ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1927 101 



KARLUK SALMON COUNT 



Construction of a weir near the mouth of the Karhik River in the 

 same location as in previous seasons was completed on May 12. The 

 following morning a few red salmon were seen in the river below the 

 weir, although no fish passed upstream until May 23, when five kings 

 ascended. The first red salmon were counted through the weir on 

 May 25, but no appreciable numbers appeared until June 7. Count- 

 ing continued through October 9, when the total escapement was 

 872,538 red salmon, 10,343 kings, and 18,281 cohos. During the 

 latter part of September the run was very light, the tally of red 

 salmon being less than 500 daily from September 21 to 30, inclusive. 

 A good run started on October 1, and from that date through October 

 9 more than 80,000 red salmon were counted, after which no salmon 

 came to the weir until it was removed on October 14, although there 

 were still a few in the lagoon and some were seen jumping in the 

 river mouth as late as October 18. Considerable difficulty was 

 experienced in removing the weir because of ice in the river. 



Commercial fishing for salmon in Karluk waters began on June 

 16, the light escapement having made it necessary to change the 

 opening date from June 5, as specified in departmental regulations, 

 and the season closed at 6 p. m., September 10. The reported com- 

 mercial catch of red salmon from the Karluk run was 600,778, or 

 approximately 41 per cent of the total. 



Salmon fingerlings migrating downstream appeared at the weir 

 on June 1, the migrations continuing until June 22 in numbers 

 comparable to those of former good seasons. Predatory trout 

 numbering 26,122 were captured prior to June 15, but few were 

 seen after the red-salmon run started. 



The Karluk weir was visited by Commissioner O'Malley and 

 party on July 13. 



Counting operations at the weir were in charge of Ray S. Wood 

 under the direction of H. H. Hungerford. 



ALITAK SALMON COUNT 



Weirs primarily for the counting of red salmon were maintained 

 as in previous years at two streams tributary to Olga Bay, the one 

 at the upper station being completed on May 13 and that at the 

 cannery station on May 14. No salmon were seen in the streams 

 at that time, although natives near the cannery reported having 

 caught several during the spring. Dolly Varden trout were rather 

 plentiful and about 1,000 were caught in the cannery stream and 

 destroyed. 



The first red salmon were counted through the cannery station weir 

 on May 25 and through the upper weir on May 29, only a few show- 

 ing at either place. During the first part of June a considerable 

 number of red salmon entered both streams, but it was difficult to 

 count them because the water was high and at times very muddy. 

 Counting was continued through September 30, the number of red 

 salmon counted at the upper station weir being 497,619 and at the 

 cannery station 87,949, a total of 585,568. In addition, 12,494 

 cohos, 4,154 humpbacks, 11 kings, and 14 chums were counted 

 through the weirs. It was estimated that the number of red salmon 

 that entered Horse Marine Lagoon was at least 30,000, and that 



