4 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



143 pcmn<l-uet Iwats, average value $50 , §7, i^it) 



100 anclior-boats, average value $25 2, 500 



4 steam fisliing-boats, average value $1,8(K» 7, 200 



1 schoouer 3, 000 



500 shanties, average value |50 25, 000 



100 ice-houses, average value $100 10, 0(»0 



Total of tishing investment 431 , 400 



The current working capital emploj^ed in the tisheiies, omitting wagesi, 

 and including packages, inspection, salt, ice, freightage, and repairs, 

 is a large sum of money, probably" as much as $150,000. 



The number of men employed by the nets of each kind is very uni- 

 form. 



For three pound-nets, a crew of five men is necessary, while where 

 but one or two are employed, at least four men are required. 



The "heavy-rig'' gill-net stocks, working a large boat, and four and 

 five gangs of nets, with from twenty-five to thirty-six nets to the gang, 

 have five, or six men to the crew. 



The " light-rigs," with a 22-foot '' Mackinaw boat," and three or four 

 gangs of from eight to twenty nets, have a crew of two or three men. 



It will be observed that the boat is the unit of a fishing-stock. It 

 is so considered among gill-netters, as they speak of so mauy boats 

 "light-rig," or "heavy-rig,'' in a locality. It has not been adopted 

 among the pound-net men, though it would apply nearly as well. 



Though the number of boats represents the number of separate es- 

 tablishments, they do not, however, correctly number the proprietors. 

 There are net owners on the lakes who have from twenty to thirty 

 thousand dollars invested in nets, and who furnish nets and full outfit 

 to as many as forty establishments, in the "light-rig" gill-net fisheries: 

 the fishermen, in the parlance of the lakes, " filling" the furnished half- 

 barrels on shares. 



On Lake Erie there are net-owners who employ a sufficient number 

 of men to run forty pound-nets, paying wages and receiving all the 

 fish. On the other hand, the majority of establishments, managed by 

 the owners, are partnership concerns. 



Out of about two thousand men engaged in the fisheries of Lake 

 Michigan, but a few more than half are men receiving wages, and some 

 of these are the minor sons of the proprietors. * 



The time for which the men are hired varies in difl'erent localities. In 

 a large region of the lake-fishing, the season lasts from seven to eight 

 months. 



As early as the month of April, before na\ igation has opened, the 

 fishing-boats are plying daily from their harbors to the fishing-grounds, 

 often finding the run offish plentiful at this season. In 1871, many of 

 the fishermen began the season before the middle of March. In the 

 fall they prolong the work late into November and even December, 

 and in very open winters, from a few ports, nets have been set, within 



