28 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



lo the side channels. The other sections of the weir were of tripod 

 and picket construction and extended from the upper ends of the 

 islands to the mainland, the right-channel section being 230 feet 

 long and the left-channel section 550 feet long. Twenty-one count- 

 ing gates 18 inches w^ide and a boat gate 50 feet wide were built in 

 the weir. The boat gate was in the middle section near Left Island 

 and consisted of two booms carrying electrode chains, from which 

 the current could be shut off by a convenient switch while the boats 

 were passing through. The power house was on Right Island. 



Only a few salmon ascended the river before the weir was in opera- 

 tion. Counting began on June 28, but it was not until July 2 that 

 the fish appeared in any numbers. For nearly 3 weeks thereafter 

 the run was continuously heavy except for one comparatively slack 

 period on July 12 and 13. On each of 2 successive clays, July 8 and 

 9, more than 460,000 red salmon were counted, and the largest count 

 for any one day was 482,396, on July 17. At the close of August 5, 

 when counting was discontinued, the total number tallied was 

 5,064,014 red salmon, 5,753 kings, 1,020 chums, and 200 pinks. Rob- 

 ert Holcomb was in charge of the weir under the direction of Agent 

 Dennis Winn. 



SALMON LIFE-HISTORY STUDIES 



The investigation of the biology of the Alaska salmon was carried 

 on under the general direction of Joseph A. Craig, who spent some 

 time in Alaska during the summer, and advice and assistance were 

 had from Dr. Willis H. Rich, of Stanford University. 



Because of the limitation of funds only three major projects were 

 actively continued — those pertaining to the red salmon at Chignik 

 and Karluk by Harlan B. Holmes and Joseph T. Barnaby, respec- 

 tively, and that dealing with the pink salmon of southeastern Alaska 

 by Dr. Frederick A. Davidson. The work at Chignik and Karluk 

 included a careful sampling of the runs of adult fish, and the under- 

 taking of additional experiments in which the small fish on their 

 seaward migration were marked by the removal of certain fins. In 

 southeastern Alaska studies of the pink salmon were continued to 

 determine the application of the parent stream theory to the life 

 history of this species. A full report of the investigations is pub- 

 lished in a separate document. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ESCAPEMENT OF SALMON 



Continuing a policy that has been demonstrated to be of value in 

 formulating regulations necessary to prevent depletion of the salmon 

 fishei-y, members of the Bureau's field force carefully observed the 

 salmon runs throughout the 1932 season and subsequent to the close of 

 commercial fishing operations. Most of the important streams in all 

 districts were visited, and reports show that conditions in general 

 were good, the escapement of all species fully meeting the require- 

 ment ol^ law that not less than 50 percent of the run shall be permitted 

 to escape to the spawning grounds. 



Southeast Alaska. — In the southern and north Prince of Wales 

 Island districts the run of pink salmon was considerably later and the 

 fish were less abundant than in 1931, but the distribution to the 



