Fishery bulletin of the Fish and Wildlife Service - NOAA

386 FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Production was still high in 1931; however, the years, 1932-1939, comprised a period
of rapid decline. The 1939 catch of 27,200 pounds was the lowest since 1918.
Lake Michigan.—The Lake Michigan data are much more variable than those for
Green Bay, and it is correspondingly difficult to speak of definite periods of high or
low production. Frequently exceptionally good or poor years are isolated (as, for
example, 1892 and 1931). The period of most consistently low production was 1909-
1916 (all years below 100,000 pounds) and the most extended era of heavy yield was
1917-1923 (all but two years above 100,000 pounds). The best of the more recent
years was 1931 with a catch of 236,000 pounds. The 1931 catch was exceeded by that
of only one year (1923) since 1897 and was the fourth highest in the history of the
fishery. Production was consistently below 100,000 pounds in the years, 1932-1939
(no data for 1935). '
Green Bay and Lake Michigan.—The data for all of the State of Wisconsin waters
of Lake Michigan show a fairly consistent high level of yield for the years, 1889-1897.
Available data indicate a relatively low production in the period, 1899-1917; only
once (1912) did the catch exceed 150,000 pounds in the 11 years for which there are
records, and it fell below 100,000 pounds in 2 of them (1910 and 1914). An upturn
occurred in 1918. Over the period, 1918-1925, production fell below 200,000 pounds
only twice (1920 and 1922) and exceeded 400,000 pounds in 1923. A still higher level
was maintained during the six years, 1926-1931. All of the annual yields were above
300,000 pounds and 3 years had catches in excess of 500,000 pounds. The 1931 take
of 698,000 pounds was the largest since 1897 and the second largest in history. Production
was at a relatively low level in the years, 1932-1939. The catch exceeded
200,000 pounds in only two of these years (1932 and 1935). The 1934 catch was the
lowest since 1914 and the third lowest on record.
A striking feature of the State of Wisconsin data is the lack of agreement between
the statistics for Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Some years were good or poor
in both areas, as for example, 1897, 1931, and 1934. It is true also that the data for
the two areas occasionally agreed rather well in general trend over a period of several
years as in 1909-1917 and 1931-1934. On the other hand, there were numerous years
that had a very high catch in one area and exceptionally poor production in the other.
Outstanding examples of such disagreements occurred over the period, 1890-1896, and
in the years 1918, 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1930.
POUND-NET AND DEEP-TRAP-NET FISHERY, 1930-1931
Table 50 contains data on the pound-net and deep-trap-net fisheries for whitefish
in Door County waters, 1930-1931. (Practically all of Wisconsin's whitefish are pro-.
duced in these waters.) The comparison of the average catch per lift of the two gears
in corresponding months confirms the contention of fishermen that the deep trap net is
the more effective gear. The catch per lift of deep trap nets was 2.7 times that of
pound nets in May 1931, 2.2 times in June, and 2.3 times for May and June com-
•
May
Date or period
1930
May and June
Í9S1
April ^
May
June
July
May and June . .
TABLE 50.—Production of whitefish and catch per lift in pound nets and deep trap nets
of Door County, Wis., 1030-1931
Number of lifts
265
595
860
253
391
644
Found net
Production
'(pounds)
23,427
85,546
108,973
21,524
66,364
87,888
Catch per lift
(pounds)
88 4
143 7
126.7
85 1
169 7
136.4
Number of lifts
17
130
184
43
374
314
Deep trap net
Production
(pounds)
803
29652
69,359
11,509
111 323
99,011
Catch per lift
(pounds)
47.2
228.1
376.4
267.6
297 3
315.3