, 1881-04-09
FISH.
Startling Decrease Of Whitefish
In Lake Michigan.
an Industry That Has Dwludled rs
Per Cent Per Year.
feed of Propagation-success Of the
Toledo Hatchery.

feed Of Propagation-success Of the
Toledo Hatchery.
:. 7oths Editor a. 7ne Cahteaep Tribune.
EvASsroH,' IT., April s.-The production
Of sufficient quantity Of wlltefish for the
market supply, In view Of tho startling dis
appearance Uf these fish, ~ becoming a &C.
riou5 question. Twenty years ago Lake
Michigan secinel 10 TEEN with myrtads Of
these edible fishes, and Chicago was tho cen
tral market 0f the world for their tlIspost-
tton. Thtn Vhtteifsh hay was the fisher
mans paradise, md from TINT quarter CANA
craft, loaded with this kind OF frulght. Tho
natural acquisition IL the population Of tho
West made tile f0od.aupply something moro
than a speculative problem. Tha nsllcries
ipcreasc,l will, the influx Of mankind as q
partial solution. WaukoKail, Evanston, CAL
u,nct, ETC.. became famous for their enormous
production In this line. Tho lake turned
while with tisllng-ycssels.
In ts7l-'72 rrOf. james Alilner, In behalf of
the United Fish Commission, thoroughly In.
yestlgatcd the STATUS OF aifnlrs, and produced
statistics relattva 10 tho vast extent Of the liz
dustrIes something like this;
Tllera weru 73l nets, valued at 500, ,750
There wcra about 1900 men employed at
$4,000 annually.
There were 7na boats, valued at S1o3,05o.
There were 600 fishern,cn's houses, valued
at s3s,00o.
The current expenses, exclusive Of wages,
amounted to $4,000 annually.
The total fishing Investment was s76l, 400.
THIS Immense Investment In fisheries ap.
paratus las dwlndled down to startling de-
AZ faxt - f,-
sent per year. The causes nro NUMEROUS,
the principal ores Of which may bo NEIL
TONED:
Excessive catches IN tho breeding seasor,
Indifference Of bordering States to the pro-
tectlon aud propagation Of tho whlteflsh. :,
Gigantic destruction of young fishes by
nets and fishermen, the latter annually leay-
ing billions to die and float oil tho water.
Finally, adverse weather, the fisherman
bAlng as dependent on tho weather for his
catches rs tho farmer for Ills harvest.
Ny attention was directed, some time
since, 10 the remarkable Increase of the
whisrdsh IN Lake Erie. Knowing TINT, a
Superintendent Of Fisheries had beon MP
pointed for Ohio who lind been giving his
attention, almost exclusively to tho propaga-
ton OF whlteflsh, addressed a note Of In
.Quiry to Gov. Foster, md received the follow
Ing interesting communication:
ExECuTlyE DEPARTMENT COLUMBUS, Feb. IL,
1Ssl.DEAn SIR; Gun at thta tfrnc gve you d
at Tuiedo which may serve tho end desired. Tic
work tt the. etnta Fish CUtnrnissl0rer, Prot.
he hhqn r%s m vi Sn nsy s s.s sSans ~ to
tnerce of our lakcs. Very encouraging results
havo faliowcd tho labors III tho inercase Ut TINT
ehart by frrozing weather end earIy stprtns, tic
tncsease Of the catch over fnrlnor years has
bcon motf than one hundred fold, tho ashormun
aIoat 0t the hatchery. do nut think tho In
trnducton OF nhw ynricttcs Ut fishes In our
n" bo ' S 81 our naigo sss
sspec'sllE The whitctlsh. hns been succossful
Sas qs so. Sp's s5 IS p't 81 ,o,nE es n
havo bce1 turned out from OUT hatchcry, Y1 and It
y M tue .. ogln!2n Of our fishermen that Without
ths supply thelr occupation would pe gonc,
Hero Is Tie key to tho solution Of tho grave
problem OF supply. It points clearly to tho
duty OF Fish Commissions Of States bordering
m Lake 'AItcEIgan.:' Inst5ad Of aii1iial az.
pendlturcs OF State moneys OH experiments
with fancy fish, Intention should be dlfected
for tho next four years toward Stacking
Lake Michigan with billions Of young white
fish,. Salmon are not tho staple fish, Thoy
sustain the Suine relation to whte!ish that
poultry does to good square beef, Tho mar
ket calls for fifty whitetish for every salmon
sold,
Some one Ind the poor policy to turn SOW
elaI millions Of young cells loose In Lako
M!chsga1. The eel IS the most yoraolous OF
edible fishes, and will not only devour with
unparalleled greed the young fry and eggs
OF other edible fishes, but will actually I'm
pale female fishes with Its sharp snout and
BUCK tno spawn from the abdomen Further
more: the eel cAn only be caught to adyan-