FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 



68^ 



taken in Saginaw Bay west of Sebewaing, and also many of those 

 taken as far north as xVlpena, as has alreadj' been stated. 



Sagindw River. — The (isheries of Saginaw River "are prosecuted 

 from its month to a short distance above Saginaw from November 1 

 to April 15. The greater part of the fishing is done through the ice.- 

 Several species are caught, the most impoi'tant of which arc suckers,. 

 3'ellow perch, vvall-eyed pike, and pike. The catch is taken chiefly 

 with fyke nets and pound nets, the latter ])eing used with more profit • 

 during the fall before the ice forms. The depths in which fishing is • 

 carried on varies from 3 feet in the upper part of the river to 22 feet 

 near the mouth. 



In most cases the fishermen on the Saginaw Kiver ship their own 

 catch, the greater part of it going to New York City. A few of the 

 dealers in that cit}- have buyers, v>dio go up and dov*"n the river buying' 

 fish directly from the fishermen. The fishermen who ship their own 

 catch have live-cars, or large boxes, in which to keep the fish alive 

 until ready for shipment. They can thus take advantage of good? 

 markets, and are to some degree independent of the dealers. The live- 

 cars in common use on the river are 16 feet long-, 5 to 8 feet wide and 

 deep, and are divided by one or more partitions. Some of the fisher- 

 men have an apartment in their cars for each of the principal species.- 

 This arrangement saves assorting them when shipments arc made.. 

 The cars are usually built of 1-inch white pine, and occasionally oi- 

 hemlock, from 500 to 700 feet of lumber l^eing required for a car. 

 White pine is much preferred on account of not getting water-soaked 

 quickly. The cars will last from four to thirteen 3'ears, according to 

 the care taken of them. It is customary to take the cars ashore and> 

 clean and dry them about once every two years. 



The following tables show b}'^ counties the extent of the fisheries^' 

 of Lake Huron in 1003: 



Table xltoirhtg bij counties tJie number of persons employed In tlie fisJteries of Lake Iluroii- 



in 1903. 



Alcona 



Alpena 



Arenac 



Bay 



Cheboygan . 

 Chippewa . . 



Huron 



Iosco 



Mackinac . . 

 Presque Isle 



Sag-inaw 



St. Clair .... 



Sanilac 



Tuscola 



Total . . . 



On ves- ] On ves- 

 sels lish- sels trans- 

 ing. I porting. 



In shore 

 or boat 

 lisheries. 



11 



83 



82 



600 



7G 



39 



174 



122 



107 



14 



75 



16 



33 



18 



Shores- 

 men. 



187 



Total. 



Il- 

 ls? 



82-,- 

 671 

 lOS- 



45 ■ 

 203 

 146- 

 107 



19- 



8a 



49- 

 33 • 

 18 



1, 704. 



F. C. 1904—44 



