58 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

 Okhotsk district — Continued 



WEST KAMCHATKA DISTRICT 



The west Kamchatka fisheries are along the west coast of Kam- 

 chatka Peninsula, occupying a seacoast 800 miles long. Along this 

 coast fishing has been forbidden near the mouths of a number of 

 rivers, such as Ozernaya, Goliguina, Opala, Boishaya, Kol, Vorov- 

 skaya, Kolpokara, Oblukovina, and Tigil. Until recently the 

 Boishaya River was the scene of the most active fishing in this 

 region, but the stations are gradually moving toward the northern 

 portion of the coast. This region, being opened recently, attracted 

 great attention, especially on the part of Japanese fishermen. The 

 number of fishing stations was 109 in 1909, 102 in 1910, 139 in 1911, 

 133 in 1912, 148 in 1913, and 179 in 1920. Their output increased 

 from 34,720,000 pounds in 1909 to 53,536,000 pounds in 1910, 

 108,192,000 pounds in 1911, 55,104,000 pounds in 1912, and 84,224,000 

 pounds in 1913, winch included 2,240,000 pounds of Russian caviar. 

 To these figures are to be added the river catch, which in 1911 was 

 8,064,000 pounds; 1912, 6,272,000 pounds; and 1913, 8,960,000 

 pounds, including 481,600 pounds of Russian caviar. The Russian 

 authorities also became interested in these fisheries and began to 

 finance Russian fishermen, even sending instructors to improve 

 methods of salting fish. Their activities resulted in a change of 

 markets from uncovenanted river waters. 



In 1911, 58 per cent of all the fish and fishery products from 

 uncovenanted waters were exported to Japan; in 1912, 30 per cent; 

 and in 1913 only 21 per cent. In 1913 the catch in this district was 

 as follows: 



