COMMERCIAL FISHING. 243 



STURGEONS Sturgeons are found on the Atlantic and 

 Pacific coasts and in many inland waters. The Atlantic 

 sturgeon attains a length of from 5 to 12 feet and a weight 

 of from 400 to 500 pounds. They are sold fresh, pickled and 

 smoked, for food; caviar is manufactured from their eggs; 

 the skin is made into leather; and the sounds are used in 

 the manufacture of glue and isinglass. A valuable oil is 

 sometimes obtained from the parts not used for food, and 

 the refuse is used for fertilizing purposes. 



WHITEFISH Whitefish are among the most important 

 fresh-water fishes of America. The common whitefish is 

 the most valuable species of all, although the others are 

 highly esteemed as food. It is found in the Great Lakes 

 region and is known as "humpbacked", "bowbacked" and 

 "highback" whitefish ; it is also known as "Otsego bass" in 

 the neighborhood of Otsego Lake, N. Y. 



The whitefish catch is confined to the Great Lakes, Lake 

 of the Woods, and Rainy Lake. In value it ranks fourth 

 among the fishery products in those waters. Every state 

 bordering on the Great Lakes share in the catch of white- 

 fish, Michigan contributing the most. Nearly all the white- 

 fish product is marketed fresh. Gill nets, pound and trap 

 nets take nearly all the catch. 



Extent and Value of Fisheries in Canada. 



To say that Canada possesses the most extensive fisheries 

 in the world is no exaggeration ; moreover, it is safe to add 

 that the waters in and around Canada contain the principal 

 commercial fishes in greater abundance than the waters of 

 any other part of the world. The extraordinary fertility of 

 Canadian waters is abundantly proved by the fact that, apart 

 from salmon, all the lobsters, herring, mackerel and sardines, 

 nearly all the haddock, and many of the cod, hake, and pollack 

 landed in Canada are taken from within its territorial waters. 



