THE FISHES OF ALASKA. 257 



Although the price of red salmon was higher in 190(5 than in 1905, and every effort was made to secure 

 a large pack in tlie Bristol Bay region, the total numljer of red salmon cases fell 120,000 short of the 

 pack of 1905. There are. however, so many factors entering into the conditions which determine the 

 size of the pack in Bristol Bay that it is not safe to make any positive statement as to whether the catch 

 has reached its limit. As has been said by Jordan and Evermann, "A wise administration of the fisheries 

 will permit the taking of the largest number of fish compatible with the maintenance of the supply, 

 and will permit their capture by the cheapest method which is not wasteful." But when it becomes 

 apparent that the run is decreasing and that the fishery is permanently impaired, the catch should in 

 some way be limited and ample opportunity be given to rehabilitate the iishery. 



In size the red salmon ranks third among tlie five Pacific species of the genus. During the recent 

 investigations a total of 1,390 red salmon from as many different places as possible were measured and 

 weighed. The results, which are given in detail in the accompanying talile, may be summarized as 

 follows: For the males — Maximum length, 32 inches; minimum, 15.5; average, 27,81, Maximum 

 weight, 11 pounds; minimum, 1,75; average, 7.43. For the females — Maximiim length, 30 inches; 

 minimum^ 20.25; average, 24.87, Maximum weight, 11 pounds; minimum, 2; average, 5.78. For 

 both males and females— Average length, 26.36 inches; average weight, 6.57 pounds. It is therefore 

 safe to say that the red salmon of Alaska averages a trifle more than 6.5 pounds in weight. 



At Chignik Bay is occasionally taken a small red salmon locally known as the 'Arctic salmon-" which 

 is considerably smaller than the average for that region. On August 9, 1903, the senior author found 

 and examined at the two canneries on Chignik Bay 13 examples of this fish, 12 of the 13 being males. 

 The maximum and minimum lengths of the males were 19.38 and 15.86 inches, and the average 17.35; 

 extreme weight 2.71 and 1.71 pounds, average 2.2 pounds. The single female was 22.63 inches long 

 and weighed 4.63 pounds. These fish are not a different species, but evidently merely precocious indi- 

 viduals such as are found among the chinook salmon on the Columbia River, where mature small males 

 are not infrequent. The fact that all but one of these so-called "Arctic salmoni^' were males shows them 

 to be dwarfs of the same character. The opinion of local fishermen that this small salmon is peculiar 

 to Chignik Bay is not borne out by the facts, as similar small fish were seen at Alitak, Karluk, and other 

 places. 



In various small lakes in Idaho. Oregon. Washington, and British Columbia is found a dwarf form of 

 the Alaska red salmon known variously as small redfish. little redfish, Kennerly's salmon, or walla. 

 The list of lakes in which this fish is known to occur is as follows: Alturas, Pettit, Redfish and Big Pay- 

 ette lakes in Idaho; Wallowa Lake in Oregon; Washington, Sammamish, Ozette, and possibly, Amer- 

 ican and Chelan lakes in Washington; Chiloweyuck, Nicola, Francois, Fraser, Okanagan, and Kootenai 

 lakes in British Columljia, And recently during the investigations conducted by Mr, Chamberlain in 

 the vicinity of Loring, Alaska, 2 or 3 examples of the little redfish were found in Patching Lake, This is 

 a small lake in the Naha basin. In its outlet is a falls which fish from the sea can not ascend, Redfish 

 fry from the Fortmann Hatchery had been planted in the lake, and it can not, therefore, be definitely 

 known whether this specimen was one of the planted fish, dwarfed by the unfavorable environment, 

 or one of a native race or form long landlocked in the lake. 



The so-called little redfi.sh does not appear to differ structurally from the larger form. It is mature, 

 however, both males and females, at a length of a foot or less, and. like the ordinary red salmon, spawns 

 only once, after which it dies. Recent observations by the senior author, and consideration of all the 

 known facts concerning these little redfish, convince him that they do not come up from the sea, but are 

 landlocked in the lakes in which they occur. 



Next to the humpback the red is the most al)undant salmon in Alaska — indeed, it is probable that, 

 during the last 20 years, it has been no less numerous than the humpback. Commercially it is by far 

 the most valuable salmon in .\laska. The total catch of 1906 was 19,536,761 fish, representing 1,540,856 

 cases, valued at $5,720,291, The total numlier of salmon rif all species handled in Alaska in 1906 was 

 31,756,335, representing 2,341,587 cases, valued at ?8, 152, 665. From these figures it is seen that the red 

 salmon constitute more than 61 per cent of the catch, 65 per cent of the pack, and 70 per cent of the 

 value. And in every year previous to 1906 the red salmon constituted even a larger proportion of the 

 entire catch, as the utilization of the cheaper species has developed only within recent years. 



B. B. F. 1906— 17 



