Figure 3.--Weekly commercial catch of king salmon by statistical areas. Cook Inlet, May 24- August 15. 1959, 



4-, 5 , and 6 Fish in these age groups mi- 

 grate from fresh water to the ocean during 

 their second year of life and return after 

 spending 2, 3, or 4 years in the ocean. In 1958 

 males in the 6 age group predominated and in 



1959 in the 5 age group. Most of the females 



in these same years were in the 62 and 62 age 

 groups. 



King salmon usually mature at a greater age 

 the farther north they occur. From California 

 to Southeastern Alaska, the principal ages are 

 3 (Snyder, 1931) and 4 and 5 (Gilbert, 1914). In 

 Southeastern Alaska the principal ages are 



also 3, 4, and 5 (Parker and Kirkness, 1956). 

 King salmon in spawning runs of the Yukon 

 River range in age from 5 to 7 years (Gilbert, 

 1922). The span of dominant ages for king 

 salmon in Cook Inlet is from 4 to 6 years, 

 which fits this northerly trend of increased 

 age at maturity. 



In most age groups the average length of 

 males was less than that of females (table 5). 

 The minimum length for males was usually 

 less than for females of the same age, and 

 the maximum length for males was usually 

 more than for females of the same age 

 (fig. 5). 



