14 DEPARTMENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



8 GEORGE V, A. 1918 



may be seized again by the same individual or by other individuals, as they commonly 

 go hunting in small herds. At times they find it more convenient to take the salmon 

 out of the gill-nets, especially when they are being hauled, as then the fish are near 

 the surface of the water. One case was reported where sixteen salmon in succession 

 were taken, as fast as the net was hauled to the surface, the one animal making the 

 entire capture. It is at such times that harm is done to the gear. The lions are so 

 powerful that if the net is taut they pass through it with ease. If it is looser they 

 may get tangled up in the net and do much more damage to it. 



The rookery in the Sea Otter group of islands is opposite the mouth of Rivers inlet, 

 (see map, page 13), so that all schools of fish entering the inlet must pass near by. The 

 sockeye run comes just at the time when the lions need the greatest supply of food, 

 hence what could be more opportune for them. 



Apparently in the early days of the industry the sea-lions were not so numerous. 

 It was not until about 1911 that they appeared in large enough numbers to be espe- 

 cially troublesome. In 1912 and in 1913 so many fish were taken from the nets set in 

 the inlet for some distance from the mouth that the fishermen found it useless to con- 

 tinue fishing in that locality. Many of the sea-lions were killed in 1914 and 1915, and 

 the season of 1915 was a particularly good one in the inlet. 



The injury done to the halibut fisheries has not been so serious, partly because the 

 habits of the halibut require a different method of fishing. The attack made on an 

 individual of this species can only be observed when a halibut is taken from the hook 

 when that part of the line is near the surface, at which time the halibut is attacked in 

 the same way the salmon is. Damage was reported from Hecate strait and from the 

 area to the north and northwest of Vancouver island. In fishing for this species there 

 is little chance for any damage to gear. 



Damage to the herring industry was reported only from Barkley sound. Here the 

 complaint was not so much that the numbers of the herring were being diminished as 

 that the schools are broken up, scattered and driven seaward. As many as 300 sea- 

 lions have been reported from the sound where they use the Bird rocks for a hauling- 

 out place. Two plants have been in operation, one at Ucluelet, near the entrance, and 

 the other at Uchucklesit, far up the sound. Barkley sound is a long distance from any 

 known rookery, but as the lions do not appear here until late in the fall, the pups no 

 longer need care, and as the adults are such powerful swimmers such distances would 

 not mean much to them. In other localities, notably Clayoquot, Quatsino sound, and 

 in the Nass rirer, herring runs are followed by sea-lions, but as yet not enough fishing 

 has been done for any special observation to be made. 



9. THE FLATTERY ROOKERY. 



This Malaspina trip covered the " spheres of influence " of all of the British 

 Columbia rookeries, but it was possible that it did more than that. Barkley sound is 

 a long way from Solander island, where, so far as is known, the nearest British Colum- 

 bia rookery exists. It is much nearer to what is generally spoken of as the Flattery 

 rookery, off the west coast of the state of Washington. It is probable that occasional 

 sea-lions seen in the strait of Georgia, as far north as the mouth of the Fraser river 

 and at Entrance island, near Nanaimo, as well as others in the strait of Fuca, are from 

 the Flattery rookery. On that account it seemed desirable to obtain more definite 

 information concerning this rookery. 



Mr. John N. Cobb, editor of the Pacific Fisherman, who has shown much interest 

 In the work of the commission, obtained the assistance of the United States KevenU'C. 

 Service, who kindly placed the Snohomish, Lieut. H. W. Pope commanding, at the 

 service of its members, for the purpose of visiting the rookery. As the State Depart- 

 ment was also interested in the information, Mr. Cobb went along to represent that 

 department. 



