Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-02-18
WISCONSIN CONSERVATION CON-
MISSION
WHITEFIsH

Division OF Fisheries by James NeyIn
WHITEFISH
The commercial fish of the Great
Lakes, that were caught by Wisconsin
fishermen from the waters of Lake
Superior, Michigan and Green Bay,
during the years of 1916 and 1917 and
placed upon the market for food either
sas fresh, sailed or smoked fish,
amounted in 1916, 16,989,066 pounds
valued at 1874, 504.77; in 1917, 1885,
els pounds valued at $1,244, 96S.6S.
Fifty years ago whitefish and her.
ring were the two principal varieties
of fish that were caught from the out
lying waters and placed on the market
AS the fishermen did not have the
facilities to get them to market as
fresh fish that they have today, the
fish were practically all sailed. The
total number of pounds of whitefish
caught on the Michigan shore from
the canal at Sturgeon Bay south to
the state line has remained about the
same for the last twenty years. Very
few whitefish are caught in compari-
son with the catch of some thirty or
more years ago. Fishermen have OBJ
served that some years during the
summer months quite a school of
whitefish come into the waters of
Green Bay from Lake Michigan from
the north of Washington Island and
through the door, and during the past
summer there were more than for
several years.
The principal catches of whitefish
from the waters of Lake Michigan in
recent years were made off the Mich
igan shore from Manistique, north to
the straits of Mackinaw. Large num-
bers are also caught every fall on the
shoals around the Beaver Islands.
What has driven the fish from the
lower half of Lake Michigan waters
is question to be solved. There are
two methods by which the supply of
whitefish can be replenished, by legis-
lation and propagation. The state of
Wisconsin has not done much in the
way of propagation but has for many
years had laws protecting the white
fish especially as to the kind of nets
that could be used and also by provid-
ing closed season for these fish dur
ing the spawning season. Very little
has been done towards keeping up the
stock by propagation. What eggs have
been Matched at state hatcheries were
received from Government authorities
or authorities of other states. To my
knowledge no whitefish eggs were ever
collected in Wisconsin for propagating
purposes excepting on two occasions,
one at Little Sturgeon and the other
at Fairport in Door county, where a
small number were collected If it
had not been for the good work car
ried on by the fish hatcheries of the
several states bordering on the Great
Lakes and the work of the Federal
Government there is no question but
what the whitefish would have been
practically extinct by this time A
review of the situation that existed in
the fishing conditions of the early days
will reveal that there was much need
of legislation at the time the first
laws protecting whitefsh were passed
When the fishing for whitefish was
at its height in the early days there
were no restrictions as to the size
of mesh that could be used in pound
| nets; because OF the small mesh used
great numbers of small whitefsh were
| caught in such nets. Thousands OF
pounds of fish weighing less than one
pound in weight were caught and
placed on the market at one and two
| cents per pound Most of these were
sailed and sold as herring I have
seen as high as two ton of these small
whitefish taken from one pound net
This wanton destruction of whitefish
| was permitted for many years and
| was not stopped until as the ole
| proverb says, 'the barn was not
locked until after the horse was stol-
en-" and those Interested in the mar.
keting of whitefish could see the ruin
alton Of their business if the condi-
lions were permitted to continue.
Wisconsin was the first state in the
union to enact any legislation effect
ing the commercial fishing industry
| The Honorable E. S. Minor of Sturgeon
Bay, who was state, senator from the
| Door county district and who was
very much interested in fish and knew
or the great destruction of small
whitefish by the use of pound nets
introduced bill prohibiting the use OF
pound nets OF less than a certain size
mesh and for the appointment Of three
fish wardens. The appointment of the
three wardens to look after the fish
ing industry on our outlying waters
was the beginning of the warden sys-
tenn. Each had a certain territory to
look after; one had Lake Superior as
his territory, the other the waters OF
Green Bay, and the third, Lake Michi-
gan. The first three wardens were
appointed by Governor Rusk.
| Forty years ago Lake Ontario was
practically fished out Constant stock
ing of whitefish and trout by the Can
adam Government and the several
states bordering on the lake have
gradually restored conditions to the
point where commercial fishermen H.
censed to fish may carry on their In
dustry at profit. Laws were enacted
and enforced protecting the small fish
from being caught by placing limita-
ions on the kind and size of nets that
could be used. The authorities reas-
oned along the line of the old saying:
| IF we catch all the small fish we
will never have any large ones"
Lake Superior has long been recog-
| nized as furnishing ideal conditions
for the development of the white fish
| industry and it seems deplorable that
| arrangements have not long since been
made between the Canadian govern