ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1921. 25 



males. Sev^en counts from July 15 to 31, totaling 1,100 salmon, 

 showed 708 females and 392 males. From August 2 to 15 a total 

 of 900 salmon counted resulted in 420 females and 480 males. All 

 counts were made without selection at the iron chink from the day's 

 run of sahnon through that machine. 



The counts showed that at the beginning of operations in the 

 canyon 88 per cent of the red salmon caught were females. Later 

 the proportions changed, females constituting 82 per cent of the 

 catch in the first part of July and 64 per cent the latter part, and in 

 August only 46 per cent were females. It seems probable that the 

 smaller percentage of males caught at the beginning of up-river oper- 

 ations was due to the screening effect of the gill nets at the delta, 

 in that the smaller salmon, chiefly females, escaped through the 

 meshes. 



At the Seattle hearing on November 17, 1921, at which 'Mr. C. H. 

 Huston, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, was present, the owners 

 of the Abercrombie cannery introduced evidence to the effect that 

 there was an abundance of salmon in the Copper River sufficient for 

 the needs of the inhabitants of the region and ample to maintain the 

 runs over and above the limited demands of their cannery, and that 

 in, view of these representations the closing order of December 18, 

 1920, prohibiting all commercial fishing in the Copper River on and 

 after September 1, 1921, should be set aside. Contrary views were 

 convincingly expressed, especially by Dr. C. H. Gilbert, who has 

 made extensive studies and observations in the region. In the final 

 analysis of the information presented the conclusion was reached 

 that adequate protection of the Copper River salmon runs was unat- 

 tainable under any relaxation of the closing order. 



KARLUK INVESTIGATIONS. 



Special work was inaugurated at Karluk in May, 1921, to secure 

 data for the solution of problems of great importance to the salmon 

 industry of Alaska, among which are (1) the ratio of utilization to 

 escapement of salmon from any run that is sufficient to safeguard 

 and maintain the supply, and (2) the production of salmon under 

 natural conditions from a known escapement. These c[uestions can 

 not be answered in a single season, but painstaking inquiry and inves- 

 tigation must go on through several years without interruption before 

 the necessary data can be obtained. 



Karluk River seemed to possess peculiar advantages for this under- 

 taking, as there is no complication of the questions under considera- 

 tion by the mixture of salmon destined to other spawning grounds. 

 A rack was placed across the river at a point approximately half a 

 mile above tne lagoon at the head of tidewater. It was equipped 

 with three gates through which the ascending salmon were permitted 

 to pass, a daily tally being kept of the salmon escaping. Counting 

 began on May 26 and was continued until October 27. Broadly 

 speaking, the escapement was good, but at times the effect of fishing 

 at the mouth of the river was marked, as some days approximately 

 90 per cent of the run was captured. 



Interesting observations were made regarding the migration of 

 fingerling salmon which in the early part of June were noted in 

 thousands at the rack. Specimens were collected for identification. 

 Dolly Varden trout were also descending the river in large numbers 



