FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 



68r 



taken in S.igiiuiw B;iy west of Seljewaing, and also jnatiy of tliosc 

 tnken as far north as Alpena, as has ali"eady l>cen stated. 



Sitgindin Rli'ci'. — The iisheries of Sao-'maw liivcr'are prosecuted 

 from its mouth to a short distance above Saginaw from November 1 

 to April 15. The greater part of the tishing is done through the ice.- 

 Several species are caught, the most impoi'tant of which are suckers,. 

 jx^llow percli, vvall-eved pike, and pike. The catch is taken chiefl}^ 

 with fyke nets and pound nets, the latter being used with more profit 

 during the fall before the ice forms. The depths in which tishing is 

 carried on varies from 3 feet in the upper part of the river to 22 feet 

 near the mouth. 



In most cases the fishermen on the Saginaw River ship their own 

 catch, the greater part of it going to New York City. A few of the 

 dealers in that city have l)uyers, who go up and dov/n th(^ river ]>uying 

 lish directl}' from the fishermen. The fishermen who sliip their own 

 catch have live-cars, or large boxes, in which to keep the lish alive 

 until ready for shipment. Thi^}^ can thus take advantage of good 

 markets, and are to some degree independent of the dealers. The live- 

 cars in common use on the river are 16 feet long, .5 to 8 feet wide and. 

 deep, and are divided by one or more partitions. Some of the fisher- 

 men have an apartment in their cars for each of the principal species. - 

 This arrangement saves assorting them when shipments are made. 

 The cars are usually built of 1-inch white pine, and occasionall}^ of 

 hemlock, from 500 to 700 feet of lumber being required for a car. 

 White pine is much preferred on account of not getting water-soaked 

 quicklv. The cars will last from four to thirteen years, according to 

 the care taken of them. It is customar}^ to take the cars ashore and- 

 clean and drj^ them about once every two years. 



The following tables show b}^ counties the extent of the fisheries'' 

 of Lake Huron in 1903: 



Table sliOtvlng b>j counties the number of persons emploiied in the iisheries of Lake Jluroii- 



in 1903. 



Alcona 



Alpena 



Arenac 



Bay 



Cheboygan . 

 Chippewa . . 



Huron 



Iosco 



Mackinac . . 

 Presque Isle 



Saginaw 



St. Clair .... 



Sanilac 



Tuscola 



Total 



County. 



On ves- { On ves- 

 sels lish- isels trans- 

 ing. I porting. 



In shore 

 or boat 

 fisheries. 



10 



11 



83 



82 



600 



70 



39 



174 



122 



107 



14 



75 



16 



33 



18 



1,450 



Shores- 

 men. 



30 



187 



Total. 



IJ- 



137 

 82-- 



671 



103:- 

 45 • 



203. 



146- 



107 

 19' 

 80 

 49-' 

 33 ■ 

 18 



1, 704-. 



F. C. 1904—44 



