TABLE 4-. — Percentage frequency of occurrence, by area, of major food items in 

 stomachs of king and coho salmon. Southeastern Alaska, 1957-58 



[ Qnpty stomachs included. See fig\ire 1 for areas] 



samples from coho salmon failed to 

 show a relation between presence of 

 herring and length of the fish. The 

 greater use by coho salmon of food 

 itenns other than herring is shown in 

 figure 5. 



IMPORTANCE OF HERRING IN DIET 

 OF SALMON 



Examination of the data suggests 

 the following: (1) Herring are a signifi- 

 cant food source in the diet of king and 

 coho salmon. The importance of this 

 item is greater in king than in coho 

 salmon. (2) Fluctuations in diet appear 

 to occur from year to year and by 

 geographical area within years. (3) The 

 diet of king salmon differs from that 

 of coho salmon. (4) Large king salmon 

 consume more herring than small king 

 salmon. 



Since availability of herring to the 

 purse- seine fleet was at a high level 

 during the 4 years from 1956 to 1959, 

 it is assumed that general abundance 

 of herring was also at a high level 

 during that period. As determined by 

 this study, during a period of high 

 herring abundance about three-fifths 

 (59.5 percent by occurrence per stom- 



ach) of the troll- caught king salmon 

 sampled had utilized herring. In coho 

 salmon, this item occurred in 22.2 

 percent of the stomachs sampled. 



OCCURRENCE 



Herring 



Sand lance 



Capelin 



Squid 



Widow Rockfish 



Whiting 



Other Smelt 



Bait 



Sand Fish 



Amphipods 



Shrimp 



Euphausids 



Unidentified 



Figure 4.- -Percentage frequency of occurrence of food 

 items found in stomach samples from king and coho 

 salmon in Southeastern Alaska, 1957-58. [Percentages 

 based on stomachs containing food.] 



1(0 



at 



