THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 89 



usual. The superinteudent thinks that these fish are about 22 

 months old from the time the spawn was first extruded. 



Naknek River. — But little is known of the Naknek River for more 

 than 10 or 15 miles fi'om its mouth. A trip to Naknek Lake, at its 

 head, which was planned for August, had to be abandoned on account 

 of the stormy weather. It is said that the river is about 45 miles 

 long, while the lake itself is even longer. With the exception of a 

 short series of rapids, up which it is possible to haul a boat with a 

 rope from the shore, the river is navigable for small craft. Several 

 white men who visited the lake in October, two years ago, re])ort 

 having; seen the shores lined with dead salmon. 



This season the Alaska Packers' Association operated two canner- 

 ies, and the Naknek Packing Company one, on Naknek River, while 

 Mr. L. A. Pedersen, formerly superintendent for the Naknek Pack- 

 ing Company, built and operated a saltery on the bay shore several 

 miles west of the mouth of the river. The plant of the Naknek Pack- 

 ing Company was formerly what is known as a '* double cannery," 

 i. e., two separate lines of machinery under what is practically one 

 roof, but early in the season one of the lines of machinery was 

 removed. It is the intention of the company to tear down and recon- 

 struct the plant this fall. 



Fisliing is carried on in the lower 4 miles of the river and on the 

 outside above and below the mouth of the river. A number of 

 lighters and house barges are anchored in the vicinity of those owned 

 by the Kvichak Bay canneries, and the fishermen from both sec- 

 tions work over the same ground. Gill nets alone are used. Accord- 

 ing to the fishermen, the fish are generally taken on half tide, both 

 ebb and flood, almost none being taken on high tide, and the fishing 

 runs about the same, night or day. There was less cause for com- 

 plaint with the conditions on tliis river than on any river in Alaska 

 inspected this season. 



A fair, but late, run occurred here, both companies packing their 

 guarantees. The saltery, however, had but poor success. The first 

 red salmon was canned on June 22, but some were seen several days 

 before that time. The first king salmon was canned on June 21, 

 the first humpback salmon and dog salmon on July 17 (both were in 

 the river before this date, however), while the canning of all four 

 species ceased on the same tlate — July 31. After canning ceased one 

 man from each cannery still continued fishing, the catch being utilized 

 by the cooks. Only humpbacks and a few silver, or coho, salmon were 

 secured, each boat averaging from 20 to 30 fish per day. According 

 to the superintendent of the Alaska Packers' Association canneries 

 here, the salmon come from the westward, and the Naknek generally 

 gets the first run, the same run usually appearing in the Kvichak River 

 a few hours later. The best fisliing is generally from the 3d to the 

 12th or 14th of July. 



