ALASKA FISHERY AND FUll-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 193 3 259 



licensee in the event that the project should be rebuilt. Tlie Com- 

 mission was advised that the Bureau's field agent at Ketchikan 

 reported that the creek was not obstructed by the dam of the Kasaan 

 Gold Co. in its present state of disrepair. Recommendation was 

 nuule that if the project were rehabilitated the company be required 

 to install a fish ladder at a specified place in order that a constant 

 flow of water might be assured. 



KUSKOKWIM RIVER 



From June 4 to July 29 Stream Guard Charles McGonagall pa- 

 trolled the Kuskokwim River area, using a chartered launch. During 

 that time no heavy runs of salmon were observed, and there were 

 no large catches. The best catches were made with drift nets at 

 night. There was no rain in June and July and the river Avas clear, 

 which undoubtedly accounted for the fact that few fish were taken 

 in gill nets and fish wheels. No fishing for export was carried on in 

 this district in 1933. Two hundred and eighty-six natives fished in 

 the river for local requirements, using 509 gill nets of 7,630 fathoms, 

 38 wheels, and a number of small boats. They prepared 282 tons 

 of dried chums. 



YUKON RIVER 



Two oj^erators engaged in commercial fishing in the Yukon River 

 area in 1933, their products for the outside market amounting to 132 

 tierces of mild-cured kings and 72 barrels of pickled kings. 



A patrol of the district was again nuiintained by Inspector C. F. 

 Townsend and a stream guard with the Coot^ which left the Gov- 

 ernment ways at Nenana on May 23 for the mouth of the Yukon. 

 The river was then at a very low stage for the time of year, no doubt 

 because the snowfall in the interior of Alaska had been light during 

 the winter. The ice was late in breaking up, and it was necessary 

 for the vessel to wait some time at Shageluk Slough for the river 

 to clear. Hamilton was reached on June 3. 



Ice was piled up off the different mouths of the river until June 

 16, and the salmon runs were unusually late in arriving. The first 

 king salmon, badly bruised and cut by the ice, were caught on June 

 14. The big run started 3 days later and continued through the 

 month. The run of chums started on June 20. Catches were heavy 

 in the lower river reaches, but above Mountain Village they were 

 the lightest for years, due no doubt to the low stage of the river 

 throughout June and July. Reports indicate that the September run 

 was fair. Also a good supply of dried dog feed had been carried over 

 from the previous season, thus avoiding any shortage for the needs 

 of the district during the winter. 



Products of the Yukon and Tanana fisheries, including the com- 

 mercial output, were as follows: 138 cases of kings canned and 

 SS'S pounds of canned smoked kings, 132 tierces of mild-cured kings, 

 19.400 pounds of kings and 2,400 pounds of chums pickled, and 392 

 tons of dried chums. Apparatus consisted of 242 wheels, 130 gill 

 nets of 1,668 fathoms, 1 motor vessel of 50 tons, 3 launches. 1 scow, 

 and miscellaneous small boats. There were 13 whites and 344 natives 

 engaged in the fishery. 



