256 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREATf OF FISHERIES. 



The Beginning and Ending of Commerci.vl Fishing for Red S.^lmon .\t Various Fishing 

 Stations in Alaska, 1900 and 1904-1906— Continued. 



Although the red sahnon run is somewliat later than that of the king, the two species are sometimes 

 found together. Writing of his observations in 1S90, Dr. Gilliert says: 



It appeared constantly a.^sociated with the king salmon. It was taken liy trolling in Departure 

 Bay, Vancouver Lsland. May 10 to 13; was seined in small numliers at Unalaska Ma\- 24 to 27, and was 

 aVmndant there June 16. It had not begun to run at Xushagak ,Tune 3, Init the youiig with parr marks 

 still evident, ranging in size from 9.5 to 115 mm., were very aliundant. These were doulitl ess descending 

 the rivers to the sea and were prolmbly aliout 20 months old. On July .5. yov.iig averaging slightly 

 larger than the above were taken in salt water at Herendeen Bay, Alaskan Peninsula. These ranged 

 from 120 to 130 mm. in total length. The color is deeper and less silvery than in the Nushagak examples 

 and the parr marks have almost wholly disappeared. 



The beginning of the run in any given stream is fairly constant, the variation being within naiTow 

 limits. The duration of the run is for a shorter period in the northern region than it is farther south. 

 In Bristol Bay and Ccnlial .\laska it lasts only six weeks or less, while in Southeast Alaska it continues 

 about two months. 



The number of red salmon running in any given stream is constant from year to year only within 

 rather wide limits. It is believed by most fishermen and canners that every fourth year any given 

 stream is apt to have a larger run than in any of the three other years of the series. In a general way 

 this belief seems to lie borne out by statistics; when specific cases are examined, however, the rule 

 appears of doubtful application. For example, the catch of red salmon in the Ugashik River for the 

 last six years has been as follows: 769.002 fish in 1901; 1,640,973 in 1902; 1,703,536 in 1903; 564,492 in 

 1904; 432,779 in 1905; and 152,140 in 1906. As the run was large in 1902 it should have been large in 

 1906, but it was the smallest ever known. Judging from the run of 1903, that fiu- 1907 ought to be a 

 large one. Information regarding it will be awaited with interest. 



In Nushagak Bay and ^^'ood River the run was very large in 1905. four traps in Wood River furnishing 

 over 800.000 fi.sh, while many thousands more were turned loose. In 190G these same traps produced 

 only al)out 200,000 lish, and three additional traps operated in the same region produced about 100.000 

 more, giving a total for Wood River for 1906 of about 300,000 as against more than 800,000 for 1905. 



