and 19hO and for a very short period in 19U1- 



In the fall of 1938 and the spring of 1939, plans were made for a 

 program of experimental fishing to study the availability of salmon in 

 the offshore waters of Bristol Bay and the Alaska Peninsula. 



liVhen inaugurating the stuc^^ of the availability of the Bristol Bay 

 salmon in the offshore vraters, numerous questions arose in connection v/ith 

 the first season's field v/ork, the most vital being as f ollovirs : V/here 

 would be the most logical place to start operations? What type of gear 

 could be used most effectively to catch the fish? What type of fishing 

 vessels would be needed? 



It was decided to start the fishing operations as far from the rivers 

 in Bristol Bay as possible and yet intercept a portion of the salmon run. 

 While no definite information was available as to vihere such a locality 

 might be, it was finally decided to carry on operations betv/een Cape Seni- 

 avin (a point on the northern shore of the Alaska Peninsula about thirty 

 miles northeast of Port Moller) and Cape Newenham (a point on the nothern 

 shore of Bristol Bay vfhere the shore line turns abruptly northward) » The 

 distance between these tvro points is approximately 1^0 nautical miles and 

 a line between these two points roughly represents the western boundary of 

 B.ristol Bay. The nearest Bristol Bay river to this section line is the 

 Ugashik, which is sons 100 miles distant, while the KvichakjNaknek, and 

 Nushagak rivers are some 1^0 miles distant (see figure h) • 



Because fishing operations for salmon had never been carried on by 

 American nationals so far from shore as was planned, no data were avail- 

 able as to the tj'pe of gear that would be most efficient and practical. 

 It was considered that the gear should be of sufficient magnitude to insure 

 the capture of salmon, if any were pres'-nt, and capable of being taken 

 aboard the fishing vessel in a relatively short time in case of a sudden 

 storm. 



Operations in 1939 



Two purse seine vessels of the type used in the Pacific Coast pilchard 

 fishery were employed in the fishing operations during 1939. These vessels 

 the Anna A of 89 gross tons, 69.2 feet registered lengthy 20. U feet breadth 

 and 9-9 feet depth,' and the Western Flyer (see figure 2)of 93 gross tons, 

 71.0 feet registered length, 19«3 feet breadth and 8.9 feet depth were of 

 sturdy ccnstruction, very good sea boats, had a long cruising radius and 

 were equipped with radio telephone. 



One vessel was equipped to operate a large salmon purse seine. This 

 seine was 300 fathoms long and approximately 19 fathoms deep. 



The other vessel carried a combination lead and gill net. The lead 

 was 900 fathoms long and 300 meshes deep - when in use, this net hung ap- 



