ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 93 



cooperative project with the National Canners Association deahng 

 with the biological changes within the pink salmon due to sexual 

 development was continued at Little Port Walter. 



The collection, compilation, and analysis of records of the daily 

 catch of salmon in Alaska by the principal types of fisliing apparatus 

 were continued in 1937, and provided information as to the fluctua- 

 tion in abundance and time of appearance of salmon runs in the various 

 districts. This information is of importance in determining adequate 

 regulations for the conservation of the salmon. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ESCAPEMENT OF SALMON 



As in previous years, the size and condition of the salmon runs 

 were closely observed in all districts during the commercial fishing 

 season with a view to determining whether any immediate modifica- 

 tions of the regulations were necessary in order to assure an adequate 

 reservation of brood fish. After the close of the season an inspection 

 was made of representative streams in the various districts. The 

 requirement of law that not less than 50 percent of the runs be per- 

 mitted to escape was fully met in streams where counting weirs were 

 maintained, and there was in general a satisfactory seeding of all 

 spawning grounds. 



Southeast Alaska. — In the Ketchikan district, embracing the south- 

 ern district and that part of the Clarence Strait district south of 

 Ernest Sound, the run of salmon was slow at the start, but increased 

 later, holding up fairly steady until after the close of the fishing season, 

 and the spawning grounds as a whole were adequately seeded. Prac- 

 tically all streams on the east coast of Prince of Wales Island as far 

 north as Kasaan Bay had good escapements. Tolstoi Bay and Thorne 

 Bay likewise had good escapements. Probably the poorest escape- 

 ment in the district was in the western part of Belim Canal, although 

 Yes Bay had a good showing. The escapement in Boca de Quadra 

 and Smeaton Bay was excellent. Some of the smaller streams had a 

 fair escapement, and a few were poorly seeded. From the number of 

 salmon observed in bays of Annette Island and Gravina Island after 

 the close of the fishing season it was apparent that the spawning 

 grounds in tributary streams would be well seeded. 



The stream survey in the Wrangell district and adjacent waters of 

 Sumner Strait and the northern part of Clarence Strait, while not as 

 thorough as desired, was fairly comprehensive and showed that the 

 escapement in general was rather light, notwithstanding favoring con- 

 ditions, such as unusually heavy rainfall and consequent high water 

 in the streams. For the region as a whole it was a season of small 

 and detached runs. In western waters of Sumner Strait, off the east- 

 ern shores of Kuiu Island, sizeable runs of pink salmon began about 

 August 7 and reached their peak 10 days later. This locality (includ- 

 ing Rocky Pass, Threemile Arm, Seclusion Harbor, and Affleck Canal), 

 together with Totem Bay on the south shore of Kupreanof Island, was 

 the only part of Sumner Strait that had a good run of pinks. Toward 

 the close of the season there was a fair run of pink salmon in Whale 

 Passage. A fairly good run of this species occurred also in the Stikine 

 district, reaching its peak during the last 2 weeks of July. The run 

 of pink salmon in streams of Bradfield Canal was unaccountably small, 

 in view of the large escapement there in 1935. There was an excellent 

 run of king salmon in the Stikine district and a good escapement. 



