FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 



15 



7. PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES. 



Considered as a whole, the fisheries on the Great Lakes were more 

 prolific in 1885 than they had ever previously been. Individual fishing 

 centers, and in one instance an entire lake, showed a diminution in the 

 catch as compared with previous years, but the total output of fishery 

 products and the total value received for the same were in excess of 

 those of any other season so far as available records show. 



This was due to several reasons. Among these may be mentioned 

 the fact that more men were engaged in the fisheries than in any pre- 

 vious year, employing greater quantities of apparatus and adopting 

 more improved methods of handling and preparing fish for market. 



It was also believed that the effects of artificial propagation were be- 

 ginning to be felt in some localities, and the increased abundance of 

 fish made possible the profitable employment of additional quantities of 

 apparatus. 



The following detailed tables, which constitute a statistical summa- 

 tion of the report herewith presented, will convey a better and clearer 

 idea of the extent of the Great Lake fisheries in 1885 than might be ob- 

 tained from a more lengthy description: 



D. — Table showing the number of persons employed in the fisheries of each lake, together 



with those dependent upon them, in 1885. 





Fishermen. 



Shores- 

 men and 

 prepara- 

 tors. 



Total. 



Depend 



Lakes. 



Profes- 

 sional. 



Semi- 

 profes 

 sional. 



ent on 

 the fore- 

 going. 





622 

 1,914 



663 



190 

 1,977 



264 



5,630 



169 

 1,140 



156 



25 



1,699 



297 



123 



325 



73 



57 



622 



39 



914 

 3,379 



892 



272 



4,298 



600 



1 688 





7,009 

 2,140 







516 



Erie 



8,698 





1, 143 







Total 



3,486 



1,239 



10, 355 



21, 194 







E. — Table showing the amounts and value of apparatus, including vessels and boats, the 

 value of shore property, and the capital invested in the Great Lake fisheries in 1885. 





Steamers. 



Sail and row boats. 



Lakes. 



Fishing. 



Collecting. 



Gill-net 

 boats. 



Pound- 

 net 

 boats. 



Sail- 

 boats 

 collect- 

 ing 

 fish. 



Other 

 boats. 



Total. 



Superior 



No. 

 10 



70 



7 



1 



40 



Value. 

 $39, 600 

 216, 900 

 27, 300 



400 

 109, 200 



No. 

 5 



12 

 3 



1 



13 

 2 



Value. 



$28, 500 

 50, 700 

 14, 000 



750 



69, 000 



4,800 



No. 



189 



429 



42 



2 

 128 

 171 



No. 

 94 

 352 

 150 



40 



267 

 7 



No. 

 4 

 8 

 15 



16 

 6 



No. 

 217 

 531 

 344 



171 



1,072 



281 



2,616 



No. 



504 

 1,320 



551 



213 



1,483 



465 



Value. 

 $32, 635 

 100 726 



Michigan 



Huron 



31 646 



St. Clair and tribu 

 taries 



6,307 

 120 557 



Erie 



Ontario 



15 648 











Total 



128 



393, 400 



36 



167, 750 



961 



910 



49 



4,536 



307, 519 



