THE FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 



By Hugh M. Smith, M. D., 

 Assistant In cMrge of Dmsion of Statistics and Meilunls of He Fisheries. 



I._GENERAL REMARKS ON THE LAKE FISHERIES. 



Ill tlie basin of tlieGreat Lakes there are about 100,000 square miles 

 of water, distributed as follows: 



Square miles. 



^ , ^ . 32,000 



LalceSnpev.nr .^^^ ^^ 



L ale e M i c b i g : lu 21000 



Lake Huron " ' ^ 



, 1 -n ■ 0, oOO 



^t'n . • 6,500 



Lake Ontario 



St. Mary, St. Clair, Detroit, Niagara, and St. Lawrence ^ ^^^ 

 rivers, Lake St. Clair "' 



„ , , 100,000 



Total 



This enormous area supports a fish fauna, that is peculiarly rich and 

 varied At least 40 species of recognized food value are found m greater 

 or less abundance, including some of the most highly esteemed and 

 valuable food ami game fishes occurring in North America. Tlie fish- 

 eries here prosecuted by the people of the United States and Canada are 

 the most extensive lake fisheries in the world. The quantity of fish 

 annually taken is now over 150,000,000 pounds, having a value of more 

 than $4,400,000. The. wonderiul fertility of these waters '"^^^6 better 

 appreciated when it is recalled that since 1880 not less than 1,400,000,000 

 pounds of food-fish have been put on the market from this region, the 

 value of which was not less than $42,000,000, and that up to within a 

 comparatively short time no serious or apparently permanent diminu- 

 tion in the general supply had been observed. Even at the present 

 time the output is wonderfully well maintained, all things considered, 

 and it may be safely stated that in much the larger part of this region 

 the resources are not fully utilized. 



While the fisheries of the American side of the Great Lakes are not 

 important by comparison with the fishing industry of some of the coast 

 sections of the country, their actual extent is great, and in some respects 

 they are more prominent and interesting than those of any other region ; 



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