76 FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
during the entire year below Altoona, while above that town the 
Government requires that the stakes be removed after fishing ceases, 
except during the interval between the summer and fall fishing. 
The nets are often set on sand bars, and the pots, in many cases, 
are out of water at extreme low tide. _ 
Seines.—The total catch with semes in Washington in 1915 
amounted to 39,332,569 pounds, having a value to the fishermen 
of $734,154, as compared with 19,814,215 pounds, valued at $427,- 
896, taken in 1904. The seine catch now ranks third in value among 
the different forms of apparatus. In 1904 the entire catch was 
made in the shore fisheries, while in 1915 nearly 90 per cent of the 
catch was made by vessels of 5 tons and over. Haul seines are used 
mostly in the shore fisheries, while with few exceptions purse seies 
are used on vessels; this illustrates the advance made in this fishery. 
Purse seines are used chiefly in the Puget Sound region, less than 
a half dozen being operated in the Columbia River. Occasionally 
purse-seine vessels work outside of the 3-mile limit, and even as 
far as 15 miles off Cape Flattery; but one objection to this offshore 
fishing is that the salmon taken there on their way to their 
spawning ground are quite fat. Unless they are cleaned and pre- 
pared for canning at once they are unfit for use when taken ashore. 
This drawback has in a measure been overcome, as in trolling, 
by one cannery anchoring a scow provided with an “iron chink” 
on the fishing grounds near Cape Flattery for cleanmg the salmon 
as soon as delivered. In most cases the catch of purse-seine vessels 
is delivered to buy boats owned by the several salmon canneries, 
which come direct to the fishing grounds for the fish. 
The purse-seine season has until recently always begun about 
July 1 with fishing for bluebacks or sockeyes. Within the past 
few years, however, a few of the larger vessels have been fishing 
for silver salmon some distance off Cape Flattery from about June 10 
to the middle of July. In 1916 this work was prosecuted until 
the latter part of August. Very little purse seinmg is done during 
January, February, and March, or in fact, until June or July, when 
the new season begins. Various sections of Puget Sound are closed 
to purse seines during certain periods of the year, and the entire 
sound and its tributaries are closed to all fishing, except with hook 
and line, from March 1 to April 15, both dates inclusive. 
Purse seines in Washington are restricted in length by law to 
1,800 lineal feet, measured on cork lme when wet. Most of the 
fishermen aim to have their seines up to the legal limit. The depth 
averages about 400 meshes of 3} inches, 9 or 12 thread cotton 
twine, with 50 meshes of 5 inch, 15 or 18 thread cotton twine on the 
bottom. The bunt is from 60 to 75 feet long, and 200 meshes of 
3-inch 18-thread cotton twine deep. The crew on a purse-seine vessel 
ranges from five to eight men, a majority of the vessels having seven 
men. The custom is for the owner of the vessel to furnish the boat, 
seine, dishes, and everything except the food. The vessel is allotted 
four shares, and the members of the crew one share each. In acrew 
of seven men, including the owner, there would be 11 shares; that 
is, the boat would draw four shares, and the remaining seven shares 
would be divided among the owner and six men. Of course, when 
the owner does not work he gets no share except the vessel’s four 
shares. The cook does only light work, but helps m fishing and draws 
