ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1930 19 



The patrol fleet, consisting of the Scoter, seven launches, and a skiff", was 

 assigned to the various sections of Bristol Bay, as follows: 



Ugashik River and Bay. — Launch No. 6, C. M. Hatton and Johnnie Monson. 



Egegik River. — Launch No. ^, Elmer Quistorff and Clinton Gross. 



Naknek River. — Launch No. 2, Adrian Youngsman and Oscar Thorene. 



Kvichak Bay and River. — Launch No. 1, Ray H. Nichols and George I. Adams. 



Nushagak Bay and River. — Launch No. 3, Eric Fenno and Wesley Haynes. 



Igushik River. — Claude Flock with a skiff. 



The Scoter was engaged in patrol of the lower limit of the Kvichak-Naknek 

 area from Etolin Point to Middle Bluff Light and was used also by Agent Winn 

 in supervising the bureau's activities in the Bristol Bay district. Launcli No. 7 

 was employed in connection with weir operations and patrol of the Kvichak- 

 Naknek area, and launch No. 8 was used in connection with the Ugashik weir. 



Data collected in regard to fishing operations showed that 677 fishing boats 

 were operated by the canneries and 191 bj' independent fishermen — local whites 

 and natives who sold their catches to the canneries. Of the independent boats, 

 66 were used by white residents and 125 by natives, as compared with 35 by 

 whites and 125 bv natives in 1929. The number of commercial stake nets 

 operated decreased from 139 in 1929 to 134 in 1930. 



RUNS AND ESCAPEMENT OF SALMON 



The run of red salmon in the Bristol Bay district in 1930 was approximately 

 one- third of the average size and resulted in a small pack and a poor escape- 

 ment to the spawning grounds. Weather conditions, although rough occa- 

 sionally with considerable rain, were in general favorable to the fishermen and 

 no loss of time was experienced from inclement weather. In order to provide 

 a better escapement, the weekly closed period in the Nushagak district was 

 extended to 60 hours, and in all districts the commercial fishing season was 

 closed one week earlier than the date originally set. 



Nushagak River. — The principal run of the season struck in on the flood tide 

 of July 11 at the beginning of a weekly closed period and continued until the 

 morning of July 13. It is estimated that the total escapement for the season 

 was about 60 per cent of that of an average year. 



Kvichak-Naknek Rivers. — The main run came in on the flood tide of July 12, 

 at which time large catches were made by the fishermen. The fish continued 

 to run in good numbers during the weekly closed period until the flood tide of 

 July 13, after which there was a marked decrease, and no further run of im- 

 portance octiurred during the season. 



Ugashik and Egegik Rivers. — The salmon run was negligible throughout the 

 season, as was the escapement. 



DESTRUCTION OF PREDATORY FISHES 



Payments from Territorial funds to bona fide residents of the Bristol Bay 

 district, authorized under the 1929 session laws of Alaska for improving condi- 

 tions of the salmon spawning grounds, have amounted to more than $12,500 

 for bounty on some 251,000 predatory trout destroyed to September 30, 1930. 

 An additional sum of approximately $350 was expended for labor, fishing gear, 

 shotgun shells, and necessary equipment. The residents of Bristol Bay par- 

 ticipating in the destruction of predatory enemies of salmon mostlv are natives, 

 although a few white people also are interested in the work and' benefit from 

 the amounts they receive as boimty. 



INSPECTION OF ILIAMNA AND LAKE CLARK SPAWNING AREAS 



The folloAving report was made by Agent Dennis Winn covering his 

 trip of inspection during the month of August : 



On August 10 the writer left Naknek on launch No. 6 for Iliamna Lake to 

 observe conditions in that area. Observations of the escajjcment into the 

 Kvichak River at the foot of Kaskonak Flats had been made previously by 

 Warden Lucas, and he estimated that about 500,000 red salmon had passed 

 upstream. These made very little showing on the spawning beds at the time 

 of our inspection from August 12 to 17. It was believed that possibly it was 

 still somewhat early for best observations, and therefore a less thorough survey was 

 made than in previous years. However, it was suflScient to show that the escape- 



