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GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



Wliitefish, trout, and herring are by far the most important species offish taken in this region. 

 Considerable quantities of pike, however, are also caught. The yield in 1879 was as follows : 



The principal markets to which these fish were sent were Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and 

 Sandusky. Of the fresh fish Chicago received about 540,000 pounds and of the salt fish 2,529,000 

 pounds, while 50,000 pounds of the former were sent to Cleveland, 75,000 pounds to Detroit, and 

 17,000 pounds to Saiidusky, and about 88,000 pounds to various other places ; and of the latter, 

 100,000 pounds to Cleveland, 75,000 pounds to Detroit, 350,000 pounds to Sandusky, and the 

 remainder to other places. It appears, therefore, that Chicago absorbed by far the larger part. 



Very little in regard to the history of the fisheries was obtained at Mackinac, except so far 

 as relates to the products of other years. According to Captain Ketchum, in 1872 about 20,000 

 half-barrels of salt fish and 5,000 half-barrels, containing 140 pounds each, of fresh fish. The 

 whole amount, with the exception of about 4,000 half-barrels trout and herring, consisted of 

 whitefish. In 1867 the single firm of Brownlow & Bates shipped about 8,500 half-barrels of fish to 

 Chicago, selling them at an average price of $4 per half-barrel. In 1868 they shipped about 13,000 

 half barrels, of which 357 were herring and the remainder whitefish and trout. The price obtained 

 during that year was about $5 per half-barrel. Another firm carried on a still more extensive 

 business, shipping not less than 1,400 pounds of fish per week for three or four months at a time. 



THE BEAVER ISLANDS. The Beaver Islands, one of the most important groups in the lakes, 

 are located at the northern end of Lake Michigan, about midway between the shores of the upper 

 and lower peninsulas of Michigan. The island from which the group is named is the only one of 

 considerable size in the group, and contains the village and post-office of Saint James. 



The shores of Beaver Island itself, and of others of the group, are suitable in nature for the 

 establishment of pound-nets, while many of the shoals in the vicinity, particularly those about Gull 

 Island, are noted gill-net grounds. Seining is but little attended to; in 1879 only two seines being 

 in use. During the same year, however, the fisheries were actively prosecuted by the use of about 

 thirty-seven pounds and not less than seven hundred and fifty gill-nets. Mackinaw boats are most 

 in favor for gill-net fishing, thirty-eight of them having been employed and but two Hayward 

 boats. The ordinary pound boats are used in that branch of fishing. The value of all the appa- 

 ratus employed, according to the estimates of Mr. Albert Miller, who is well acquainted with the 

 fisheries of the group, will not exceed $26,670. 



The salt-fish trade of the islands is more important than the fresh-fish trade. About 4,000 

 half barrels of salt fish were prepared and sent to market in 1879, while about 100,000 pounds will 

 represent the amount of fresh fish disposed of. Whitefish, trout, herring, and suckers make up 

 the amount. 



Mr. Charles R. Wright, who has been acquainted with the fisheries of the Beaver Islands for 

 about twenty years, and who has furnished some material for this report, is of the opinion that 

 there has been a decrease of 40 or 50 per cent, in the abundance of fish about the islands within 

 two decades. 



