284 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES." 



twenty minutes, and the tests were therefore insufficient to obtain a 

 thorougli knowledge of the bottom, yet it was satisfactorily demon- 

 strated that the greater part of IJristol IJay aftbrds good fishing- grounds. 

 As a rule, vessels have better fishing after the lapse of two or three 

 days, the bait which falls from the hooks or otherwise reaches the bot- 

 toni tending to.tole the lisli from the surrounding area. 



While all of the fish taken during the summer montns were care- 

 fully examined, only one cod was secured in which the elements of 

 reiu'oduction were at all mature. It was a nuile containing ri^^e milt. 

 The finding of occasional individuals thus sexually advanced outside 

 of the breeding season has also been 'recorded with respect to the 

 North Atlantic Ocean. 



The investigations of the steamer Albatross probably covered all of 

 the important cod banks on the eastern side of Bering Sea, as it is 

 extremely doubtful if any rich banks will be found north of Cape 

 Newenham. Certainly we have received no information of such areas 

 up to the present time, although scattering specimens of cod have been 

 reported from the vicinity of Nunivak Island and from along the coast 

 as far north as St. Michaels. On the Siberian side the conditions are 

 better suited to their occurrence in higher latitudes, and they are said 

 to abound there farther north. 



Salniou canneries of Bristol Bay. — The first salmon cannery was built 

 on the Nushagak River by the Arctic Canning Company in 1884, hav- 

 ing been the outgrowth of a salting station established there the pre- 

 vious year. Other canneries were soon afterwards constructed in the 

 same vicinity. The buildings of the Arctic Canning Company are 

 situated on the east bank of the river, some 12 or 15 miles above its 

 mouth. The number of men and boats employed is as follows: One 

 sui)erintendent, Mr. H. C. Jeneen; 50 fishermen, 20 mechanics, including 

 engineers, machinists, firemen, carpenters, coopers, cooks, and waiters; 

 92 Chinamen; 25 boats, and 1 steam launch .35 feet long, used for light 

 towing and other purposes. 



Each cannery has one large vessel to carry material to the field of 

 labor — mT3ii, machinery, boxes, nets, boats, barrels, lumber, etc. As 

 soon as she arrivcis at her destination she is immediately stripped of 

 sails and running rigging, and moored for tlie summer. After the close 

 of the salmon season she is again fitted u]), re(!eives the catch on board, 

 and sets out on the home voyage. Scow lighters are used for discharging 

 and h)ading the ships. They also serve as quarters to live in when- 

 ever iishing is carried on up the river a considerable distance from the 

 cannery. The salmon are frequently most abundant 40 or 50 miles 

 from the month of the river, at which time the entire force of fisher- 

 men repair to that place and work night and day until a change of 

 location becomes desirable. When a scow is loaded with salmon it is 

 generally taken in tow by the steam launch, but sometimes one or nune 

 will drop down the river on the ebb tide without this aid. 



