The fisheries of the Great Lakes are the most important lake fisheries in the world, those in the United States waters producing over 100,000,000 pounds of excellent food fish annually. Lake Michigan has the largest catch, amounting to 41 per cent of the total. Lake Erie yields 34 per cent: Lake Huron, 13 per cent; Lake Superior, 9 per cent; Lake Ontario, 2 per cent. The principal fishes are whitefish, lake herring or cisco, lake trout, pike perch and yellow perch. The numerous interior waters of the country are well supplied with economic animals and support valuable fish eries. The most productive waters are the Mississippi River and tributaries. The species figuring most conspicuously in the catch are black bass, buffalo fish, carp, crappies, suckers, frogs and mussels, the shells of the last named being extensively used in making pearl buttons.
Canning and Preserving.— The 1914 cen sus of manufactures reported 538 establish ments in the United States in that year engaged in canning and otherwise preservillsh and oyster4, with products amounting to ,283,404 —an increase of 44.1 per cent since 1909. Canned fish amounted in value to $41,321,593. The largest item was canned salmon, $27,633, 284; sardines were second, with $6,238,933; fol lowed by oysters, $2,676,951; shrimp, $1,725, 621; tuna, $1,638,675; clams, $670,363; all other canned fish, $737,766. Of smoked and dried fish there were prepared 28,713,806 pounds, valued at $2,759,341. The largest item was herring, 11,504,126 pounds, valued at $719,640. Salmon was second, 4,248,896 pounds, valued at $638,975. Finnan haddie was third, 693 pounds, valued at $327,877. Of salt and pickled fish, there were prepared 156,153,589 pounds, valued at $9,200,162. The largest item was cod, 83,502,295 pounds, valued at $5,661, 770. Herring was second, 22,150,974 pounds, valued at $668,838.
United States Insular Possessions.— The fisheries of Hawaii give employment to about 3,600 persons, who employ 967 boats. The value of fishing property is $300,000. The catch comprises 7,250,000 pounds of fish besides other products, mostly eaten fresh and is valued at $700,000. The principal fishes taken are the akule, aku and ulua. The Philippine Islands have valuable fishing resources which are but little developed. The leading fishery is that for pearls and pearl shells in the Sulu Archipelago; from time immemorial the pearls from this region have been famous. No statis tics are available. The fisheries of Porto Rico are comparatively unimportant, although capa ble of development; at present the catch Is only for local consumption and is eaten fresh.
Canada.— The fisheries of the Dominion of Canada are very extensive and closely resemble those of the United States. The aggregate yield
according to official report, amounted in the year ended 31 March 1914, to $33,207,748, of which sea fisheries contributed $29,472,811. These figures include the value of canned prod ucts and hence exceed by several million dol lars the actual value of the fisheries proper.
The number of men actually engaged in fishing was 71,776, and there were employed 1,992 vessels and 37,6& boats.
Among the provinces, British Columbia led with a catch valued at $13,891,398; Nova Scotia was second, with $8297,626; then fol lowed New Brunswick, $4,308,707; Ontario, $2,674,685; Quebec, $1,850,427, and Prince Edward Island, $1,280,447.
The catches of largest value were: salmon, $10,833,713; lobsters, $4,710,062; cod, 109; herring, $3,173,129; halibut, $2,036,400; mackerel, $1,280,319. In weight of catch, her ring led with 248,421,900 pounds; cod was second, with 166,459,900 pounds; salmon, 141,100 pounds; lobsters, 51,464,600 pounds; haddock, 40,563,300 pounds. See CANADA FISHERIES.
Newfoundland.— In proportion to popula tion, the fisheries of this island are more valu able than those of any other country. The hair seal fisheries employ (1914) 20 steamers, aggre gating 12,067 tons, and employ 3,959 men. Their catch was 233,719 seals, weighing 1,200,000 pounds. The eBanksa fisheries employ 105 vessels, of 7,790 tons, and 1,892 men, and their catch was about 140,000,000 pounds. The value of fishery products exported is about $8,000,000, and the value of products consumed locally was estimated at $1,000,000. The leading fish are cod and herring, the cod fishery being more valuable than in any other country.
Great Britain and Ireland.— The fisheries of the British Isles surpass those of any other country of Europe, and are about equal to those of the United States. Besides extensive coast fisheries, there are very important offshore ves sel fisheries for cod, haddock, herring and flat fishes; gill-nets being set for herring and beam trawls used for the other species. About 106,500 persons find employment in fishing, of which 39,500 are in England and Wales, 37,400 in Scotland and 28,000 in Ireland. The registered fishing vessels and boats numbered 25,000, of which 3,375 are steamers. In 1910 the value of the catch of Great Britain and Ireland was $58,702,675. Herring constituted the largest item in value, reaching $16,064,040; followed by haddock, $8,798,725 • cod, $8,011,855 ; plaice, $5, 198,490; hake, $3,154,805; halibut, $$2,266,015; and sole, $2065,395. In 1911 the weight of fish landed on the shores of the British Isles was nearly 3,000,000,000 pounds, valued at about $57,000,000.