16 FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1907. 



SOUTHEAST ALASKA. 



The redfish run was in general a very poor one in southeast Ahiska, 

 the total catch falling about 13 per cent below that of 1906, which 

 was itself a bad year. Nevertheless, a few locaUties, as Boca de 

 Quadra and Salmon Bay, had unusually good runs. In the Ketchi- 

 kan district the run was said to be late in appearing, but while it was 

 late in comparison with the preceding season, it was probably not 

 much behind the average of recent years. 



The humpback run on the other hand was a ver}^ good one and 

 most of the canneries completed their packs with this salmon, fdling 

 cans which were intended for redfish at the beginning of the season. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS. 



Boca de Quadra. — This cannery was operated for the first time 

 since 1902. Quadra has been one of the most important redfish 

 streams in southeast Alaska, and yields fish of large size. This sea- 

 son it was heavily fished by 2 outside canneries as well as the local, 

 some 30 seines in all operating during part of the season. Until late 

 in August there was no very important run of redfish, but they came 

 then in abundance and Quadra Stream finally yielded considerably 

 more than twice as many redfish as any other single bay or stream in 

 southeast Alaska. A gasoline-motor seine boat, which not only 

 propelled itself but also pursed the seine by power, was operated here 

 this year. 



KetcTiikan Creek. — This is a humpback stream and generally the 

 run of fish is very large. In 1906, however, it was exceedingly small, 

 and the Fidalgo Island Packing Company, which usually secures a 

 considerable quantity of fish by means of seines hauled just inside 

 the mouth of the creek, made but one haul during the whole season 

 and that netted only 156 fish. In 1907 the run was exceptionally 

 heavy. As long as high water prevails most of the fish manage to 

 mount the falls a short distance from the mouth, but when the water 

 is low, as occasionally happens during the summer months, the fish 

 find trouble in ascending, and many die in the attempt. The erection 

 of a fish ladder at this point, or the removal of a few of the larger 

 rocks which form the principal obstacle to the ascent of the salmon 

 would greatly aid the fish in their up-stream rush. As this stream is 

 the only one in Alaska that is easily accessible to tourists, and is 

 visited by thousands of them every year, for this reason, if for no 

 other, it should be kept in the best condition possible. A favorite 

 pastime of certain idle visitors seemed to be to visit the creek and 

 stone the fish on the spawning beds, but this was effectually stopped 

 by the announcement that persons so offending would be prosecuted. 



The creek between the village and the dam above the power house, 

 which marks the limit of the ascent of salmon, was visited many 



