X REPORT TO THE SECEETAEY OF COMMERCE 



total nm of red salmon to the Karliik River in 1927 was estimated 

 in advance at about 1.500,000 fish. The actual run of 1,641.000 ex- 

 ceeded the estimate by less than 10 per cent, which is sufficiently close, 

 considerino; the conditions, to be of direct economic benefit to the 

 fishing industry. Further studies involving the marking of many 

 thousands of j'oung fish on their seaward migration have been con- 

 tinued, and special studies of the conditions on the spawning grounds 

 in the Karluk region and the unusual productivity of Karluk Lake 

 occupied the attention of investigators during the summer of 1927. 

 During 1928 special attention is being given to the Chignik River 

 in Alaska, where a study of the young red salmon in fresh water 

 will be continued. The age composition of the catch is being ascer- 

 tained, and observations on the spawning grounds will be made in 

 addition to similar observations at Karluk. Analyses of the 

 age composition of the catch will be extended to the Bristol Bay 

 region also. 



The first section of a report on the detailed statistical analysis of 

 the salmon fisheries of Alaska since 1904, covering the western section, 

 has been submitted for publication. While the report deals pri- 

 marily with the total yield in the A'arious districts, valuable informa- 

 tion is given concerning the cyclic fluctuations in abundance and 

 progressive depletion of the salmon stock that occurred up to the 

 time of the adoption and enforcement of scientifically planned fishery 

 regulations. 



In the States, salmon investigations have been conducted chiefly 

 on the Columbia River, where marking experiments to determine 

 facts in the life history of the sockeye salmon in the interest of im- 

 proved fish-cultural practices have been conducted for the past 10 

 years. A report summarizing the results of these studies has been 

 prepared for publication. Studies on the embryology of the chinook 

 and other salmons have been progressing satisfactorily, with results 

 of direct application to hatchery technique. 



Biological investigation of the herring fisheries of Alaska has 

 progressed to such a stage that a report has been prepared for publi- 

 cation summarizing the life history of that fish. Since it has been 

 determined that the stock of Pacific herring is divided into a number 

 of nonmigratory local races, the danger of depletion and the need for 

 local regulation have been given special attention. This fishery is of 

 great importance in southeastern and central Alaska, not only be- 

 cause of the use of this fish for food but also for the valuable yield 

 of meal and oil as by-products. Fear of the depletion of the herring 

 has aroused the salmon and halibut fishermen to the danger of 

 adverse effects of failure of the herring supply upon these more 

 valuable fisheries. The studies have demonstrated, howeA'er, that 

 in some cases variations in yield are due to natural causes and not 

 necessarily to depletion, thus demonstrating the need for continued 

 and more extensive study. 



Investigations of the clam resources of the Pacific coast have been 

 divided between the coast of Washington and Alaska, where exten- 

 sive and highly productive beds of razor clams support a canning 

 industry. An examination of the Washington beds after the largest 

 l^ack in the history of comrnercial operations showed that the supply 

 was generally depleted, and recommendations were offered to the 



