300 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



a large percentage is sold to peddlers who distribute the fish through 

 adjacent small villages and farming communities. 



Salting, smoking, and freezing of fish. — Nearly all of the fish are sold 

 fresh, if we except the herring taken in gill-nets by the fishermen of 

 Chanmont Bay. who salt their fish and sell to the dealers or ship into the 

 interior. 



Smoking has never been extensively practised, and in 1885 no fish 

 were so treated by fishermen or dealers. The first artificial freezing of 

 fish on the lake was at Sacket's Harbor in 1883, and in 1885 a second 

 refrigerator was built at Chaumont, the object being the same here as 

 elsewhere, namely, to retain the fish until such time as the price will 

 warrant their shipment. 



Prices offish. — The price of fish caught in Lake Ontario, owing to the 

 nature of the fishing and trade, averages higher than in any of the 

 other lakes. This is explained by the fact that there are only four 

 dealers on the entire lake, and that the bulk of the fish are sold by the 

 fishermen directly to the cousumer or to peddlers, who can usually 

 afford to pay a good price. The demand, moreover, is usually in excess 

 of the supply, while the nearness to New York and the excellent ship- 

 ping facilities give an outlet for any surplus, so that there is seldom, if 

 ever, an overstock. 



The average prices during 1885 were, for whitefish, 5 to 6 cents per 

 pound; trout, 5 cents ; sturgeon, 4 to G cents; herring, 3 to 4 cents; 

 bull-heads, 3 to 4 cents ; eels, 3 to 4 cents ; pike and inckerel, 4 cents ; 

 and bass, 4 cents. 



General statistical summary. — The following tables show in detail the 

 extent of the fisheries of Lake Ontario in 1885 : 



Table of persons employed in the fisheries of Lalce Ontario in 1885. 



Section. 



Youngstown and vicinity, Niagara County, New York 



Wilson, Niagara County 



Olcott, Niagara County 



Orleans County 



Monroe County, between western county line and Braddock's 



Point 



Monroe County, between Braddock's Point and Charlotte 



Irondequoit Bay and vicinity, Monroe County 



Wayne County, from county line to Big Sodus Bay 



Wayne County from East Bay to county line 



Little Sodus Bay and vicinity, Cayuga County 



Oswego and vicinity, Oswego County 



Oswego County, from Nine-mile Point to Port Ontario 



Port Ontario, Oswego County 



Oswego County, north of Port Ontario 



Jefferson County, from county line to Stony Point 



Stony Island and Galloo Island, Jefferson County 



Henderson Bay, Jefferson County 



Black River Bay, and off Pillar Point, Jefferson County 



Chaumont Bay, Three-mile Bay, and off Point Peninsula 



Vicinity of Cape Vincent, Jefferson County 



Total 



Profes- 

 sional. 



13 

 lfl 



8 

 4 



20 

 lfl 



11 



5 



11 



10 

 15 

 13 

 15 

 2 

 24 

 21 

 44 



264 



Semi-pro- 

 fessional. 



7 

 10 

 14 

 18 



14 



27 

 12 

 30 

 11 



6 

 10 



C 

 14 

 2L 



6 



32 



36 



9 



297 



Shores- 

 men and 

 prepara- 

 tors. 



10 



7 

 22 



39 



Total. 



20 

 26 

 22 

 22 



22 

 53 

 22 

 47 

 16 

 17 

 18 

 6 

 24 

 36 

 19 

 15 

 10 

 66 

 64 

 75 



600 



