PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 257 



employed to handle the fish on shore, but the actual fishing can be 

 done only by Russian subjects. 



At the^ present time the chief aim of the Russian authorities is to 

 break the monopoly the Japanese have of the fisheries along the 

 greater part of the coast. This will be an exceedingly difficult thing 

 to do, o'v\'ing to the proximity of the Japanese to the Siberian coast, 

 the ease with which they can transport by water the necessary sup- 

 plies, etc., for carrying on the fisheries, the vastly greater skill m 

 carrying on this work displayed by them over their Russian com- 



Eetitors, and their unlimited supply of cheap labor, while the Russian 

 sheries are badly hampered as a result of the few Russian subjects 

 available for such work and the consequent high wage cost of same. 

 Japan also has another big advantage in that she is at present almost 

 the sole market for the greater part of the salmon and other fishes 

 taken in Siberia. The very fact of this fish being necessary for feeding 

 her people ^^^ll cause Japan to battle hard to hold her present advan- 

 tage. 



In order to encourage opposition to the Japanese, the Russian 

 authorities in 1913 gave to Denbigh & Biritch, on a long lease, a 

 fishing station on the Kamchatka River (eastern shore of Kamchatka 

 peninsula), and to S. Grooshetsky & Co. one on the Bolsha River 

 (western shore of Kamchatka). In order to safeguard the fishery in 

 the lease each was to build a fish hatchery with a capacity of 3,000,000 

 salmon per annum in the vicinity of the station. Each was to release 

 500,000 in 1914, 1,000,000 in 1915, and 3,000,000 yearly from 1916 

 to the end of the lease. Owing to technical difficulties only the latter 

 firm built a hatchery, and this not until 1915 or 1916. It has since 

 been shut do\m. 



The development of the salmon and other fisheries of Siberia has 

 been much hampered by the disinclination of the Russian Govern- 

 ment to permit foreigners to acquire fishing concessions except on 

 very short tenure. As the Russians themselves are generally un- 

 skilled in fishing operations, and are compelled to do the work with 

 Russian labor, which is c^uite scarce, they do l)ut little with their 

 concessions. American capital would doubtless be available for 

 developing Siberia's fisheries were it assured of a sufficiently long 

 tenure of lease Anth some other minor concessions. 



APPARATUS EMPLOYED. 



In the river districts somewhat primitive fishing apparatus is 

 employed. Spears, dip nets, and tlie other simple forms which 

 seem to be common to all savage tribes depending upon the water 

 for the greater part of their subsistence, are all in use by the natives 

 living along the upper reaches. 



Weirs of a primitive type known as "zaezdka," are also used. 

 These have a lead consisting of willow poles and branches built from 

 the river bank or a sand bank out into the stream. At the out-er 

 end is attached a net compartment with a lead, into which the fish, 

 which have been following the lead in the search for ari opening, 

 pass. Two men in a boat are anchored close l)y, and as soon as 30 

 or 40 salmon have passed into the compartment, it is hauled up and 

 the fish emptied into the boat, after which the net is reset. 

 11312"— 21 17 



