646 EEPOKT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



The amount of capital Invested in the fisheries and related industries 

 was i7,47-i,-±22, which was apportioned among the lakes as follows: 

 Superior, $596,322; Michigan, $3,489,187; Huron, $851,639; St. Clair, 

 1239,885; Erie, 12,196,397; and Ontario, $100,992. 



The investment included 206 fishing and transporting vessels of 

 3,846 net tons, valued at $690,450; outfit of vessels valued at $155,256; 

 3,170 boats and gasoline launches, valued at $317,060; fishing appa- 

 ratus used on vessels and boats to the value of $1,322,570; shore and 

 accessory property valued at $2,869,607, and cash capital amounting to 

 $2,119,479. The apparatus of capture consisted principally of 4,528 

 pound nets and trap nets, valued at $585,998, and 101,890 gill nets, 

 valued "at $642,961. The investment, as compared with the returns 

 for 1899, has increased in ail the lakes except Lake Erie, the total 

 increase being $856,706. 



The products of the fisheries amounted to 86,194,817 pounds, having 

 a value to the fishermen of $2,745,501. The yield of Lake Superior 

 was 13,205,013 pounds, valued at $343,671; of Lake Michigan, 33,579,- 

 498 pounds, valued at $1,090,550; of Lake Huron, 14,455,209 pounds, 

 valued at $450,318; of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit 

 rivers, 521,941 pounds, valued at $21,594; of Lake Erie, 23,188,556 

 pounds, valued at $780,015; and of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence 

 and Niagara rivers, 1,244,600 pounds, valued at $59,353. 



The principal species taken, and the quantity and value, including 

 fresh, salted, and smoked fish, were: Herring and chubs, 32,157,329 

 pounds, $815,428; lake trout, 16,131,938 pounds, $722,525; suckers, 

 6,694,040 pounds, $121,576; yellow perch, 6,201,723 pounds, $139,670; 

 white-fish, 3,813,259 pounds!^ $223,472; blue pike, 4,981,422 pounds, 

 $191,386; wall-eyed pike, 3,076,147 pounds, $168,284; German carp, 

 4,237,643 pounds, $71,285; bluefin white-fish, 2,729,968 pounds, $83,- 

 749; and saugers, 1,940,355 pounds, $47,697. Menominee and long- 

 jaw white-fish, cat-fish and bullheads, sturgeon, fresh-water drum, 

 and various other species were also taken in considerable quantities. 

 Since 1899 the products have decreased 27,532,423 pounds in quan- 

 tity, but have increased $134,062 in value. The greater part of the 

 decrease in quantity was in the catch of herring. There has also been 

 considerable falling off in the catch of cat-fish and bullheads, fresh- 

 v/ater drum, saugers, sturgeon, white bass, white-fish, and yellow 

 perch. A few species, including German carp, suckers, lake trout, 

 and bluefin white-fish have increased considerably in both quantity 

 and value. Bluefin white-fish were not until within recent years taken 

 in any of these lakes except Lake Michigan, but in 1903 the greater 

 part of the catch, or 2,095,304 pounds, valued at $58,887, was obtained 

 in Lake Superior. 



The following tables present, by lakes, the number of persons 

 employed, the amount of capital invested, and the quantitj'- and value 



