FOURTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



45 



season. We think the hatching business of great importance, 

 and the only way of keeping up the fishing industry." 



Bert Parsons, also of Vermillion, caught no more whitefish 

 in his pound-nets off Vermillion in 1884 than in 1883, but 

 caught double the number in his gill-nets near the islands. He 

 says: " I think if there had been favorable winds for pound- 

 net fishing we would have caught more than double the amount 

 of whitefish in our pound-nets last fall. I know the business of 

 planting has been of great benefit, for in my gill-nets fished 

 about the islands I caught double the quantity last fall that I did 

 the year before. The figures are: 1883, five tons; 1884, ten 

 tons." 



Leidheiser, of Vermillion, says : " I cannot give the amount 

 of my catch, but it was rather light, owing to the unfavorable 

 winds we had for our coast. I think the hatcheries are all right, 

 and do a great deal toward keeping up the stock, and that the 

 business should be continued and extended beyond where it 

 now is." 



Post & Co., of Sandusky, give some excellent testimony : 

 "Yes, sir ; I know that the business of propagating whitefish is 

 a great benefit. In fact, if the United States and State hatcheries 

 were to cease working, I believe it would pay the fishermen and 

 dealers to continue it themselves. I would be willing to be 

 taxed my share for supporting it. I undA-stand that at Erie and 

 Dunkirk a great many small whitefish were taken weighing a 

 pound to a pound and a half, which was never done until the 

 last two or three years, and they increase year by year, which is 

 good proof that they are some of the planted fish. 



"I received the fish from 100 pound-nets last year (1883) and 

 from no this year (1884), with the following results: 1883, 

 fifty tons whitefish ; 1884, eighty tons whitefish. 



"Whitefish are not nov/ decreasing ; but from the number of 

 pound and gill-nets in use to catch them, a decrease is sure to 

 follow unless the artificial hatching is continued to keep up the 

 supply. 



"I am opposed to fishing such long strings of pound-nets, 

 and think the gill-netting needs regulating. The gill-netters 

 commence away down below, off Buffalo and Erie, in deep 



