FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 



39 



fish, or more than 48 per cent. Thoro was an increase of 15 per cent 

 in the oatcli of cohos, of nearly 90 per cent in dog sahnon, a slight 

 decrease (about 4 per cent) in the hunij)back, and an increase of 5 per 

 cent in the catch of sockeyes. The total catch in southeast Alaska 

 increased but 6 per cent over that of 1911. Had it not been for the 

 phenomenally large catch of dog salmon no increase in the total 

 catch for southeast Alaska would have resulted. 



In central Alaska the seine catch shows an increase of 8 per cent, 

 the gill-net catch an increase of 41 per cent, while the trap catch 

 shows an increase of more than 81 per cent. There was an increase of 

 9 per cent in the catch of cohos, of 252 per cent in chums, and a very 

 slight decrease (less than one-fifth of 1 per cent) in sockeyes. 



In western Alaska the gill-net catch shows an increase of more than 

 128 i)er cent, and the trap catch an increase of 208 per cent. Several 

 causes perhaps entered into this result. It was brought about per- 

 haps primarily by the development of the independent trap, prob- 

 ably in part the result of the multiplication of canneries, including 

 some plants that depended entirely on purchasing fish from in- 

 dependent fishermen. Another cause is the increasing knowledge 

 of the runs or movements of the fish, permitting a more ready 

 selection of good trap sites. A third may be found in the application 

 of the floating trap which has lately been perfected. Still another 

 influence was the strike early in the season, though this will doubtless 

 have a gi-eater efl'ect the next season than it had the last. The 

 necessity for a dependable source from which to obtain the raw 

 material is essential to the life of the canning industry. 



Salmon Taken in 191; 



BY Species and Apparatus, for Each Geographic 

 Section of Alaska. 



