42 AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. 



been about 150 tons, until 1884, when it was 200 tons. The in- 

 crease of fifty tons 1 attribute to the planting of young white- 

 fish from the hatcheries. I am very much in favor of the plant- 

 ing, and hope it will be kept up, as I am satisfied that it is of 

 great benefit to the fishing interest of the lake. A few seasons 

 since we commenced catching very small whitefish — so small 

 that we had to get smaller-meshed nets, and now we are getting 

 a larger class of fish again." 



H. Divel, fish dealer and practical fisherman, also of Erie, 

 says : "I have been fishing for some time, and think the white- 

 fish for the past three years have been increasing. I can give 

 the figures of my catch only for the past two seasons, as fol- 

 lows: 1883, thiity tons; 1884, fifty tons. I think the business 

 of hatching and planting is of great benefit in keeping up the 

 stock ; for with the increase of twine, the whitefish must soon 

 be caught off if nothing is done to keep the stock good. There 

 can be no reasonable doubt about the young fish living and be- 

 coming full grown. They stand just as good a chance as those 

 hatched naturally, their danger from carnivorous fishes being 

 no greater than those hatched on the reefs." 



B. Divel, of Erie, gives similar testimony : " My catch of 

 whitefish has improved for two or three years. The figures for 

 the last two seasons are : 1883, thirty tons ; 1884, fifty tons. 

 From the fact that whitefish are steadily increasing in numbers, 

 I believe the hatching and planting of the young is a success, 

 and the cause of the increase." 



Charles Joles, of Erie, a gill-net fisherman, says : " I fish gill- 

 nets off Elk Creek. Cannot say how many whitefish I caught 

 in the different years, but know I caught more in 1884 than in 

 any season for several years. I attribute the gain to the plant- 

 ing of young fish at the upper end of the lake. T am satisfied 

 that were it not for this, whitefish would become so scarce that 

 it would not pay to fish for them." 



Rudolph Sifield, of North Bass Island, says : " I fish with 

 pound nets and own some gill-nets, but would willingly put the 

 latter in a pile and burn them, if gill-net fishing could be pro- 

 hibited. Gill-nets are a great detriment to natural propagation, 



