PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 259 
In the Okhotsk district the catch amounted to 827,274 keta and 
37,790 krasnaia. Of salmon caviar 489 tons were prepared by the 
Japanese and 60 tons by the Russians. 
n 1915 about 50,000 barrels of pickled salmon were prepared on 
the Amur River. In the sections covered by the Fishing Convention 
6,000,000 salmon, mostly keta with a few krasnaia, were dry-salted, 
while 80,000,000 humpback salmon, called ‘‘salmon trout’? in Japan, 
were so prepared. No fish were frozen for the European market, due 
to the war. A considerable quantity of caviar was prepared, but the 
quantity isunknown. The pack of canned salmon is shown elsewhere. 
In the ‘Pacific Fisherman’? (February, 1917), Seattle, Wash., 
its Hakodate (Japan) correspondent reports the following partic- 
ulars of the 1916 salmon season: 
During the year 1916 the salmon catches in the States of Kamchatka and Okhotsk, 
Siberia, varied greatly according to districts. On the west coast of Kamchatka and 
Okhotsk there was a big run all season, but the run on the east coast of Kamchatka 
was extremely poor, except in the Kamchatka River. The distribution of salmon 
varieties is always limited to about the following districts: 
Chums are present in large quantities on the east coast of Kamchatka and Okhotsk, 
but on the west coast of Kamchatka they are never plentiful. 
Red salmon are almost entirely limited to two districts, the Kamchatka and Ozer- 
naya rivers, being very scarce in other districts. 
Humpbacks are found all along the coast, but most especially in the district of 
Boliskreska | Bolsheryetzk], where there is always a large run. 
Silver salmon are found in small quantities on the west and east coasts of Kam- 
chatka at certain seasons of every year. 
King salmon are present in very limited quantities, early in the season on the west 
and east coasts of Kamchatka. 
There were 17 canneries operated in 1916, and they packed about 470,000 cases. 
There were 218 fishing places on the shores, and the number of salmon caught during 
the season was 94,582,228. 
All the salmon packers and fishermen in Siberia have used steamers for the trans- 
portation of their goods for several years past, but owing to the high rates now prevail- 
ing on steamer tonnage they were obliged again to make use of sailing vessels. Prices 
of all equipment and outfits for the canneries and salting stations were from 30 per 
cent to 50 per cent higher than for the previous year, but as a result of the strong 
demand for salmon products due to the European war, all the markets are in good condi- 
tion. Accordingly, preparations for the coming season are expected to be on a more 
ee scale, both as to number and size of canneries and development of the 
sheries. 
The above statement is accompanied by the following estimate of the number of 
salmon caught in 1916 in the States of Kamchatka and Okhotsk, except in the rivers: 
Species. Okhotsk. | East Kam-| West Kam) potg), 
chatka. chatka. 
Number. Number. Number. Number. 
(CTE 3 Fe at ll Sea eet Se oS | ea 1,482,312] 2,318,964] 1,669,056] 5, 170,332 
Piganpbpeicregiinss--- seer ph ait! oz42-.. As itseLe} -- 3,710,320 | 1,776,112 | 79,926,512 | 85,412,944 
GS Dies soa tta we siciel oho tas ee econ caro dain cote siscccest tes tl isvces beasaa Seo Ol eemeen seers 3, 276 
Bipdbac ROL REECE SeES0 TE RE IE, 308,502} 3,311,304] 3,619,806 
SENET a0 0 se\can 7s? EES PEE Ee IPA nee Eee Ce | Pe YY SOE ces NOE 75, 870 75, 870 
Totals dase siccce tae ee teeter te 6.08 feeb. od 5,192,632 | 4,406,854 | 84,982,742 | 94, 582, 208 
FREEZING SALMON. 
As when the Russians owned Alaska, the exploitation of Siberia 
was carried on for many years by trading companies with large 
powers granted by the Government. In 1892 a very enterprising 
company was in charge, judging from the following extract from a 
letter written on February 2, 1893, by the late Eugene G. Blackford, 
