48 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



SALMON 



Notwithstanding a considerable reduction in the amount of fishing 

 gear used in the southeast and central districts, in accordance with the 

 purpose of cannery men to curtail operations because of the unsatis- 

 factory market, the yield of salmon in Alaska was on about the usual 

 level. Of the five species of salmon, only one — the red salmon — 

 showed an increased catch for 1931, as compared with the preceding 

 year. This was due primarily to the abundance of fish in the Bristol 

 Bay area, particularly on the east side of the bay. The runs of reds 

 along the Alaska Peninsula and in the Chignik and Karluk Rivers also 

 showed a marked improvement, while in southeastern Alaska there 

 was a decline in the catch of this species. Although there was a 

 marked decrease in the number of pink salmon taken, its effect was 

 largely offset by the greater size of the individual fish, which averaged 

 about one-third larger than in 1930. 



The total catch of salmon decreased approximately 1 1 per cent from 

 that of 1930. By districts, southeastern Alaska showed a decrease of 

 35 per cent and central Alaska 7 per cent, while the western district 

 gained approximately 161 per cent. 



There was a decrease of 30 per cent in the number of fathoms of 

 seines and 5 per cent in the number of fathoms of gill nets used in 

 Alaska in 1931, as compared with the previous year, while traps 

 decreased 32 per cent. 



CATCH AND APPARATUS 



The total number of seines used in the salmon industry in 1931 was 

 556, of which number 417 were purse seines and 139 beach seines. 

 The purse seines aggregated 65,123 fathoms of webbing, and the beach 

 seines 15,939 fathoms. The number of gill nets used was 4,504, having 

 a total length of 261,625 fathoms. There were 219 driven and 

 259 floating traps — a total of 478. 



Southeastern Alaska was accredited with 292 seines, or a total of 

 51,808 fathoms of webbing, a decrease of 129 seines and 21,531 fathoms 

 of webbing from the number used in 1930; also with 315 gill nets, 

 aggregating 18,260 fathoms, a decrease of 46 nets and 3,105 fathoms of 

 webbing; and with 40 driven and 234 floating traps, a decrease of 

 23 driven and 147 floating traps from the number operated in 1930. 



Corresponding figures for central Alaska show 257 seines, or 28,149 

 fathoms, as compared with 354 seines, or 39,168 fathoms in 1930; 

 1,826 gill nets, or 82,523 fathoms, as compared with 2,555 gill nets, or 

 119,990 fathoms in 1930; and 177 driven and 25 floating traps, as 

 compared with 213 driven and 42 floating traps in 1930. 



In western Alaska 7 seines, or 1,105 fathoms of webbing, were used^ 

 a decrease from 1930 of 14 seines and 2,785 fathoms of webbing. 

 There were 2,363 gill nets used, or an aggregate of 160,842 fathoms, an 

 increase of 179 nets and 27,582 fathoms of webbing. As in 1930, two 

 driven traps were operated in tliis district. 



Seines caught 20 per cent of the salmon taken in 1931; gill nets, 

 25 per cent; and traps, 53 per cent; while lines and wheels took the 

 remaining 2 per cent. 



