REPORT or THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 21 



ning of the last fiscal year a special assistant was engaged for contin- 

 uous study of the habits of salmon entering streams of the Pacific 

 States. The investigations previously undertaken in Alaska have 

 also been continued. While the investigations in Alaska have been 

 productive of some results which it has been possible to apply with 

 profit in the fish-cultural operations and in the fishery regulations in 

 that section, they must be continued for a further period before results 

 of such definite character are secured as to warrant the publication of 

 a report. The Bureau has now in hand a report presenting the data 

 previously accumulated as bearing upon the migrations and growth 

 of young salmon in the Sacramento and Columbia Rivers. 



In the course of the year special biological inquiries were directed 

 to the salmon taken in trolling and purse-seining operations off the 

 coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The practical appli- 

 cation of the ascertained facts to the regulation of the fishery is else- 

 where referred to. 



One of the results of the hearings of the American-Canadian Fish- 

 eries Conference in Seattle and Vancouver was an arrangement to 

 conduct a joint investigation of the rate of migration of sockeye 

 salmon from salt water into the Fraser River. Early in July, 1918, 

 marking experiments on a large scale were undertaken by representa- 

 tives of the Bureau of Fisheries and the Canadian Government in 

 cooperation. Although the run of this species was very light that 

 year, more than 4,000 fish were tagged and liberated, and a consider- 

 able number of these were subsequently recovered. Results of 

 notable interest and practical importance were obtained and are 

 covered in a report which is in course of publication. 



Special interest also attaches to the results gained during this fiscal 

 year from experiments in marking young sockeye salmon planted in 

 the Columbia River in the spring of 'l916. At that time about 50,000 

 yearling sockeyes hatched from eggs received from the Yes Bay 

 (Alaska) hatchery and reared in ponds of the State hatchery at 

 Bonneville, Oreg., were marked and liberated in the Columbia River. 

 Salmon of this species have been found to return in the fourth and 

 fifth years. Many of the marked fish returned during the summer 

 of 1918, the fish being then in the fourth year of life. The marked 

 fish recovered in the Columbia River (being of Alaskan stock) were 

 found to be distinctly different in size and general appearance from 

 the Columbia River bluebacks, representing the identical species, but 

 resembling in every way the fish from the Yes Bay region, where the 

 eggs were taken. Salmon of the Yes Bay type average about 6 

 pounds, whereas the Columbia River bluebacks this year averaged 

 about 3 pounds. The large size of these fish is particularly significant 

 as indicating that for at least one generation heredity rather than 

 environment determines the size of the fish. This opens prospects 

 for improvement in the quality of the run of fish through carefully 

 conducted cultural operations. 



Pilchards on the northwest coast. — During January, February, and 

 March, 1919, a preliminary inquiry was conducted into the occur- 

 rence of pilchards on the northwest coast suitable for canning as 

 sardines, especial attention being given to the following localities in 

 Oregon and Washington: Coos Bay and Coquille River, Umpqua 

 River, Yaquina Bay, Alsea Bay, Siletz River, Tillamook Bay, Netarts 

 Bay, Columbia River, Willapa Harbor, and Grays Harbor. 



