FISHERIES OF SIBERIA 63 



fishing began. The richest fishing grounds in the district are con- 

 sidered to be those in the lower reaches of the Lena River, the Aldan 

 River and its tributaries, the Maya River, and the mouth of the 

 Kolyma River. The catch in the Lena district is unknown. That 

 of the Kolyma district (including lakes) reached 8,960,000 to 13,- 

 440,000 pounds, of which 896,000 pounds were shipped by steamers 

 to the town of Yakutsk. The only market was the Lena mining 

 district. The chief species are sturgeon, weighing sometimes as high 

 as 200 pounds, muksun, nelma, gwiniad, chir, bass, pike, crucian, 

 and carp. 



LAKE BAIKAL REGION 



This district includes Baikal Lake, rivers emptying into the lake 

 (especially the Barguzin, Selenga, and upper Angara Rivers), and 

 lagoonlike lakes ("sory") along the shores of Baikal Lake. The most 

 important species of fish is the "omul" (Coregonus baikalensis or C. 

 migratorius) , which is taken the year round. Others are sturgeon, 

 chir, gwiniad, grayling, crucian, burbot, and " golomiyanka " (Come- 

 phorus baikalensis) . The latter fives in the deepest places of the lake 

 and is about 10^2 inches long. There are also found seals (Phoca 

 baikalensis). In Frolikha Lake, near the northern extremity of 

 Baikal Lake and communicating with the latter by a river of the 

 same name, is found a special kind of trout (Salvalinus erythrinus) 

 not known elsewhere. 



Usually the fishermen are united into "artels" or gangs on a coop- 

 erative basis. The number of fishermen in the region was estimated 

 at 2,500. The quantity of the Catch is unknown. 



YENISEI REGION 



The Yenisei region is of very little commercial importance as yet. 

 Fishing is done largely in the lower reaches of the Yenisei River and 

 in small tundra lakes. The species caught are sturgeon, nelma, omul 

 (Coregonus autumnalis) , muksun, chir, seld (Coregonus nerlci), and 

 gwuiniad (Coregonus pidschian). The catch before the World War 

 amounted to 13,440,000 pounds, of which half went to the markets, 

 principally those of the towns of Yeniseisk and Krasnoyarsk. The 

 fish were prepared with little regard to cleanliness and in a very 

 primitive way, and had therefore a very bad odor. The inferior 

 quality of the prepared fish and lack of communication restricted 

 the sale of fish of this district to the Yenisei Province. 



OB REGION 



The Ob region was the most important^ in western Siberia. In 

 Tobolsk Province the fishing industry is the mainstay for the major 

 portion of the native tribes in this district. The largest number of 

 fish was taken in the estuary of the Ob River, representing 40 per 

 cent of all the fish shipped from this region. In the lower reaches of 

 the Ob the catches were smaller, but a canning industry has begun 

 to develop. The fish caught were river species and sea species 

 ascending the Ob River for spawning. The most abundant are 

 Cyprinidge, salmonida?, sturgeon, perch, cod, and pike. 



