REPORT ON THE STUDY AND APPRAISAL, ETC. 5) 
As will be observed in the accompanying tables, certain 
species, commercial as well as non-commercial, have been 
clammed out of this as well as other localities, some trace of 
them always being found in the piles of shells observed along 
the bank, or old clammers remembered collecting them in the 
vicinity. 
Within the area studied, the clamming center of the river 
is in that part of Lake Pepin between Lake City and Pepin, 
as in late years the profitable downstream limit of the mussel 
fishery in these areas has been found to be the outlet of Lake 
Pepin about 114 miles northwest of Read’s Landing in an 
area which has since been closed to clamming. Lake Pepin 
furnishes most. of the shells from the areas considered, but 
its clam resources appear to be attracting but few fishermen. 
Where in 1914, 100 rigs were observed in operation on the 
lake, hardly more than 15 were working in the summer of 
1920. However, it is stated on good authority, (a), that 
about 200 tons of mussel shells, with an average valuation of 
from $50 to $55 per ton had their source in this region. The 
best pearl found sold for $750, a half dozen others brought 
from $100 to $175. 
South of Lake Pepin during August, 1920, but two other 
clammers were seen, one rig at Winona, Minn., and a solitary 
clammer working with a fork in the nearby Straight Slough, 
‘obtaining only scanty returns. Piles of dead. shells on the 
banks of the latter indicated the former abundance of the 
mussel fauna. At one time there’ existed extensive mussel 
beds at or near Wabasha, Minn., Teepeeota Point, (about 4 
miles downstream from the former) ; near Alma and Foun- 
tain City, Wis.; Minneiska and Winona, Minn. The party 
found greater or smaller remnants of these formerly worked 
beds. They appear to be composed of old and sometimes 
gigantic shells, with an absolute dearth of younger ones. This 
would indicate that the beds are not being maintained, even 
if bottom conditions generally are favorable for mussel life. 
If it were found practicable to restock such beds with juvenile 
shells, such beds might readily regenerate. Reasons com- 
monly assigned within the last mentioned regions for the de- 
(a) A well informed manufs-turer writes “As near as we are able to estimate, there 
have been between 200-250 tons of shells collected on the Mississippi River between 
St. Paul and-Winona during 1929, and inasmuch as Lake Pepin is the center of the 
clamming industry, we believe t*:! 9°% of the total amount would represent the 
quantity taken from Lake Pepin and close vicinity. 
