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Age and growth of the lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill), in Lake Erie

Although the whitefish has by no means ranked first from the standpoint of production, it has always been an important commercial species in Lake Erie. Trends in the output of whitefish have differed in the United States and Canadian waters of the lake. The 1893–1946 average annual yield of 1,201,000 pounds in the United States was only 38.3 percent of the 1879–1890 mean of 3,133,000 pounds, where
Authors
John Van Oosten, Ralph Hile

The present status of the United States commercial fisheries of the Great Lakes

This review of the trends in production on the Great Lakes suggests that great biological changes have taken place. The general abundance of the choicer varieties, and of some of the less choice fishes, has been lowered considerably; and the prospects are that this level will fall still farther. In addition, the niches occupied by these finer species in the lakes have not been filled by coarser
Authors
John Van Oosten

The age, growth, and distribution of the longjaw cisco, Leucichthys alpenae Koelz, in Lake Michigan

The longjaw (Leucichthys alpenae) was found at all of the 109 stations fished in the open lake during 1930–1932 and at 29 of the 32 stations in Green Bay in 1930 and 1932. Koelz (1929) found the longjaw at 35 localities, 33 of which were different from those fished in 1930–1932. The species was most abundant in water with a depth of less than 70 fathoms, but was found as deep as 97 fathoms. The lo
Authors
Frank W. Jobes

Trends in the lake trout fishery of Lake Huron through 1946

The production of lake trout, Cristivomer namaycush (Walbaum), in the United States waters of Lake Huron was highest in the earliest years for which there are statistical records, averaging 2,362,000 pounds in 1879–1894. The general level of yield was much lower but relatively stable in 1895–1939, during which period the catch averaged 1,685,000 pounds. The most recent years have seen a rapid and
Authors
Ralph Hile

Structure and senses of fish

Also printed as U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fisheries Leaflet 132. 13 pp.
Authors
Ralph Hile

Turbidity as a factor in the decline of Great Lakes fishes with special reference to Lake Erie

Fish live and thrive in water with turbidities that range above 400 p.p.m. and average 200 p.p.m. The waters of the Great Lakes usually are clear except in Lake Erie where the turbidities of the inshore areas averaged 37 p.p.m.; the turbidities of the offshore waters averaged less. Lake Erie waters were no clearer 50 years ago than they are now. In fact, the turbidity values are less now than they
Authors
John Van Oosten

Standardization of methods of expressing lengths and weights of fish

Fishery workers in the United States and Canada are unable to think readily in terms of the metric system of weights and measurements. Even long experience does not make it possible to form a clear idea as to the actual size of fish for which lengths and weights are given in metric units, without first converting to the English system. A more general adoption of the English system of weights and m
Authors
Ralph Hile

Mortality of smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitchill), in Lakes Huron and Michigan during the fall and winter of 1942-1943

The mortality that nearly exterminated the huge stocks of smelt in Lakes Huron and Michigan during the fall and winter of 1942–1943 appears to have originated in central Lake Huron in the Saginaw Bay area in late September or early October 1942. The mortality spread rapidly northward reaching the Drummond Island area about the latter part of October and the St. Ignace region of the Straits of Mack
Authors
John Van Oosten