FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 



651 



Tabic t:hoiring the products of the fisheries of the Great Lakes in ISSO, 1S85, ISDO, 1S93, 



1899, and 2505— Continued. 



Note. — In the above table caviar and other secondary products are omitted except for 1893, 1899, and 

 1903. In 1880, 1885, and 1890 bluefins, longjaws, and Menominees in Lake Michigan and Menominee.s 

 in Lake Huron are included with whiie-tish. In 1893 and 1899 bluefins in Lake Superior, blueflns and 

 Menominees in Lake Michigan, and Menominees in Lake Huron are included with "all others," and 

 longjaws in Lake Michigan with herring. In 1903 blueflns, Menominees, longjaws, and steelhead 

 trout are included with "all other." 



FISHERIES OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



The fisliino" season on Lake Superior is governed largely by weather 

 conditions, and therefore varies considerably in length in different 

 years. The lishing begins in the spring as soon as the lake is suffi- 

 cientl}^ free from ice, and continues until ice forms again in the fall. 

 In 1903 the season opened in some localities as earl}' as March 15, and 

 at Isle Roj^ale about iVpril 15, and was regarded b}' the dealers as the 

 mo.st satisfactory season in the past ten years. 



The number of persons employed in the fisheries of Lake Superior 

 in 1903 was 918, of whom 175 were on vessels fishing and transporting, 

 613 on boats in the shore fisheries, and 130 were engaged as shoresmen 

 in the wholesale fisheiy trade and other occupations on shore connected 

 wiih. the fisheries. 



The investment in the fisheries of this lake was $596,322, and included 

 21 fishing and transporting vessels, of 639 net tons, valued at r^T5,700, 

 and their outfits, at !|23,731; 357 boats and gasoline launches, valued 

 at $11,678; fishing apparatus used on vessels and boats to the value of 

 $156,181; shore and accessoiy property valued at ^156,332, and cash 

 capital amounting to $142,700. The principal forms of fishing appa- 

 ratus were gill nets, pound nets, and trap nets. The number of gill 

 nets used on vessels was 4,455, valued at $63,538, and on boats, 5,714, 

 valued at $63,700, a total of 10,169, valued at $127,238. The number 

 of pound nets and trap nets operated was 218, valued at $27,793. 

 Seines, fyke nets, dip nets, lines, and spears were also used to some 

 extent. Gasoline boats were introduced in the fisheries of this lake 

 in 1899 and are growing in favor with the fishermen. The number 

 employed in 1903 was 35, valued at $21,150, 



The products of the fisheries aggregated 13,205,013 pounds, for 

 which the fishermen received $343,671. The principal species taken 



