1925 '30 



'35 '40 



Figure 21. — Kodiak pink salmon pack. 



previously normal even-'year pack. The 

 season, which traditionally ends on August 

 13, was closed on August 8 to improve 

 escapement of the late runs. 



Becsiuse of the relatively poor escape- 

 ment in 1957, the outlook for strength in 

 the pink salmon runs of 1959 is not encour- 

 aging. However, generally earlier spawning 

 of the brood stock followed by an exception- 

 ally mild winter could possibly result in 

 a lower egg and fry mortality of this light 

 seeding. 



The chum salmon pack of 91,000 cases 

 is well above the long-term average for 

 this species. A general rise in the chum 

 Scilmon catches of recent yeaxs possibly 

 reflects increased fishing effort (figure 

 22) rather thain increased abundance. 



Research in 1957 and 1958 in the 

 Kodiak area has indicated that the escape- 

 ment into Karluk Lake utilizes different 

 spawning areas as the season progresses. 

 Examination of old records confirms this as 

 a long-established phenomenon. In general, 

 the red salmon of the spring escapement 

 spawn in all streams tributary to Karluk 

 Lake. The spawners that enter the lake in 

 midseason go to the large rivers at the 

 southern end of the lake, while in the fall 

 separate waves of fish spawn in O'Malley 

 River, Thumb River, the lake beaches, and 

 upper Karluk River. Thus, at any given 

 time during the season, the fishery captures 

 fish destined predominantly for specific 

 spawning grounds in the Karluk system. The 

 spawning beds of this system fall naturally 

 into several physical types, which are prob- 

 ably not equally productive. Determination 



of actual productivity of each stream type 

 is one of the principal research objectives 

 of the Karluk program. 



Reports from previous years indicate 

 red salmon fry that emerge from the gravels 

 of upper Karluk River work their way up- 

 stream into Karluk Lake. This movement was 

 verified in 1958 by the use of fry traps 

 that were placed in the upper river near 

 the outlet of the lake. Because the count- 

 ing weir, which was used in former years, 

 might interfere with the upstream migration 

 of both fry and adults, the weir was not 

 used in 1958. Instead, an estimate of the 

 number of adult salmon entering the lake 

 was made by use of counting towers. 



Limnological investigations of the 

 natural basic fertility of Karluk Lake were 

 made in 1958. Comparison of fertility, as 

 measured by the concentration of certain 

 nutrients in 1958, with the fertility, as 

 measured by the concentration of the same 

 nutrients in 1926, showed only minor 

 changes. 



400 

 350 - 

 300 

 250 

 200 

 i50 

 100 

 50 



— SEINES (BEACH a PURSE) 

 -- GILL NETS 



1928 '30 ^32 34 '36 'ie 40 



'42 44 46 '48 50 52 -54 '56 '58 



Figure 22. --Quantities of gear, Kodiak 

 district. 



""Studies of the effects of removing 

 predators and competitors from lakes to 

 increase production of red salmon in fresh- 

 water were continued and expanded on Afognak 

 Island. This work by the Alaska Department 

 of Fish and Game is partially financed by 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1958 

 Jennifer Lake was divided into an upper and 

 a lower basin by means of a weir. All fish 

 were removed from the upper part. Next year 

 both basins will be stocked with red salmon 



16 



