FISHERIES OP THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 



37 



To this end we have pledged ourselves to aid by manual labor, and by the use of 

 our fishing plants and men, in procuring spawn in the season for such a fish hatchery. 



Realizing that the capital invested in the fishing industry is not proving remuner- 

 ative under existing circumstances, and realizing from our past experience of the 

 continually diminished catches both of whitefish and lake trout that the fish are 

 decreasing by one-third of the previous year's catch year by year, we therefore feel 

 the necessity of providing for larger deposits of the fry of these fishes, and assure 

 you that a better sentiment is prevailing to-day amongst fishermen concerning the 

 production of such fry. 



While gratefully acknowledging the good work done by the Minnesota Fish Com- 

 mission for us as fishermen, aud the kindly interest evinced by Hon. Spencer F. 

 Baird in the wellfare of the fishermen of Lake Superior, yet we pray you to introduce 

 a bill asking for an appropriation to establish a fish hatchery under the instruction 

 and charge of the U. S. Fish Commission ; and we have assured Professor Baird that 

 we will aid by such manual labor as may seem fitting to the U. S. Fish Commission 

 or the assistants and place our apparatus and fishing plants at their disposal in col- 

 lecting and procuring spawn for this hatchery, and to this end your petitioners will 

 ever pray, etc. 



R. H. Palmer, 



President. 

 Martyn Wheeler, 

 Rasmus S. Johnson, 

 Nils Harrison, 



Vice-Presidents. 

 W. David Tomlin, 



General Secretary. 



E. S. Smith, 



Treasurer. 

 Ebenezer Falcerner, 

 William Osborn, « 



And one hundred and fifty six others. 



In accordance with this petition a hatchery has since been established 



it Duluth by the U. S. Fish Commission and placed in charge of Dr. 



». O. Sweeny, an experienced fish-culturist, formerly state fish com- 



lissioner of Minnesota. It is one of the largest and best appointed 



establishments of its kind in the United States. 



Statistics. — The following tables show the extent and production of 

 the fisheries of Lake Superior daring the year 1885 : 



Table of persons employed in the fisheries of Lake Superior in 1885. 



Town or section. 



Minuesota shore north of Duluth 



DuJuth, Minnesota, and vicinity 



Bayfield, Wisconsin 



Ashland, Wisconsin, aud vicinity 



Ontonagon, Michigan, and vicinity 



Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan 



L'Anse and Baraga, Michigan 



Huron Bay, Michigan 



Marquette, Michigan 



An Train, Michigan 



Munising and Grand Island, Michigan*."!!! 



Graud Marais, Michigan, and vicinity 



Whitefish Point, Michigan 



Sault de Ste. Marie, Michigan, and vicinity 



Total 



Fishermen. 



Shores- 

 men. 



Prepar- 

 ators. 



Total. 



Persona 



Profes- 

 sional. 



Semi- 

 profes- 

 sional. 



depend- 

 ent on 



the fore- 

 going. 



5 



125 



167 



21 



25 

 32 

 15 



6 



32 

 33 



2 



30 



195 



215 



23 



10 



130 



82 



8 



29 



16 



21 



18 



23 



114 



89 



308 



400 



60 



10 







15 



108 

 22 



7 



20 

 40 





2 



20 

 1 

 2 



248 



100 



32 



14 

 10 



8 



G 



3 



12 



8 



5 



63 

 40 



18 







46 



6 







15 



10 

 93 



3 

 3 



4 



10 



52 

 220 



622 



169 



17 



106 



914 



1,688 



