FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 59 
Propvucts or ALASKA Hrrrine FISHERY IN 1915. 
Products. | Quantity. | Value. 
efring: 
a ines for bait ....... we ee Set hdd de LRA bated Wed eUL eA ld pounds. .} 2,757, 020 $16, 561 
AEOMEn OM aliae emer ins os ae el goeee cceince's sel ole to Ag op idee ae do....] 2,646, 390 19, 300 
AG IOO TOMIO0 Os foe sec cia oie aseeasacaasecescasics nacecsteescuccecs barrels. . 8, 956 78, 238 
OR UMME OR cious Be ae ae st acta igo b Pele cirias ole eel g- ose LS SOAs Qe el oe rls tons. . 619 15, 475 
RO ciie eee coe esse ates Deas a dicrgaclsicizicietign sacs cece Sag clnied emiggicicins sae se gallons. . 130, 028 26, 005 
Ta] ee ae Se ae aes een aa F Noatienry Ey BREEN | ersten SCR Besa 155,579 
@Tncludes 308 barrels, valued at $2,457, pickled in central Alaska. 
INQUIRY REGARDING WASTE OF HERRING. 
The natives of southeast Alaska are accustomed to collecting con- 
siderable quantities of herring eggs for food purposes. The eggs being 
of an adhesive character become attached to alge and other vegeta- 
tion and to rocks, and since they are deposited in shallow water close 
to shore their collection is a simple matter. To facilitate gathering 
the eggs the natives supplement the supply of algz or other natural 
collecting agencies by placing boughs of trees in the water. To ascer- 
tain something as to the extent that the use of herring eggs might be 
considered as having an adverse effect upon the maintenance of the 
supply of herring an investigation was begun by Inspector Walker in 
1914 and continued in 1915. After the work was undertaken it became 
apparent that other factors were of greater importance in their bear- 
ing on the destruction of herring, and the investigation was accord- 
ingly expanded to cover the various important enemies of the 
herring in southeast Alaska. The matter of suggesting remedies for 
the evils was also given attention. 
The two more important spawning regions for herring in southeast 
Alaska are in the vicinity of (1) Fish Egg Island, an island lying 
across the mouth of Klawak Inlet, west coast of Prince of Wales 
Island and near the village of Craig, and (2) Sitka. The investiga- 
tion was carried on in both of these regions. 
The following extract from Mr. Walker’s report is made: 
At Craig the herring spawned from March 27 to April 1, inclusive, in 1914, and in 
1915 from March 10 to 20, inclusive. The west and north shores of Fish Egg Island 
with Klawak Reef on the north form about 95 per cent of the spawning ground. 
These slope quite gradually from high tide level to some distance below low tide 
level so that a large beach is exposed at low tide. About 50 per cent of the total 
spawning grounds are thus exposed at every low tide to the depredations of those 
enemies operating above the surface of the water. In no. place were the eggs found 
to have been deposited in water more than 10 feet in depth at low tide, and from 
that Tevel to about 2 feet of high tide level. Much of this area from about low 
tide line to a considerable depth is covered with a luxuriant growth of a large-frond 
species of seaweed. It is upon this and the smaller algz and grasses as well as wpon 
some of the rocks that the eggs naturally adhere. The large fronds, together with 
