FISHER'S INDUSTRIES. 



33 



WOOD RIVER CENSUS. 



A count of the salmon entering Lake Alcknagik, on Wood River, in 

 western Alaska, was made in 1919 in accordance with the custom of- 

 past seasons. Warden Shirley A. Baker had general supervision of 

 the work. The actual count was intrusted to Russell Noyes, fish- 

 culturist at Afognak station, who was assigned to this special duty. 

 He was assisted in the counting by three men in the employ of the 

 Alaska Packers Association. 



The rack, consisting of heavy cotton web attached to piling driven 

 across the lower end of the lake just above the outlet, was made ready 

 by June 24. It was installed by the Alaska Packers Association, 

 some assistance in towing equipment to the lake and returning it to 

 the cannery at Nushagak at the completion of the count being ren- 

 dered by the Alaska-Portland Packers Association. 



Salmon made their appearance at about the usual time and con- 

 tinued to run through July, as is ordinarily the case. Counting began 

 June 25 and stopped July 31. Weather conditions in 1919 were nor- 

 mal, and no circumstances arose to differentiate the season from pre- 

 ceding ones except the heavy decline in the run of salmon. The 

 largest counts were made on July 10 and 11, when 31,035 and 41,519 

 salmon entered the lake on those respective dates. Records of the 

 enumeration are surprising in that only 3 days out of 37 show a count 

 in excess of 10,000 salmon. As compared with 943,202 red salmon 

 counted in 1918, the census gives a total of 145,114 red salmon as 

 having entered Lake Aleknagik in 1919. Details of the count appear 

 in the following table: 



Wood River Salmon Census in 1919. 



Upon the recommendation of Dr. C. H. Gilbert, of Stanford Uni- 

 versity, who, with Field Assistant Henry O'Malley of tlie Bureau, 

 made extensive investigations for the Government in Alaska m 1919, 

 it has been decided to discontinue the Wood River census. As soon 

 as funds are available it is planned, as recommended by Dr. Gilbert, 

 to undertake similar work at Chignik Lake and probably also at 

 Karluk. 



