The maximum harvest of shovelnose sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus plato- 

 rhynchus ) was 105,000 pounds in 1899. By 1922, preceding construction 

 of the navigation channel, the annual catch of this species had fallen 

 to 56,000 pounds. The 1950-1970 average harvest of shovelnose sturgeon 

 was only 17,500 pounds. 



Paddlefish: In 1694 and 1899, the paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula ) 

 catch comprised about 3 percent of the total harvest. Paddlefish poundage 

 fell from a high of 148,000 pounds in 1899 to 40,500 pounds by 1922. 

 The average harvest of this species between 1950 and 1970 was about 

 68,500 pounds, representing about 2 percent of the total catch. 



American eel: American eel ( Anguilla rostrata ) harvest averaged 

 17,000 pounds in 1894-1899. The data show a steady decline in eel 

 catch from 1899-1970, with only 100 pounds reported in 1970. 



Carp : Carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) comprised only 6 percent of total 

 fish catch in 1894. By 1899, however, a carp harvest of 1.5 million 

 pounds represented 33 percent of the catch. Between 1899-1970, carp 

 poundage averaged 1.2 million pounds and continued to comprise about 

 one-third of the total annual harvest. Carp replaced the buffalo 

 ( Ictiobus spp.) as the most abundant commercial species between 1899 and 

 1922. The following are carp : buffalo ratios for specified years: 

 1894, 1:8; 1899, 1:1; and 1922, 2:1. 



Carpsuckers and suckers: Carpsuckers ( Carpiodes spp.) were not re- 

 ported in the commercial statistics between 1894-1922. Three thousand 

 pounds were taken in 1931 (a drought year) prior to construction of the 

 navigation system. Post-construction statistics show an average annual 

 harvest of about 32,000 pounds between 1950 and 1970. 



Suckers (probably white sucker, Catastomus commersoni ; blue sucker, 

 Cycleptus elongatus ; northern hog sucker, Hypentelium nigricans ; and 

 redhorses, Moxo stoma spp.) constituted one of the most abundant groups 

 of fish taken in 1894 and 1899, averaging 179,500 pounds for those years. 

 However, the catch of this group fell steadily between 1899 and 1970. 

 Only 400 pounds of suckers were taken in 1970. 



Buffalo: In 1894, buffalo ( Ictiobus spp.) constituted ^9 percent 

 of the upper Mississippi River catch by Illinois fishermen. The buffalo 



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