ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1930 21 



white resident, fishing for trout, advised that four days earlier he had seen in 

 the creek at least 1,000 salmon in three schools. Trout were rather plentiful, 

 and three men fishing with hook and line had taken 1,000 in about one week. 



On August 27 Kokhonak Creek w^as examined and several schools of salmon 

 were observed, but none had more than 20 fish except one school at Big Bluff 

 and the shallows near the small island on the left side going up stream, which 

 contained 350 fish. A total of 3,800 fish were counted from the stream mouth 

 up about halfway to the lake. Approximately 400 dead salmon were lying 

 along the river banks. 



Fails Creek, in the vicinity of Copper River, was inspected on August 28 from 

 the lake to the waterfall, in which distance 470 spawning salmon were observed. 

 At this stream 222 rainbow trout were taken in one hour with a beach net. On 

 August 30 in Copper River 6,700 spawning salmon were noted, as well as about 

 3,500 spent salmon along the bars and on the stream bed. The following day 

 360 spawning salmon were counted in Tommy Point Creek, about one-third of 

 the number being very small. Seven hauls with the beach seine resulted in a 

 total catch of 280 lake trout and 34 rainbow trout. 



Iliamna River was ascended for about 4 miles above the village on September 

 3, in w^hich distance approximately 200 salmon, all of small size, were observed. 

 The next day Pile River was inspected for about 3 miles, but the water was 

 high and discolored, making it impossible to see the fish. Two small creeks in 

 the vicinity were examined and showed but a very few salmon, although last 

 year they had harbored several thousand fish. It is believed that the escape- 

 ment in Pile River is similar to that in the creeks. 



On September 8 an inspection of Newhalen River by plane showed 2,500 

 salmon between the lake and Nondalton. Salmon were still coming to the 

 river and the runs compared favorably with those of preceding years. The 

 Newhalen is the only stream in this section that can be reported as fair in salmon 

 escapement this year. A short trip was made along the shore of Lake Clark, 

 but no salmon were visible because of the discolored water. 



A resident who had been fishing for trout in the Tularic River reported that 

 3,250 salmon had entered that stream and 2,500 in a small creek 5 miles above 

 the river. 



BECHAROF LAKE DISTRICT 



An examination of the Becharof Lake system, which drains into the 

 Egegik River, was made at the close of the fishing season by WilHam 

 E. Sullivan, who reported thereon under date of September 12, 1930, 

 as follows; 



A careful survey of the Becharof Lake spawning grounds shows that the escape- 

 ment this season has been very poor, by far the poorest it has ever been. Salmon 

 streams tributary to Big Becharof Lake, Island Lake, Upper Becharof Lake, and 

 Ruth Lake were examined, and it is estimated that not more than 500,000 red 

 salmon escaped to these spawning grounds. Only three streams — Crooked 

 Creek, Featherly Creek and Bob's Creek — had a fair run of fish. None of the 

 others had more than 25 per cent of the number they should have had for adequate 

 seeding. None of the small streams had any more than were killed by their 

 natural enemies. There were no salmon spawning along the lake shores nor lying 

 at the mouths of the creeks as is usually the case at the beginning of September. 



KUSKOKWIM RIVER 



As in previous years, Stream Guard Charles McGonagall was 

 stationed on Kuskokwim River with a chartered launch for about 

 three months diu-ing the summer to observe fishing operations. 



During the years 1926 to 1929, inclusive, all commercial fishing 

 for salmon in the Kuskokwim area for export from Alaska had been 

 prohibited, but before the salmon run started in 1930 supplementary 

 orders were issued modifying the regulations to permit commercial 

 fishing in parts of Kuskokwim Bay under certain restrictions. The 

 promulgation of such a measure was considered desirable by resi- 

 dents of the district who believed that limited cannery operations 

 would not take an undue proportion of the salmon run and would 



