20 tr. s. BrREAU of fisheries. 



in September, while the kite or winter run spawns from early 

 November to well into January. A peculiarity of this species is 

 that the fish in most instances are in spawning;: condition wlien they 

 leave salt water to enter the streams, and most of the et^gs collected 

 in the Washington field are obtained in tidewaters. The increased 

 collections of chum-salmon eggs within the past two years may be 

 attributed to the lessened activity of commercial fishermen, the low 

 prices prevailing offering but little inducement to fish. 



There was a satisfactory run of silver salmon at the Hood Canal 

 substations, tliough e<r^ collections fell below those of the preceding 

 year because the run occurred at a time when floods prevented the 

 successful operation of traps or seines, a condition that continued 

 to prevail throughout the spring spawning season of the steelhead 

 salmon. 



QUINAULT (WASH.) SITBSTATION. 

 [Philo B. Hawley, Foreman in Charge.] 



The fish-cultural work at this substation during the year was less 

 successful than usual, the aggregate out])ut amounting to only 

 5,820,800 as compared with 15,908,000 in 1920. Eggs at this point 

 are obtained from fish taken in traps or by other means in the tril)U- 

 taries of Quinault Lake, which, like most streams in a mountainous 

 country, react quickly to climatic conditions, a heavy rain producing 

 flood conditions almost immediately. The waters rapidly subside 

 on the cessation of rain, while even a short period of dry weather 

 causes low water stages at all points. Fishing operations are con- 

 ducted in the streams at some distance from the hatchery, the eggs 

 being transported l)y canoe. Every season there are times when the 

 water stages in the upper Quinault and Big Creek, the principal 

 spawning streams, are so low that it is difficult to operate a canoe, 

 while at other times the water is so high that all traps are submerged 

 to a depth of 1 to 5 feet. 



As it is characteristic of salmon to ascend the streams in the 

 greatest numbers during high-water stages, it is not surprising that 

 the e^g collections should be subject to material fluctuation from 

 year to year. Thus, the number of eggs of any species taken is not 

 necessaril}'^ a just criterion of the number of salmon available at 

 spawning time. The remedy for this situation, fi-om a fish-cultural 

 standpoint, is the construction of a trap at the lake outlet similar to 

 the one used at the Baker Lake station, whereby all the fish are taken 

 as they enter and are held in an inclosure until they are ready to 

 spawn. 



The. first soekeye-salmon eggs were taken November 3, and be- 

 tween that date and November 20 the entire egg collections for the 

 season, amounting to 1,750,000, were obtained. From November 20 

 to the time tliat efforts at spaAvn taking wei'e abandoned, on Decem- 

 ber 15. high-water stages precluded all possibility of seining or fish- 

 ing by other methods. Local collections of this species were 

 augmented by the receipt of 2,000,000 eggs from the Afognak sta- 

 tif)n. The run of silver salmon appeared to be larger than usual, 

 and during the s]iawning season of that species, which is coincident 

 Avitli that of the sockeye, 1,565,000 eggs were secured. A small num- 

 ber of chinook-salmon eggs was also taken. The run of chinooks, 

 which Avas apparently not large, was earlier than usual. 



