FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 13 



STREAM IMPROVEMENT. 



Consideration has been given during the year to plans for improving 

 and opening up a number of salmon streams in southeastern Alaska 

 inaccessible to salmon because of falls or other natural barriers. 

 This matter has been under the general supervision of Inspector 

 Walker, of the Alaska service. He has reported that the obstructions 

 may be grouped into four general classes: (1) Falls caused by rock 

 ledges or strata that have not been worn away; (2) log jams result- 

 ing either from natural causes or from artificial obstructions; (3) rock 

 jams consisting of loose rocks or bowlders in such position as to be 

 barriers in themselves or to cause the currents to be so broken that 

 fish can not pass through them; and (4) dams constructed for power 

 purposes, and occasionally dams built by beavers. 



Some of the log jams change from time to time, increasing generally 

 in size and impenetrability. They are of two general classes — (a) those 

 where the water flows over the top of the jam and (b) where it 

 trickles through spaces between the logs. 



Such barriers as log jams or falls ordinarily absolutely prevent the 

 passage of fish, but in some cases at certain stages of the water a 

 few salmon may be able to pass. Some of the obstructions are not 

 particularly formidable, while others are extensive and will necessi- 

 tate a great deal of work to open the way for the passage of salm- 

 on. Not infrequently small barriers prevent absolutely the ascent 

 of salmon to excellent spawning grounds of considerable extent. 

 The practical results of thus increasing the natural spawning areas 

 are obvious. 



In June and July, 1916, improvements were made on Skog Creek 

 on Kupreanof Island, opposite Scow Bay, and at a salmon stream at 

 Pavlof Harbor, near the entrance of Freshwater Bay, on Chichagof 

 Island. Both of these streams were so improved that salmon may 

 now readily ascend the falls. The success of this work clearly shows 

 the need of extensions to other streams as fast as time and funds 

 permit. 



ALASKA FISHERY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. 



A senate joint memorial passed by the legislature of Alaska in 

 April, 1917, requested that the Bureau of Fisheries in conjunction 

 with the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System 

 arrange that the prices of fresh fish at Seattle and Ketchikan be 

 bulletmed every day at the cable office of every town on the Alaska 

 coast where fishing vessels call for the purpose of shipping fish south- 

 ward and that once a week the prices of salt fish of the varieties 

 caught in Alaska waters be buUetined at the cable offices of the 

 coast. 



The War Department, which operates the Washington-Alaska 

 Military Cable and Telegraph System, expressed its willingness to 

 receive, transmit, and post bulletins furnished by the Bureau of 

 Fisheries, and early in July the service was initiated. At first the 

 work was Hmited to information regarding Seattle prices, but was 

 soon extended to include prices at Ketchikan. The intelligence 

 service as finally fixed upon included: (1) Forwarding each day, 

 Sundays and holidays excluded, to Juneau, Petersburg, Ketchikan, 

 WrangeU, Sitka, Valdez, Seward, Cordova, and Skagway the Seattle 



