Of Time And The River: 12,000 Years of Human Use of the Illinois River

Fish (continued)

In 1961, there is no significant commercial fish production above the Starved Rock pool. Reproduction of commercial fish species occurs, but survival is poor. Carp, catfish, buffalo, and bullheads are taken in the Starved Rock pool, but in extremely small numbers as compared to the Peoria, La Grange, and Alton pools downstream (USFWS 1963). Table 24 illustrates the commercial fish catch in pounds for all species reported in 1961.

Table 24: Commercial Harvest in Pounds from Pools of the Illinois River in 1961 (USFWS 1963)

Species	Above Starved Rock	Starved Rock	Peoria	La Grange	Alton	Total
Carp	-	500	360,308	320,255	375,541	1,056,604
Buffalo	-	100	352,151	433,178	132,712	918,141
Drum	-	-	1,418	22,889	21,870	46,177
Catfish	-	300	3,661	43,240	39,359	86,560
Bullhead	-	800	19,163	27,106	2,422	49,491
Paddlefish	-	-	-	300	332	632
Suckers	-	-	-	-	50	50
Bowfin	-	-	1,320	3,374	1,895	6,589
Eel	-	-	-	-	24	24
Crappie	-	-	-	21,877	9,024	30,901
White Carp	-	-	-	-	2,300	2,300
Gar	-	-	-	-	462	462
TOTALS	-	1,700	738,021	872,219	585,991	2,197,931

The status of the commercial fishing industry in 1963 declines for a number of reasons (USFWS 1963):

Poor quality or size of marketable species, particularly the carp;
Loss of large eastern markets due to the scarcity of large, live carp and the change in the diet of the children of immigrants;
Drainage of bottom lands for farming
A seasonal mud or oil taste in the fish caught in some areas;
Disappearance of bottom fauna, which serves as a food source;
Loss of available manpower; many fishermen no longer believe it pays them to fish.

Table 25 illustrates the decline in commercial fishing in the Illinois River. The number of fish caught, based on weight, from 1950 to 1973 declines precipitously. The number of Illinois River fishermen, both part time and full time, also declines through this period.

Table 25: Total Commercial Catch of Fish and Number of Fishermen on the Illinois River, 1950-1973 (Sparks 1975)

	1950	1954	1956	1958	1960	1962	1964	1966	1968	1970	1972	1973
Total Fish (Thousand kg)	2613	1556	1460	1302	1025	1000	717	737	690	487	297	182
No. of Fishermen Full time	106	-	-	-	69	-	-	-	-	22	13	13
No. of Fishermen Part time	169	-	-	-	73	-	-	-	-	46	42	56

The reasons for these declines are attributed to a series of changes occurring in the river: increased turbidity and sedimentation, chronic pollution, a decrease in aquatic vegetation, disappearance of fingernail clams, and a reduction of habitat through the drainage of the floodplain (Mills 1966).

Lerczak and Sparks report in 1995 the results of fish surveys from 1959 through 1993. Substantial changes occur in the fisheries of the upper Illinois River between 1962 and 1993. The centrarchids (largemouth bass and bluegill) increase, peaking in 1983 and then stabilize for the next five years. Catches of carp, goldfish, and carp x goldfish hybrids decrease beginning in the early 1960s (Lerczak 1995).

In 1963, goldfish represent one-third of all fish collected per hour, followed by carp, emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum). These four species account for 95.8% of all individuals collected. In 1992, repeating the same survey produces, 13 species account for 95.4% of the fish collected, with emerald shiners the most abundant, followed by centrarchids; carp and goldfish decrease to only a minor component (Lerczak 1995).

Lerzcak and Sparks also examine abnormalities in pelagic and benthic fish species and find that there is a higher incidence in benthic species, suggesting that the sediments may contain significant amounts of pollutants. The data show a trend of decreasing incidence of abnormalities in pelagic fishes, which corresponds with periods of improved water quality.