REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 19 



by trollers and purse seiners which would thus be captured by pre- 

 dacious animals. The results of the marking experiment with Yes 

 Bay sockeyes on the Columbia River indicate that between 5 and 

 10 per cent returns may be expected from 4-inch fish planted in fresh 

 water approximately 150 miles from sea. It seems very unlikely, 

 therefore, that any considerable loss takes place after the fish have 

 migrated, become accustomed to life in the ocean, and reached a 

 size of from 1-^- to 10 pounds. Undoubtedly a very high percentage 

 of such fish would survive until fully mature. The taking of these fish 

 before they reach full size is nothing less than sacrificing large future 

 returns for much smaller immediate returns, and, as already shown, 

 the quality of these smaller immediate returns is low. 



2. Waste 7r suiting from the spoiling of fisJi. — The poor condition in 

 which many fish taken in the open ocean reach the packing houses 

 has previously been commented on. At the best, this must result 

 in a poorer quality of food and at the worst the salmon becomes so foul 

 that even the most unscruj3ulous packer will discard them — a total 

 loss. In cleaning the small fish, those below 5 pounds in weight, the 

 butchers usually cut the body just back of the pectoral fins instead of 

 removing merely the head, as is customary in cleaning the larger 

 fish. Although there are no accurate figures bearing on this, the prac- 

 tice must increase the waste due to cleaning from about 25 to 40 

 per cent. 



3. Waste resulting from the injury offsh hooJced hut not landed. — 

 This is undoubtedly much larger than is generally supposed. No 

 data are available, and they would be difficult to obtain. Not in- 

 frequently, however, the fishermen report that they have lost as 

 many as they landed. A conservative estimate would perhaps be 

 2 fish lost for each 10 landed. Fish which have been hooked are 

 frequently taken by gill nets and traps within the Columbia River. 

 Occasionally the hook and spoon is found embedded in the jaws, 

 but more often the jaws are split and badly torn. Many of the fish 

 hooked and lost undoubtedly die, but w^hat percentage is unknown. 



The Bureau duly brought this subject to the attention of the 

 fishery officials of the States of California, Oregon, and Washington, 

 and assured them of its desire to assist them in any feasible manner 

 in meeting this menace to the salmon industry. Up to the writing 

 of this report the Bureau has received no request for assistance and 

 is not advised of any remedial measures that have been adopted by 

 the States concerned. 



VESSEL FISHERIES OF SEATTLE. 



The fishing fleet of Seattle, Wash., landed 834 trips during the year 

 1918, consisting of 17,091,695 pounds of fresh fish, having a value to 

 the fishermen of $1,887,653, from the fishing grounds along the coasts 

 of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. The largest quantities were 

 taken from Gray's Harbor Grounds, Flattery Banks, west coast of 

 Vancouver Island, Hecate Strait, and Portlock Bank. The products 

 included halibut, 10,244,200 pounds, valued at $1,528,84&; cod, 

 85,300 pounds, valued at $2,202; sablefish, 4,354,950 pounds, valued 

 at $271,167; ''lingcod," 1,784,600 pounds, valued at $62,292; rock- 

 fishes, 620,770 pounds, valued at $22,899; and sturgeon, 1,875 pounds, 

 valued at $247. Compared with the previous year, there was an 



