THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 27 



Funter Bay, which rehes wholly upon traps for its supply of fish, 

 had the biggest season ever known there and in addition to running 

 at full capacity throughout the season was able to sell large numbers 

 of fish to canners less fortunately situated. 



In the Lynn Canal country the run of red salmon was almost the 

 lightest ever known, and the canneries at Pyramid Harbor, Haines, 

 and Cliilkat Inlet were forced to depend in large measure upon Icy and 

 Chatham straits for their supply. 



The very great shortage of red salmon in the Lynn Canal region 

 justifies the apprehension that the streams there have been fatally 

 overfished. The canning plants that did not depend upon traps in 

 distant waters made a poor showing, and at no time in the season 

 was the run of sockeyes abundant enough to afford profitable employ- 

 ment for the fishermen. At the Chilkoot River, which has been good 

 in the past for 60,000 fish or more, only about 35,000 were taken, 

 and in the Chilkat the run was relatively light. In the open waters 

 of the Canal gill-net fishermen had very poor picking, and the red 

 salmon pack for the three canneries (four have been successfully 

 operated there in the past) proved almost the smallest on record. 

 The probable explanation of this condition is to be found in the 

 method practiced on those rivers by the natives. The Chilkoot River 

 is but a little more than a mile in length from the mouth to the lake. 

 The stream is narrow and full of rocks and rapids. The Indians 

 erect platforms on the banks and in the stream at every available 

 point and hook the fish with gaffs as they try to struggle by in the 

 shallow water. In late j^ears with decreasing runs very few fish have 

 succeeded in getting to the lake. The same condition is true, though 

 in less degree, of the Chilkat. As these lakes are practically the only 

 spawning ground for Lynn Canal salmon, the result is seen in the 

 steadily diminishing numbers. The practice mentioned is not con- 

 trary to existing law, and the only remedy would seem to be the 

 exercise of the authority conferred upon the Secretary of Commerce 

 and Labor to close both streams for the restoration of these fisheries, 

 permitting the natives to continue to take salmon by the means 

 described only for their domestic use. They now sell the major part 

 of their catch to the canneries, and the evil of the excessive fishing 

 is accompanied by that of badly mutilated fish, due to the tearing 

 effect of the gaff hooks. Many fish are thus rendered unsalable and 

 are wasted, as the improvident natives will not even take them back 

 to their villages to dry. 



The Taku Harbor cannery of the Pacific Cold Storage Company 

 was leased and operated by the Taku- Alaska Packing Company. The 

 Chilkat Inlet cannery of the Alaska Fisheries Union is now owned 



