PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 



213 



OREGON. 

 GENERAL EXTENT AND FEATURES OF THE FISHERIES. 



From the first settlement of the State the fisheries of Oregon have 

 yearly been of increasing' interest. The abundance of salmon first 

 attracted the fishermen, and their capture has continued the leading 

 branch of the business. While natural causes, often unaccountable, 

 largely govern the migrations of fish and are chiefly responsible for 

 the uncertain cliaracter of their movements and the fluctuations in the 

 catch, there is no room for doubt that the preservation of the supply 

 in the rivers is largely dependent on man. During recent years a 

 large increase is annually shown in the various appliances of capture in 

 the salmon fisheries of the Columbia Ri ver, which yields the bulk of the 

 salmon caught in the State. From an increase in fishing appliances a 

 gain in the catch might be expected, but such is generally not the case. 

 In the years of largest production a much less amount of fishing gear 

 was used than at present. As the fish were depleted, the fishermen, 

 eager to keep up the amount of their catch, increased the number of 

 their gill nets, pound netSj wheels, etc., often only to find a yet smaller 

 catch, which would again be followed by more fishing appliances. 



Artificial propagation, which has been carried on so far as means 

 would permit, has in a measure made good the losses from increased 

 fishing gear. The naturally favorable conditions of the Columbia and 

 most of the other rivers of the State for abundance of desirable food- 

 fish continue nearly, if not quite, as favorable as in the early days of 

 the fisheries, when the only fish caught were those taken by the native 

 Indians for their own use. The waters remain unpolluted by the sewage 

 of large cities and the refuse of manufactories, and from the topography 

 of the country through which the rivers flow they may be expected to 

 remain unimpaired for many years. 



The salmon fishery and the dependent canning business are vastly 

 more important than all other branches of the fisheries of this State, 

 the only other fishery of any prominence being that for sturgeon. 

 Only very limited quantities of other food-fish are taken, and the general 

 fisheries are much less developed than in California or Washington. 

 Oysters and fur seals contribute to the income of the fishermen. 



The following tables show the extent of the fisheries of this State. 

 In the last year covered by the statistics, 4,332 persons were engaged 

 in the industry, $2,272,351 was invested, and 28,521,105 pounds of 

 pioducts were taken, having a value of $872,405. 



