FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1907, 61 



Point Barrow captured 9 whales, an exceedingly good catch. The 

 products secured by the natives appear in the statistical tables. 



MISCELLANEOUS FISHERY RESOURCES. 



Black cod (Anoplopoma fimbria). — This fish is becoming better 

 appreciated each season, and this year was not only sold fresh, but a 

 part of the catch was frozen and pickled. The fish frequents many 

 of the halibut banks, and most of the catch this year was taken inci- 

 dentally on the trawls set in Chatham Straits for halibut. A favorite 

 spot is in a deep hole (about 414 feet on the edges) from 1 mile to 1^ 

 miles off Funter Ba}^ Another good fishing ground is off Point Hugh, 

 in Stephens Passage. The fishermen believe that the black cod 

 migrate, apparently following the salmon; salmon are often found in 

 their stomachs. While the true cod makes excellent bait for other 

 fishes, the opposite is the case with the black cod. 



Capelin {Mallotus villosus) are quite abundant in the coastal 

 waters of Alaska, especially on the cod banks, where they form a con- 

 siderable part of the food of the cod. Large numbers are said to be 

 washed up on the beach in the neighborhood of Sitka in October. 

 The fish remain in this neighborhood about a week, and large quantities 

 are consumed locally by both whites and natives. Schools appear in 

 Glacier Bay in May and June. According to residents of Port 

 Heiden, in Bering Sea, capelin appear there in June and July, and 

 are sometimes washed up on the beach ankle deep for miles. 



Eulaclion {Thaleichthys pacificus). — This species, the well-known 

 candle-fish, is highly prized by the natives for its excellent food qual- 

 ities, wliile the oil and a grease extracted from the -fish are favorite 

 condiments with them. A local and export trade is being built up 

 in southeast Alaska. 



The eulachon frequents in considerable numbers, but for very 

 short periods of time, the Unuk, Stikine, and Chilkat rivers, Dyea and 

 Berners bays, and Excursion Inlet. It is also found in very limited 

 abundance in a number of other bays and rivers. In the upper part 

 of southeast Alaska the time of the best run is the big spring tide in 

 May (about the 15th) when the fish are said to run for three days, 

 during which, in the rivers, the fishermen (mainly natives) capture 

 them by means of dip nets. This year there was an unusually large 

 run. In central Alaska large schools are known to frequent the more 

 important rivers of Cook Inlet, but, as in southeast Alaska, their stay 

 is exceedingly brief. On the Alaska Peninsula, at Three Star Point 

 (approximately opposite Unga Island) there is said to be a large run 

 of eulachons in May. So many are left stranded on the beach that 

 the bears are attracted from miles around to feed upon them. In west- 

 ern Alaska the eulachon frequents the Ugashik Piver and probably 

 other rivers in the Bristol Bay region. 



