PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1923. 



31 



Inasmuch as the run of sockeye salmon in Quinault Lake involves 

 a part of two fiscal j^ears, the total run for any one calendar year 

 does not appear in the annual reports. Thus, during the calendar 

 year 1922 fish were running and daily counts were made during the 

 period from March 29 to September 13, 1922, inclusive, and during 

 this time 49,466 salmon passed up the river. These, added to the 

 count up to and including June 30, 1922, give a total of 248,932 fish 

 entering the lake during the full period of the 1922 run. A table 

 showing the daily count for this portion of the calendar year 1922 

 is herewith appended : 



Daily count of sockeye salmon entering Quinault Lake, from July 1 to Septem- 

 ber 13, 1922. 



An estimate of the probable number of fish that will enter the 

 lake during the full term of the 1923 run, based on a comparison 

 with last 3'ear's figures, would place the total for the calendar year 

 1923 at approximately 1.50,000, or about 61 per cent of the large 

 run of the preceding year. 



In the census for both the years referred to fully 7 per cent of the 

 fish counted had been marked by the gill nets in use in the commercial 

 fishery near the mouth of the river. Probably not less than 50 per 

 cent of the fish marked were so badly scarred and lacerated that 

 death before spawning time seemed inevitable. This means that 

 one-half of the 9,091 net-marked fish passing through the weir be- 

 tween March 20 and June 30, 1923, constituted a total loss not only to 

 the trade but to the work of propagation. Figuring at the current 

 prices for marketable fish, this represents a monetary loss to the 

 Indian fishermen of about $2,700. 



The escapement for the calendar year 1922 — very nearly 250,000 — 

 was probably as large as could reasonably be expected, and though 

 comparatively little is known on the subject this number would 

 seem to insure an ample return at the completion of the life cycle 



88453—24 3 



