34 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



SALMON 



Despite the fact that fishing effort was greatly curtailed in 1932, 

 with a marked reduction in the quantity of gear employed, the total 

 catch of salmon was larger than in the preceding year. This indi- 

 cates the generally satisfactory condition of the salmon runs in 

 virtually all localities. Red salmon were abundant in the Bristol 

 Bay region and in many sections of central Alaska, especially at 

 Chignik, where the fish were exceptionally plentiful. At Karluk, 

 however, the run of reds was below normal. For the Territory as 

 a whole, the only species on which the catch decreased was the pink 

 salmon, and undoubtedly the catch of this species would have been 

 much larger had operations not been affected by adverse market 

 conditions. 



The total catch of salmon increased about 2 percent over that 

 for 1931. By districts, southeastern Alaska showed a decrease of 

 approximately 5 percent, while there were gains of 4 and 15 percent,^ 

 respectively, in central and western Alaska. 



There was a decrease of about 37 percent in the number of fathoms 

 of seines and 24 percent in the number of fathoms of gill nets used 

 in Alaska in 1932, as compared with the previous year, while traps 

 decreased 28 percent. 



CATCH AND APPARATUS 



The total number of seines used in the sahnon industry in 1932 

 was 331, of which 242 were purse seines and 89 beach seines. The 

 purse seines aggregated 39,795 fathoms of webbing and the beach 

 seines 10,955 fathoms. The number of gill nets used was 3.563^ 

 having a total length of 197,996 fathoms. There were 150 driven 

 and 193 floating traps — a total of 343. 



Southeastern Alaska was accredited with 193 seines, or a total of 

 34,455 fathoms, a decrease of 99 seines and 17,353 fathoms of web- 

 bing from the number used in 1931 ; also with 158 gill nets, aggre- 

 gating 12,125 fathoms, a decrease of 157 nets and 6,135 fathoms of 

 webbing; and with 22 driven and 171 floating traps, a decrease of 

 18 driven and 63 floating traps from the number operated in 1931. 



Corresponding figures for central Alaska show 134 seines, or 15.520' 

 fathoms, as compared with 257 seines, or 28,149 fathoms, in 1931 ; 

 1,499 gill nets, or 63,105 fathoms, as compared with 1,826 gill nets, 

 or 82,523 fathoms, in 1931; and 127 driven and 22 floating traps,, 

 as compared with 177 driven and 25 floating traps in 1931. 



In western Alaska, 4 seines, or 775 fathoms of webbing, were 

 used, a decrease from 1931 of 3 seines and 330 fathoms of webbing. 

 There were 1.906 gill nets used, or an aggregate of 122,766 fatlioms, 

 a decrease of 457 nets and 38,076 fathoms of Avebbing. One driven 

 trap was used in this district, as compared with 2 in 1931. 



Seines caught 14 percent of the salmon taken in 1932, gill nets 

 28 percent, and traps 55 percent, while lines and wheels took the 

 remaining 3 percent. 



