18 V. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



YUKON RIVER 



Four outfits engaged in commercial fishing at the mouth of the 

 Yukon Eiver in 1934 and prepared products for the outside market 

 amounting to 447 tierces of mild-cured and 134 barrels of pickled 

 king salmon. The output was considerably curtailed by reason of 

 a shortage of tierces and salt, due to the water-front strike in Seattle 

 which necessitated the discontinuance of operations before the end of 

 June. By the time additional supplies were received, the run of king 

 salmon had passed. 



In the fall of 1933 some of the operators iti tliis district had holes 

 dug in the tundra and covered with poles and moss. High tides 

 filled these holes with water, which froze solid during the winter, 

 thus furnishing excellent cold-storage facilities in the curing season. 



Operations were begun at the opening of the season on June 5, but 

 catches were light until June 14; a good run of king salmon occurred 

 thereafter, which reached its peak between June 29 and July 7. 

 Chum salmon began to arrive at the same time as the kings, but very 

 little fishing for this species was carried on until after the salteries 

 had closed. A second run of chums entered the river on July 29; 

 this run was exceptionally heavy at the mouth and as far upstream 

 as Pilot Station. The catch from Pilot Station to Tanana, except 

 at a few camps, was the lightest in years, which was attributed 

 largely to the fact that the river was liigh and full of driftv/ood, 

 interfering with operation of the wheels. 



A patrol of the district was maintained by Inspector C. F. Town- 

 send and a stream guard aboard the Coot. The vessel departed from 

 the Government ways at Nenana on May 23 for the mouth of the 

 river and returned to Nenana on September 11. 



Products of the Yukon and Tanana fisheries, including the com- 

 mercial output, were as follows: 144 cases of kings canned, 624 

 pounds of canned smoked kings, 447 tierces of mild-cured kings, 

 28,200 pounds of kings and 650 pounds of chums pickled, 200 pounds 

 of kippered kings, and 308 tons of dried chums. Apparatus con- 

 sisted of 215 wheels, 180 giU nets of 3,561 fathoms, 1 motor vessel of 

 40 tons, 3 launches, 4 scows, and miscellaneous small boats. There 

 were 34 wliites and 393 natives engaged in the fishery. 



WEIRS FOR COUNTING SALMON ESCAPEMENT 



Twelve weirs for counting the escapement of spawning salmon 

 were operated in Alaska in 1934 to provide information needed in 

 connection with the biological studies of the salmon and the regulation 

 of commercial fishing. This represents an expansion of the weir 

 work over that of the previous year, which was made possible through 

 an allotment of $6,000 from the Public Works Administration to be 

 used in the fiscal years 1934 and 1935 for reconditioning and reestab- 

 lishing Alaska weirs. Those reestablished under this appropriation 

 were the Klawak Creek weir in southeast Alaska and the Red River, 

 English Bay, Morzhovoi Bay, and Orzenoi Bay weirs in central 

 Alaska. 



Weirs were again maintained at Karluk River, Chinik Creek, 

 Chignik River, and Alitak Bay, where the escapenu^nt records have 

 been kept for a series of years. In addition, counting operations 

 were resumed on Sitidv River and in the salmon stream tributarv to 



