142 • EEPOST OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



In the state of Washington 28 canneries were operated, valued at 

 $1,296,000, and giving employment to 8,687 persons. There were 

 employed 1,437 gill nets, value $189,308; .57 drag seines and 70 purse 

 seines, value $52,100; 656 traps (pound nets), value $1,058,293, and 29 

 fish wheels, value $29,000. In connection with the fishery there were 

 also used 67 steamers and launches having a value of nearly $350,000; 

 151 sehie boats, 270 Columbia River boats, 311 dories and skifl's, 359 

 scows, 32 pile drivers, and 1 sailboats, valued at $366,393. The total 

 amount of capital invested was $3,311,091. 



Oregon. — The run of salmon on the Columbia River in 1903 was 

 unlike any previously known to the fishermen. In April, when the 

 season opened, there was a considerable body of chinooks in the river, 

 but in a comparatively short time they became scarce. Up to this 

 time only a small portion of the gill nets, seines, and traps had been 

 employed, and it was not until the season had become well advanced 

 that it was thought advisable to bring all the fishing gear into use. 

 At the end of June, 1902, the pack amounted to 123,000 cases; at the 

 same time in 1903 the output was about 50,000 cases, a most remnrkable 

 decrease. 



From time to time large schools of salmon were reported off the 

 mouth of the Columbia and along the coast of Oregon. These fish 

 were dail^' expected to enter the river, but instead only scattering 

 small schools appeared in Jul}^ lasting but a few da3's. During this 

 time the outlook, even for an average pack, was not encouraging, and 

 there was considerable speculation as to the advisability of artificial 

 propagation. Man}' who had hitherto looked upon it with consider- 

 able favor now seriousl\' questioned this method of keeping up the 

 supply, and the possibility of restoring the salmon fisheries of the 

 Columbia River to their former importance by this means was consid- 

 ered extremely doubtful. The skepticism was suddenly checked, how- 

 ever, b}' the most phenomenal run of salmon ever witnessed on the 

 Columbia Rivei-. The immense school of fish frequently reported off 

 the coast made its appearance July 31 at Baker Bay, the traps in that 

 vicinity being crowded to their fullest capacity. As the school advanced 

 traps farther up the river also became crowded. The gill-nctters 

 began to take more fish than thej' knew what to do with, and the com- 

 bined catch of traps and gill nets was more than the canneries and 

 cold-storage plants could handle, the result being that nearly as many 

 fish were thrown away as were utilized. So great was the stench 

 rising from decomposed fish washed upon the beaches at Astoriathat 

 the city authorities were obliged to take steps to remove the nuisance. 



The following is an extract from the Pacific Fisherman: 



The average duration of a run of salmon in the Columbia has been tliree or four 

 days, but in this instance there appeared to be a solid body of fish enter the river of 

 magnitude never before equalled. As in otiier fishing centers there is always a tale 



