80 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



period and is considered responsible for a part of the gains in the red- 

 salmon runs in recent years. 



During the year 1937 approximately $20,000 was expended in the 

 Bristol Bay region for bounty on Dolly Varden trout at the rate of 

 2K cents per fish. The Bureau maintains a staff of five representatives 

 in this district, one in each watershed, to receive, count, and destroy 

 the trout tails presented and to issue the vouchers upon which pay- 

 ments are made by the Territorial Treasurer. Only bona fide resi- 

 dents of the district are engaged in the taking of trout, and the bounties 

 provide an important means of livelihood during the winter. 



A bounty of 2^ cents each was paid, also, for Dolly Varden trout 

 taken in the Kasilof River, English Bay stream, and the red salmon 

 streams on the east coast of Kalgin Island, in the Cook Inlet area. 

 It was deemed advisable to confine efforts in this district to a few 

 streams in order to determine what the possibilities may be. The 

 total number of trout tails from these streams for which vouchers had 

 been made to August 27, 1937, was 8,888. It is anticipated that a 

 much greater interest in the work will be taken by the local residents 

 during the 1938 season. 



The destruction of Dolly Varden trout was carried on in the Kodiak 

 area in streams in which weirs were operated. Traps built of fine 

 mesh wire were installed in connection with the weirs and were very 

 effective in catching the trout. During the year 81,539 trout were 

 caught and destroyed at Karluk, 95,795 at Red River, and 40,803 in 

 Olga Bay streams. 



In the Kodiak area studies were undertaken to develop further 

 information in regard to the migratory habits of Dolly Varden trout. 

 At the Karluk weir site, during the seaward migration, 4,709 trout 

 were tagged by inserting a numbered metal tag in the body cavity, 

 and 427 trout were marked by removing the adipose and right ventral 

 fins. Traps for the capture of upstream Dolly Varden migrants were 

 maintained from July 16 to September 9; the catch was examined for 

 the presence of marked and tagged fish, and 626 specimens were pre- 

 served for future study. Of the upstream migrants, 966 were tagged 

 and released. At the Red River weir 1,862 Dolly Varden trout were 

 marked and released during the seaward migration, and later in the 

 season 330 marked specimens were taken from the upstream migration 

 and preserved for future study. Of the upstream migrants at Red 

 River, 1,600 were marked and released. These tagging experiments 

 and studies will be continued in the following season, with a view to 

 determining the effect of predatory control work in one stream on the 

 trout populations of adjacent streams, in order to provide a guide for 

 a rational control program. 



STREAM MARKING 



Before the opening of the commercial salmon-fishing season, and 

 during the course of the regular patrol, markers showing closed areas 

 and the closed waters off the mouths of salmon streams were inspected 

 in aU districts. Repairs and replacements were made whenever neces- 

 sary, and positions were altered or new markers erected to conform 

 with changes in the regulations. 



The warden on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island reported 

 that as a result of having placed new markers at least 12 feet from 



