FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 29 



as possible might be available for future guidance. Accordingly 

 arrangements were made for an investigation under the leadership 

 of Dr. Henry B. Ward, of the University of Illinois. Associated with 

 Dr. Ward were Prof. W. A. Oldf ather, also of the University of Illinois, 

 and J. R. Russell, superintendent of the Bureau's fish-cultural sta- 

 tions in Wasliington. The party arrived at Cordova on July 17, 1919, 

 and proceeded up the Copper River & Northwestern Railway, thence 

 taking a local guide and suitable camping equipment. The investiga- 

 tion covered several hundred miles of territory and included visits to a 

 number of the more important spawning grounds on the tributary 

 streams and lakes of the Copper River system. The party returned 

 to Cordova September 6, 1919. A complete report submitted by Dr. 

 Ward is given on page 119. 



YUKON RIVER FISHERY. 



In 1919 the Yukon River salmon lishcrics assumed a position of 

 large interest due to the successful operation of a cannery on Kwiguk 

 Pass or Slough near the upper end of Kwikluak Pass, the most 

 southerly outlet of the YuKon. The commercial utihzation of 

 salmon dates back to 1918 only, as prior to that year all salmon taken 

 from the Yukon were used locally. The canning of Yukon salmon 

 was begun in 1918 by the Carlisle Packing Co., ratner as development 

 or experimental work. The company was entering virgin territory, 

 where business prudence required that it make a practical test of the 

 feasibility of commercial operations in a region whose iishery wealth 

 was almost unknown. Operations were conceded to be of experi- 

 mental nature to determine whether the size of the runs of salmon 

 would warrai\t the permanent establishment of a cannery on the river. 

 Until that time little was known regarding the number of salmon 

 ascending the Yukon River and its tributaries, though it was gen- 

 erally understood that a considerable catch was made annually by the 

 natives for domestic use. The number thus taken probably did not 

 exceed a few hundred thousand salmon each season, or a compara- 

 tively small number for a river of such size. The canning company 

 made a total catch in 1918 of 1 15,531 salmon, more than half of which 

 were chums. 



In 1918 strong objections were made in certain quarters to cannery 

 operations on the Yukon. Toward the end of the season, these 

 objections took form and culminated in protests by some of the 

 natives and white settlers along the river against the contiimed 

 operation of this cannery, or the establishment of any more, the basic 

 contention being that the supply of salmon was not more than 

 adequate for local rerjuirements. In contradiction of these repre- 

 sentations, the packing company insisted that the runs were of enor- 

 mous proportions and that fishing as conducted in the lower reaches 

 of the river hafl made no appreciable impression on the supply of 

 salmon and that in all probability it never could. 



In November, 1918, a public hearing was held at Seattle, Wash., to 

 determine the need, if any, of limits upon commercial fishing in the 

 Yukon River as a means of safeguardi'ig the fishery, and to ascertain 

 the facts in n^gard to conflicting opinions and expressions bearing 

 upon the entire matter. The information prescmted at the hearing 

 showed the existence of a situation which might become serious it 



