250 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
the entire product was sold in foreign countries, and there is still a large 
export trade with England, Australia, and other countries. Reference 
is made to the table of exports from San Francisco for a statement of 
the destination of the canned salmon sent from that port. Much the 
largest part of the canned salmon exported from Astoria is consigned 
to England. The shipments are made exclusively in sailing vessels, 
which clear from Puan deeply laden with no other merchandise than 
canned salmon. 
The following is a statement of the shipment by months from 1887 to 
September, 1892, inclusive 
= Te 
Year and month. Destination. | Cases. Net.weight) vatue, 
K of fish. 
Pounds. 
It Y/—Pad iy 6 saoosnbsosscc puso Sabosagoeoogcnessodoo 355 England ...... 41, 582 1,995,936 | $218, 285 
INTIS Rip ppso sbocscis so oseepbe Sndeab age soaueacalaas sc Woe seassae 78, 750 3, 780, 000 466, 631 
NB BS=—SAUOUS tae avec ieieise ein sete aee ate toteratees eee ota do Gi 2s: 61, 226 2, 938, 848 436, 824 
ie St ansoyedeno spec osenosSr meas sone [sbocs dO}: 2h = 552 12, 869 | 617, 712 90, 856 
TOGQEE Mary ee ER SUPER e Ssa Se ene Sa tA teed eae et Al A doses 8, 650 415, 200 59, 785 
sal, eae Sete Le AE eS. oa i eae Sine doe eee 23,475 | 1,126,800 | 161,125 
INTE WIR to AS rea stedeaceepouss Sse cansoudocsoncos|beacr Gon -s2esce 74, 011 3, 553, 488 501, 838 
September acase- cote orcas eae ee eee: eee dovesiceos 20, 334 976, 032 124, 824 
LOWNDES? 6 pesado ssaccenosn aceon Tode SAondorcdl sade doeneecenee 8, 124 389, 952 44, 864 
1S890=—Miarchi: jaecscascosieces aa naas Cacia ase cemeeee|s seen oe tece ss 7, 000 336,000 | \ 35,000 
INOVEMDCE so. ect ss sae aces ces > sosesiee saccsass|aeoce GO tae aeene 20, 701 993, 642 102, 285 
IGRI Gy eo easnotooenop.tteebesdaausos6ossdeshecpees||sacce COjosne cee 700 33, 600 4, 200 
AGIA Se Gene SSCS SEB TOUr orto coh CGEs OSU abe lnaaE OW acna2nsB 1, 200 57, 600 7, 450 
Uti Ze oS qebescnesscepcora ABs ahae sens ebe sesosar baode CO peace 47, 015 2, 256, 720 217, 997 
PATIO US beens ieee Sele se eee ee ee eee eee do fst BROT RI | lle 692, 624 183, 724 
1802 — HO NEU ALY =a cee feito = Gees meena cteelecisiicleisrate Chileyc eee. Se 3, 000 144, 000 1, 140 
Mia Clie foe sine setgdcen «sees a ceisepmice miacecemme| seen doeettioec 500 24, 000 2, 200 
a 800 16, 800 2, 450 
1 27,107 | 1,320,336 160, 651 
46,972 | 2,254,656 | 264,518 
THE STURGEON FISHERY. 
For many years the fishermen of the Colembia River gave scarcely 
any attention to any fish caught in their nets except salmon. Stur- 
geon were very plentiful and were caught incidentally in the salmon 
nets in considerable quantities. A few were saved and sent to the 
Portland market, and during the winter months some were also shipped 
by steamer in a round or undressed state to San Francisco, but as a 
rule the sturgeon was looked upon as a nuisance and in most cases 
was, knocked in the head and set adrift in the river. This practice 
prevailed up to a comparatively recent date. 
In 1888 an eastern firm established experimental fishing-camps at 
several points on the river with a view to determine the abundance 
and location of the sturgeon, and, by shipping a few carloads of frozen 
sturgeon, to demonstrate the feasibility of creating a market in the 
Hast. The undertaking proved a success from the outset, and the 
industry soon attracted other firms from the East, so that in 1892 there 
were four firms interested in the business. The catch increased from 
960,705 pounds in 1889 to 3,006,757 pounds in 1892. The fishery has 
been of great importance to the fishermen in that it does not interfere 
in any way with their regular salmon operations, but is prosecuted 
after the close of the salmon season, and in 1892 added over $41,000 to 
their income. 
