REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CXLIII 



Apparatus and vapilal employed in Lake Michigan fisheries. 



Vessels 



Tounane 



Outfit 



Boats 



Apparatus of capture, vessel flsberies : 



Gill nets 



Apparatus of capture, shore flslierit-s : 



Pound nets 



Gill nets 



Fyke nets 



Seines 



Lines and spears 



Shore property 



Cash capital 



Total . 



$173, 350 



"2i,'3i8 

 71, 663 



106, 854 



244, 880 

 109, 060 

 11,316 

 3,480 

 2,144 

 434, 759 

 258, 400 



I'rodncis of Lake Michigan fisheries. 



The fislieries of Lake Micbigiiii are more extensive tlian in 1880, but 

 somewliat less so than in 1885, when, as sliown in a preceding general 

 table, more persons were engaged, more capital was invested, and more 

 money accrued from the sale of fishery products. In 1880 whitetish 

 constituted more than half the catch, in 1885 a little more than a third, 

 in 1890 about a fifth. Sturgeon have decreased in a still more marked 

 degree. Trout, however, have increased about 300 per cent, herring 

 200 per cent, and other fish between 300 and 400 per cent since 1880. 

 The aggregate catch shows an increase of about 3,300,000 pounds over 

 ]880, and 2,900,000 pounds over 1885, although, owing to the prepon- 

 derance of the cheaper grades of fish, the value of the yield since 1885 

 has diminished $58,000. Following is a comj)arison of the i)roduction 

 of this lake in the three years named : 



Comparison of the yield of the fisheries of Lake Michigan in ISSO, 18S5, and 1S90. 



