CXLVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



A comparison of the catcli of the principal fishes in 1880, 1885, and 

 1890 shows, as the ])rincipal features of the changes, a large increase 

 in wliitetish in ISDO over the other years, a decrease in lierring in 1890 

 as compared with 1885, a decrease in sturgeon as compared with 1880, 

 and an increase in minor fishes over both the earlier years. The 

 statistics for the three years are as follows, the figures applying only 

 to the fish taken in the lakes and rivers and not including the vessel 

 gill-net catch in the larger lakes: 



Comparison of the yield of the fisheries of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit 

 rivers in 1S80, 1SS5, and 1890. 



Species. 



Whitefish 

 HerriiiR . . 

 Stur.iioou . 

 other fish 



1880. 



'^ounds. 

 77,922 

 25o! 7(10 

 998, 500 

 523, 80.'- 



Total 1,850,927 



1885. 



Poundx. 

 41,125 



1,208,1.50 

 227, 780 

 708, 740 



1890. 



Pound.1. 

 209, 700 

 192, 400 

 309, 003 



1, 636, 104 



2,185,795 2,347,207 



The quantities andvalues of the fish taken, with the various kinds of 

 apparatus employed, in this lake in 1890 are given in the table below. 

 It is seen that the largest yield is with pound nett;, after which come 

 gill nets, seines, fyke nets, and lines and spears. The entire gill-net 

 production was obtained in the vessel fisheries: 



Table showino by apparatus and species (he yield of the fisheries of Laic St. Clair and the 

 St. Clair and JJetroit rivers. 



