BUREAU OF FISHERIES XXVIJ 



Alaska; Karluk Kiver, Chio^nik River, two streams tributary to Olga 

 Bay, Morzhovoi Bay, Thin Point Lag:oon, Chinik Creek, and English 

 Bay in central Alaska ; and Ugashik River in western Alaska. The 

 data obtained permit the establishment of the ratio of escape to catch 

 in a given season and, assembled for a period of years, furnish valu- 

 able information as to the probable return from a known escapement, 

 or in other words, the number of spawning fish necessary to maintain 

 the run at its normal size. Undetermined and extraordinary factors, 

 of course, may influence the return, as indicated by the greatly 

 diminished run of humpback salmon in southeastern Alaska in 1927, 

 Avhere a good yield had been predicted in view of the generally 

 adequate escapement in 1925. 



Further investigations were made in connection with salmon life- 

 history studies, which included collections of scales and examination 

 of the stomach contents of a number of red salmon. To secure in- 

 formation with reference to migration routes, 5,148 salmon, chiefly 

 humpbacks, were tagged in southeastern Alaska and 700 at Uganik 

 Bay, Kodiak Island. Studies of the herring and clam fisheries of 

 Alaska likewise were continued. 



PRODUCTS OF THE FISHERIES 



Although nearly all branches of the Alaska fishery industry in 1927 

 showed an increase, in the number of plants operated and persons 

 employed, there was a decrease of 26.5 per cent in the total value of 

 the fishery products. 



Canned salmon, the most important product, decreased from the 

 record pack of 6,652,882 cases in 1926 to 3,572,128 cases in 1927, or 

 approximately 46 per cent. The pack of cohos increased about 25 

 per cent and that of kings 34 per cent, while reds decreased nearly 

 39 per cent, chums approximately 44 per cent, and humpbacks 57 

 per cent. As compared with the average for the five years from 

 1922 to 1926, inclusive, the entire pack decreased 31 per cent. The 

 ( hief cause of the decreased output was the inexplicable scarcity of 

 humpback salmon in southeastern Alaska. A contributing factor 

 was the lighter run of that species that occurs in central Alaska in 

 alternate years, although it is noteworthy that the catch of hump- 

 back salmon in that district was about 80 per cent greater than that 

 of 1925 and has been exceeded only by the catches of 1924 and 1926. 

 Moreover, the runs of red salmon were smaller generally throughout 

 the Territory than in the preceding vear. The total value of the 

 fishery products of Alaska in 1927^was $40,163,300. The value of 

 the catch to the fishermen was aj^proximately $13,812,000. There 

 were 28,872 persons employed in the various branches of the in- 

 dustry, as comj^ared with 28,052 in 1926. 



The extent and condition of the Alaska fisheries in 1927 and of 

 the iictivities of the bureau under the laws and regulations for the 

 protection of the fisheries are covered in detail in the annual report 

 of the Alaska service for that year.^ 



-Alaska Fishery and Fur-Seal IiiduHtries in IOL'7. Bv Ward T. Bower. Bureau of 

 Fisheries Document Xo. 1040. 



