284 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



PACIFIC COUNTY. 



This county is favorably located in respect to its fishing resources. 

 Oiie-halfof its southern border is at the inouth of the Columbia River. 

 Here are located over ;>()() pound nets used in the salmon lishery, niauy 

 of which areowned in the county. Here, also, a large part of the salmon 

 catch of the river is taken and distributed among the salmon canlieries 

 on both sides of the river. Here, at certain seasons, sardines, herring, 

 shad, and other varieties not now utilized hold out inducements for the 

 extension of the fisheries. 



Just outside of the mouth of the Columbia, and off" the shores of 

 Pacific County, are good fishing- grounds on which may be found in 

 more or less abundance, at all seasons of the year, rockfish, flounders, 

 perch, halibut, and numerous other varieties of good food-fish, to all of 

 which only slight attention is given. 



At the northern end of the county Willapa Harbor is a good haven 

 for shelter, and leading from it is Willapa Bay, formerly known as 

 Shoalwater Bay, which is noted for its extensive beds of native oysters, 

 as well as the abundance of salmon occurring during the fall. 



The fisheries of Willapa Bay are confined to the salmon and oyster 

 business, in addition to which a small quantity of crabs taken in the 

 salmon nets are utilized. 



The run of salmon was fair in 1889, light in 1890 and 1891, and the 

 largest in many years in 1892. The fish in 1892 were also of larger 

 size and better quality than the average of past years. Three can- 

 neries are located on the bay, but only one of them was packing during 

 1892. The low price of canned salmon and the light run in 1890 and 

 1891 were so discouraging to the canuers that two of the canneries did 

 not resume in 1892, and the only one packing was ill prepared for the 

 large run, and was obliged to shut down in the height of the season, 

 owing to lack of cans in which to pack. The first salmon to enter 

 this bay are the chinooks, locally known as black salmon; they rim 

 from the last of July to the last of August, with some stragglers later. 

 Silver salmon appear about the middle of August and drop off" in Sep- 

 tember, to be followed by dog salmon and another run of silver salmon 

 during the last of September or early in October. A few steelheads are 

 found in November, but only a light run of them occurs before December, 

 after which they are to be found more or less abundantly all winter. 



The salmon catch is chiefly by pound nets, of which twelve were 

 located on North River and three on Willapa River, near their entrance 

 lo the bay. As showing the abundance of salmon in 1892, the catch of 

 1,700 salmon, of which 1,4G0 were silver salmon, at one lift of a single 

 pound net nniy be recorded. Pound nets are put down in August, 

 previous to which time the fishing in Willapa Bay is of small extent 

 and for local use. 



The prices paid the salmon fishermen during 1892 were 10 cents each 

 for silver salmon, 25 cents each for chinook salmon, and 5 cents each for 



