FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 225 



Statistics.— The total number of men engaged in tbe fisheries in 1885 

 was 565, of whom 543 were fishermen and 22 were preparators. These 

 operated 440 pound-nets, valued at $71,925; 335 gill-nets, valued at 

 $3,010; 499 fyke-nets, valued at $22,910; and minor apparatus and ac- 

 cessories, valued at $9,450. They used 4 steamers, worth $13,300, and 

 385 gill-net, collecting, pound-net, and other boats, worth $1G,090. The 

 value of the shore property, including 105 fish-cars, was $32,434. The 

 amount of the working capital was $26,000. 



The fisheries of Saginaw Bay and River are the most important in 

 Lake Huron, and the catch is far in excess of tbat of the two next im- 

 portant sections, namely, Alpena County and the north shore. The 

 yield in 1885 consisted of 7,580,150 pounds, and was valued at $153,079. 

 The quantities of the principal species were 168,500 pounds of whitefish, 

 589,000 pounds of trout, 673,000 pounds of pike and pickerel, 1,020,350 

 pounds of herring, 152,500 pounds of bass, 808,160 pounds of bull-heads, 

 80,640 pounds of sturgeon, and 4,088,000 pounds of perch, suckers, mul- 

 let, and other minor varieties. The entire catch was sold fresh, the main 

 portion going to dealers, who froze and. salted considerable quantities. 



80. LOWER LAKE HURON (HURON, SANILAC, AND ST. CLAIR COUNTIES), 



MICHIGAN. 



Review of coast toivns. — Below the entrance of Saginaw Bay the coast 

 line runs south by east for about 70 miles, from Poiute aux Barques to 

 Fort Gratiot, at the entrance of St. Clair Eiver. Among the numerous 

 villages on this shore there are ten in which there is record of the past 

 or present existence of small fisheries. These are Grindstone City, 

 Huron, Port Hope, Sand Beach, White Rock, Forestville, Forester, 

 Port Sanilac, Lexington, and Lake Port, all small places with popula- 

 tions of from 100 to 1,500. At Sand Beach a government breakwater 

 2 miles long assists in rendering it one of the best ports on the lakes. 



Historical notes on the fisheries. — In 1850 fishing begaji about a mile 

 north of Forester with gill-nets and a seine, and soon seines, lines, or 

 the large-meshed, coarse-twined, float-and-stone gill-nets of that time 

 were in use at most of the coast settlements, though it was as recently 

 as 1872 that fishing was first prosecuted at Grindstone City. Whitefish 

 were then the most common species, and were obtained in abundance, 

 300 pounds to each net being frequently taken, while single catches 

 several times as large were often made. Forestville formerly had a much 

 more important fishery, and the same is true of Lexington, where the 

 business reached its height between 1867 and 1870. The gill-net fish- 

 ery of Port Hope was formerly of some importance, but it was not 

 prosecuted in 1885. The fishing which was once carried on in a small 

 way at Huron and White Rock entirely ceased in 1882. 



Present condition of the fisheries. — At the present time gill-nets are 

 employed at Grindstone City, Forestville, Forester, and Lexington, 

 13. Mis. 133 15 



