Lake Erie in 1922: 



Statistics of the fisheries of Lake Erie in 1922, by States and counties 

 PERSONS ENGAGED 



> Includes persons engaged in the wholesale fish trade of Detroit. 



