114 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
charge. Warden J. Steele Culbertson supervised their work until his 
transfer to Juneau the middle of July, after which Special Agent Ralph 
A. Ferrandini directed operations in the area. 
CHIGNIK RIVER 
Construction of the Chignik weir was begun on May 4 at a site 
about 75 feet above that used in 1937. The structure was completed 
on May 25 but the salmon did not begin to pass upstream until May 
31, on which date 82 reds were tallied. A heavy run began on June 
13 and the bulk of the season’s escapement occurred during the next 
3 or 4 weeks, reaching its peak on June 27, when 96,020 red salmon 
were counted. When counting was discontinued at the close of Sep- 
tember 5, the total escapement numbered 1,615,207 red salmon, 2,235 
kings, and 13,770 cohos. The commercial catch of red salmon from 
the Chignik run was 1,411,979. 
The seaward migration of fingerlings during the season appeared 
to be very light. The first migrants were seen going down the river 
on May 6, but no appreciable numbers were observed until June 10. 
The best migration occurred from June 15 to July 8, after which it 
gradually diminished and ended on August 10. A local resident at 
Chignik Lake stated that after the earthquake of December 10, 1938, 
which was quite severe in that locality, he observed great numbers 
of dead fingerlings floating on the lake. This may be the reason for 
the light migration. 
Warden Charles Petry was in charge of the weir operations at 
Chignik. 
CHINIK CREEK 
The weir in Chinik Creek, a tributary of Kamishak Bay, Cook Inlet, 
was operated in 1939 by Gilbert M. Chambers under the direction of 
Capt. R. L. Cole. From July 3 to 28 there were counted 4,076 red 
salmon. It was estimated that 500 fish were in the creek below the 
weir at the time the structure was removed. 
ENGuLIisH Bay 
The weir in the red-salmon stream at the head of English Bay was 
completed and ready for operation on May 27. Counting began on 
May 28 and was continued through August 16, when the total escape- 
ment numbered 48,777 red salmon and 958 pinks. This is the largest 
count that has been made at this weir since its operation began in 
1927 and is more than twice the previous record escapement of 24,025 
in 1928. This increased escapement may be attributed, in part at 
least, to the fact that the fish trap which was previously operated 
to the south of the stream near Flat Island was not installed this 
year. Perey G. Maltbie was again in charge of operations, under the 
direction of Capt. R. L. Cole. 
Kiso CREEK 
Fish Creek, flowing into Knik Arm, is the most important of the 
red-salmon streams of Cook Inlet in which the Bureau maintains a 
weir for the counting of brood salmon. The first red salmon passed 
