ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1921. 



31 



SALMON CATCH AND APPARATUS. 



In 1921 there were used in the salmon fisheries of Alaska 95 beach 

 seines, aggregating 13,488 fathoms, and 118 purse seines, aggregating 

 21,575 fathoms, a total of 213 seines, or 35,063 fathoms. This is a 

 decrease of 499 seines, or 82,048 fathoms, from the number reported 

 in 1920. Southeast Alaska is credited with 138 seines, having a 

 total length of 20,525 fathoms; central Alaska, with 59 seines, 

 having a total length of 9,908 fathoms, and western Alaska, with 

 16 seines, having a total length of 4,630 fathoms. 



Statistics show that 3,235 gill nets, aggregating 375, 320 fathoms, 

 were operated in 1921. Of this number 230 nets, or 43,850 fathoms 

 of webbing, were used m southeast Alaska; 672 nets, or 47,950 

 fathoms, in central Alaska; and 2,333 nets, or 283,520 fathoms, in 

 western Alaska. This is a decrease of 1,362 gill nets, or 99,894 

 fathoms, from the 4,597 nets, or 475,214 fathoms, employed in 1920. 



The total number of traps used in the salmon industry in 1921 

 was 180, of which 127 were driven and 53 floating. As compared 

 with 1920, when 653 traps were operated, this is a decrease of 473. 

 Southeast Alaska is credited with 62 driven and 51 floating traps, 

 decreases, respectively, of 225 and 146; central Alaska, with 59 

 driven and 2 floating traps, decreases, respectively, of 91 and 9; 

 and western Alaska, with 6 driven traps, a decrease of 2. 



Considering the total catch of salmon by apparatus, the approxi- 

 mate per cent taken by the three important kinds of apparatus was 

 as follows: Seines 18, gill nets 47, and traps 32. In 1920 seines took 

 26§ per cent, gill nets 20 per cent, and traps 42 per cent. 



Percentage of salmon caught in each Alaska district, by principal forms of apparatus. 



The production of salmon in Alaska in 1921 was 37,905,591, as 

 compared with 65,080,539, in 1920, a decrease of 27,174,948, or 

 approximately 41 per cent. The decrease in southeast Alaska was 

 21,244,129, and in central Alaska 11,644,986. In western Alaska 

 there was an increase of 5,714,167. The catch in Alaska as a whole 

 compared with that of 1920 shows that cohos decreased 708,654, 

 chums 7,476,776, and humpbacks 24,955,793, and that kings increased 

 50,909, and reds 5,915,366. This is the smallest catch of salmon hx 

 southeast Alaska in 17 years, or since 1904, q 



4562°— 22 3 



