FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 95 
mesh, say from 8} to 104 inches, is necessary for the larger chinook, 
and comparatively few fishermen have these extra nets. Fishermen 
sometimes call the chinook “‘springs”’ until they are ready to spawn; 
after that they turn dark in color and are called “‘jacks.” Large 
numbers of chinook are caught by trolling, but in 1915 the silver 
salmon replaced that species in importance. While large quantities 
of chinook are smoked, mild cured, and frozen, more than one-half 
of the entire catch is utilized for canning. There has been an increase 
in the output of this species since 1904 of 2,976,377 pounds, but a 
decrease in value of $1,784. 
Silver salmon.—Silver salmon are taken quite generally throughout 
the waters of the entire State, Columbia and Garfield Counties on 
the Snake River alone failing to report any catch. The total output 
of Puget Sound was 14,753,946 pounds, as compared with 1,871,673 
pounds credited to the Columbia River. A small quantity was taken 
commercially in the Snake River as far up as Clarkston, Wash. More 
than two-thirds of the total output of the State was utilized for can- 
ning. Large quantities were also salted and frozen. Pound nets and 
lines are the most important forms of apparatus used in taking silver 
salmon, two-thirds of the catch being taken by this means. The 
eater part of the remainder were taken in gill nets. Silver salmon 
ollow bluebacks and run mainly from September 1 to the end of 
the year, but are scarce in December. They are of a more uniform 
weight than chinook, an average for the entire State being from 6 to 8 
pounds, though some weighing 30 pounds have been taken. The 
output for 1915 as compared with that for 1904 shows a decline 
of 7,390,885 pounds and an increase of $40,220 in value. 
Humpback.—Humpback salmon are important only on account of 
the large catches made, as the average price in 1915, as already 
shown, was only 1}cents per pound. The total output was nearly 
one-third of that of all species of salmon combined. In 1915 this 
species constituted about one-half of the purse-seine catch, which is 
the most important apparatus used in their capture. Practically the 
entire catch is taken in the Puget Sound region and is utilized almost 
exclusively for canning. The average weight of the humpback is 
about 4 pounds. They are taken mainly in the summer and fall and 
ea in increased numbers every two years. 
lueback or sockeye.—This is the most valuable of all the salmon, 
as the average price, 64 cents per pound, paid in 1915, indicates. By 
reason of the bright-red color of the meat and its rich flavor it is 
the most highly prized of the salmon for canning. More than one- 
half the catch was taken in the Puget Sound region, but the Quinault 
River in Grays Harbor County contributed most of the remainder. 
The blueback run extends from July 15 to the latter part of August. 
During this time they are being followed by purse-seiners through 
the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the south side of San Juan County and 
thence up the Rosario Strait northward to the Canadian line. The 
blueback is termed a Canadian fish by reason of being taken by 
American fishermen on its way to its spawning grounds in the Fraser 
River, Canada. Bluebacks sometimes reach a weight of 12 pounds, 
but the average weight is about 5 pounds. Heavy runs of this species 
occur periodically every four years, the last one being in 1913. It 
will thus be seen that 1915 would naturally be a slack year. The 
years of these large runs are called “big years.” As compared with 
