184 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Contrary to what might have been expected, the imports of free fish in 1891 were in 
no respect diminished by the tariff law, but, as shown by the following tables, based 
on figures compiled from official custom-house records, the receipts in 1891 were con- 
siderably in excess of 1890, except in one district, in which the imports in 1890 were 
from fisheries in which Americans were not interested. The explanation is that the 
American dealers purchased or furnished the apparatus of the Canadian fishermen 
from whom they obtained fish, and the increased importation represents an increased 
output and a more extended demand, the conditions of trade in the two years being 
essentially similar. 
Table showing by customs districts the quantity of fresh fish, free of duty, imported into the United States 
from the Canadian shore of Lake Ontario in 1890 and 1891. 
Quarters. 
| Cape Vincent. 
j Oswego. 
Genesee. 
Total. 
1890. 
First 
1 Pounds. 
70, 000 
341, 211 
82| 790 
| Pounds. 
Pounds, j 
Pounds. 
70, 000 
526, 964 
331, 060 
118, 441 
Second 
81, 853 
30, 582 
33, 851 
103,900 
60,550 
1,800 
Third 
Fourth 
Total 
733, 929 j 
146, 286 
166, 250 
1, 046, 465 
1891. 
First 
118, 000 
286, 062 
■ 286,’ 350 
<*) 
n 
n 
(*> 
118, 000 
395, 271 
339, 765 
311, 665 
Second 
Third 
Fourth 
109, 209 
34, 176 
25, 315 
Total 
996, 001 
168, 700 
n 
1, 164, 701 
1 
* No free fish imported in 1891 . 
A comparison of the receipts for the two years shows that in the two districts in 
which the imports represent fish from Canadian fisheries operated or controlled by 
American capital, the increase of 1891 over 1890 was 284,486 pounds, and the net 
increase for all districts was 118,236 pounds. The imports of free fish into the Gene- 
see district, which in 1890 amounted to 166,250 pounds, were entirely cut off in 1891 by 
the tariff, although a few thousand pounds of dutiable fish were imported. 
Trout and whitefish are the most important fish brought in from Canada, although 
all the other commercial species of the lake are imported in greater or less quantities, 
among which yellow perch, pike ( Esox Indus), sturgeon, lake herring, bullheads, and 
wall-eyed pike may be especially mentioned. 
It is only in the Cape Vincent district that figures are available showing the 
quantities of whitefish, trout, and other species imported. The following tabular pre- 
sentation will therefore prove of interest and will serve as a basis for determining the 
approximate proportions for the entire lake : 
Table showing the quantities of whitefish, trout, and other species imported free of duty into the Cape Vincent 
district during each quarter of the years 1890 and 1891. 
Quarters. 
Whitefish. 
Trout. 
All other species. 
Total. 
1890. 
j 1891. 
1890. 
j 1891. 
1890. 
1891. 
1890. 
1891. 
First 
Pounds. 
2, 100 
66, 747 
115, 216 
13, 695 
Pounds. 
10, 390 
47, 163 
141, 544 
70, 964 
Pounds. 
275 
14, 144 
18. 712 
3,240 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
67, 625 
260, 320 
106, 000 
65, 855 
Pounds. 
107,610 
213, 872 
146, 959 
203, 043 
Pounds. 
70, 000 
341, 211 
239, 928 
82, 790 
Pounds. 
118, 000 
286, 062 
305, 589 
286, 350 
Second 
Third 
Fourth 
Total 
25, 027 
17, 086 
12, 343 
197, 758 
270, 061 
36, 371 
54, 456 
499, 800 
671, 484 
733, 929 
996, 001 
