ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1924 113 



chums, 71 barrels and 1 tierce pickled. Practically all of this pack 

 was shipped to the States. In addition 55 cases of smoked kings 

 were canned for sale in the local market. 



Fishing by natives along the Yukon and Tanana Rivers also was 

 successfiil, although there was a heavy loss of spoiled fish as a result 

 of continual rains from July 3 to August 10. It was estimated that 

 there were 258 wheels and 600 fathoms of nets operated from Kwiguk 

 to Rampart Rapids, and that about 685 tons of dried dog salmon 

 were prepared. The catch on the Tanana River was approximately 

 50 tons of dried dog salmon. Contrary to custom, the natives were 

 still fishing when the bureau's patrol passed up the river the latter 

 part of August and early in September. 



Inspector C. F. Townsend, with headquarters at Fairbanks, looked 

 after the bureau's interests on the Yukon and tributaries and also 

 supervised the Kuskokwim River investigation. 



ALITAK SALMON COUNT 



Red salmon ascending to spa\Mi in two small streams in Olga Bay 

 were counted, as in the previous season. Work of constructing the 

 rack in the stream at the upper station was begun on May 12 and 

 completed May 21. The rack in the stream at the home station was 

 completed by May 27. Counting began at the upper station on 

 May 24 and at the home station on May 29, and continued until 

 October 8. The total number of red salmon that passed through at 

 the upper station was 302,008, and at the home station 19,867, a 

 grand total of 321,875. 



A run of red salmon in Olga Bay was reported to have entered 

 Horse Marine Lagoon. This stream was not racked, but it was esti- 

 mated that about 30,000 red salmon were in the lake at the head of 

 the stream. 



The companies fishing in Alitak Bay and tributary waters reported 

 the capture of 238,759 red salmon, or approximately 40 per cent of 

 the total run. Once during the season the commercial catch of red 

 salmon exceeded the escapement, as coimted at the two weirs, and 

 fishing was ordered discontinued from July 29 to August 11. During 

 the latter part of the season the escapement exceeded the catch. 



A small run of coho salmon through the racks lasted from July 31 

 until counting was discontinued on October 8, and a run of hump- 

 backs lasted Irom July 30 to September 12, but these counts can not 

 be regarded as a basis for computing the run, as both of these species 

 spawTied chiefly in other streams. It was estimated that there was 

 an escapement of more than 2,000,000 humpbacks, and that the 

 chum and coho escapement far exceeded the catch in the district. 



Operations at Alitak were under the general supervision of Fred R. 

 Lucas, superintendent of the i\iognak hatchery. 



CHIGNIK SALMON COUNT 



Considerable difficulty was again experienced in putting in the 

 rack for counting salmon ascending Chignik River in 1924. On 

 May 11 work was begun on the construction of the rack about 150 

 feet below its location in the previous season. The river there is 460 

 feet wide and from 2 to 5J^ feet in depth. Some delay was experi- 

 enced in getting the lumber delivered at the rack from the North- 



