FISHERIES OF ALASKA, 1908. 

 Output op the Salmon Hatcheries of Alaska. 



17 



a Approximate. 



STATISTICS. 



CATCH. 



Below will be found a table showing, for the geographic sections, 

 by apparatus and species, and by species alone, the number of salmon 

 caught in the years 1906, 1907, and 1908. 



The noticeable feature of this table is the large increase in the 

 number of salmon taken by gill nets. In 1907 the gill-net catch 

 dropped off very materially. The increase in 1908, which occurs in 

 western Alaska almost wholly and is made up of red salmon, is due 

 principally to the excellent run in Bristol Bay and to the increase of 

 apparatus consequent upon the closing of Wood River to fishing. 

 Dog and coho salmon caught in gill nets appear in decreased numbers 

 each season. The seine catch has almost held its own as compared 

 with 1907. Humpback salmon comprise more than half the catch 

 in this form of apparatus. There has been a large increase in the 

 number of traps in recent years. In 1905, 70 traps were used; in 

 1906, 65; in 1907, 79; and in 1908, 101 traps. Southeast Alaska 

 increased the number of her traps from 32 in 1905 to 65 in 1908;. 

 central Alaska decreased from 23 in 1905 to 22 in 1908, and western 

 Alaska decreased from 15 in 1905 to 14 in 1908. The closing this 

 year of Wood River to all fishing threw out 6 traps from the river, 

 but 5 were added in Nushagak Bay, making a net decrease of 1 in 

 western Alaska. As a result of the large increase in traps in southeast 

 Alaska the catch in this form of apparatus shows a very considerable 

 increase over 1906 and 1907, this increase being made up almost 

 whoUy of humpback salmon. The decrease in the spear catch is due 

 74811—09 2 



