FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 



221 



A review of the past and present condition of the fisheries of Lake Ontario does 

 not furnish many encouraging signs. The United States Commission of Fish and 

 Fisheries has made five statistical canvasses of the fisheries of the Great Lakes since 

 its creation and these furnish abundant material for comparison purposes. The 

 following table shows the catch of certain species in Lake Ontario for the years 1880, 

 1885, 1890, 1893 and 1897 : 



Comparative Table Showing (in pounds) the Yield of the Fisheries of Lake Ontario 



in 1880, 1885, 1890, 1893 and 1897. 



SPECIES 



1880 



1885 



1890 



1893 



1897 



Herring, (including longjaws) . . 



Sturgeon 



Trout . 



61 1,2 19 



545,283 



569,700 



1,064,000 



849,800 



403,5 8 5 



386,974 



20,510 



90,711 



1,496,686 



598,978 



541,752 



41,010 



148,77! 

 2,n5,937 



164,998 



56,863 



6,204 



45,38o 



586,140 



46,222 

 101,635 



2,349 

 181,968 

 586,722 



Whitefish 



Other Fish 





Total 



3,640,000 



2,398,466 



3,446,448 



859,585 



920,896 



Total value 



$159^700 



$95,869 



$124,786 



$29,260 



$34,295 



There has been a great decrease in the more valuable varieties, and, up to 1890, 

 a great increase in the cheaper grades. This latter increase, however, has not been 

 maintained since 1890, the catch dropping off very materially. 



Part of this great decrease in the fisheries can be explained by the stringent laws 

 governing the commercial fishermen, but the main cause is the scarcity of fish. This 

 latter view is borne out by the almost practically unanimous testimony of the 

 fishermen themselves. 



A gratifying increase is shown in the catch of whitefish in 1897 over that for 1890 

 and 1893. The fishermen ascribe this increase to the numerous plants of fry which 

 have been made in the lake. 



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