FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 261 



of their movement there, however, seems to be mainly before the traps 

 are set, in May and June, and those obtained are mostly secured during 

 the latter month. The facilities for shipping from that place are so 

 poor that uo disposition was made of them until receutly, but now a 

 part of the catch is marketed. 



Sturgeon are said to be present in the Fraser River at practically all 

 times of the year, but to occur most numerously from midwinter until 

 in June, during which period the flsherj^ is carried on, the largest 

 catches being made in April and May, when the principal run is under- 

 stood to take place. The fishing-grounds most commonly resorted to 

 are in the main river between New Westminster and Mission, and in 

 Sumas and Harrison lakes. Formerly the sturgeon were taken on the 

 Fraser River solely by the Indians for their own use, and incidentally 

 in the salmon nets. It is only within a few years that a separate 

 fishery has been established, but at present quite a number of persons, 

 whites and Indians, engage in the business, using gill nets and hooks 

 and lines. Both the meat and roe are utilized. The demand for export 

 is increasing, and in the course of a few years it may be expected that 

 the catch will be considerably enlarged. 



The herring [Clupea pallasii) is one of the most abundant of the 

 exclusively marine species of this coast, but is described as generally 

 inferior in size and quality to the well-known Atlantic form. For this 

 reason probably it is not in much demand for food, a limited quantity 

 only being pickled and smoked, and a few disposed of fresh. It is, how- 

 ever, one of the most important baits of the region, and its value for 

 that purpose may be expected to increase greatly with the development 

 of the sea fisheries. It has also long been utilized for the manufacture of 

 oil, but, while a considerable industry of this character was at one time 

 carried on, the business seems at present to be of slight imi)ortance. 



The dogfish is another species which has been extensively captured 

 for its oil, and in this case, as with the herring, the fishery has declined, 

 owing to the decreased value of this product, the fish being probably 

 as abundant now as ever. 



The eulachon or candle-fish enter the Fraser River in the spring in 

 large numbers for spawning, and although the run continues for only a 

 few weeks, a considerable fishery is carried on. They also resort to 

 other rivers of the region, and may be taken in the salt waters, but the 

 catch in the State of Washington is small. The amount obtained on 

 the Fraser, owing in part to the shortness of the season, is said to be 

 insufficient to meet the demands of even the local markets, which have 

 to depend largely for their supplies upon the more northern rivers of 

 British Columbia, where the species occurs in much greater abundance. 

 Those obtained locally are mostly disposed of fresh, while the salted 

 and smoked fish come mainly from the north. The Indian practice of 

 extracting the fat or oil of the eulachon for domestic use is well known. 



The smelt {Osmerus tlialeichthys) and surf smelt {Hypomesus jireUosus) 

 are both plentiful. The former, which measures only about 6 inches 



