FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 269 



where both trap nets and gill nets are employed. In the river the prin- 

 cipal fishermen have been the Indians, whose operations have been 

 chiefly limited to the vicinity of Baker Falls, but some fishing is also 

 carried on by the whites. Up to 1895 this species was taken only in 

 relatively small quantities either in the bay or river, but the establish- 

 ment of canneries at Auacortes since then has greatly stimulated the 

 eftbrts for its capture, causing a rapid development of the fishery. No 

 details of its growth are at hand, but the size of the catch has appar- 

 ently been much increased. 



The only spawning-grounds which have so far been located in the 

 Skagit River are at Baker Lake, on the tributary of the same name, 

 having its origin on the slopes of Mount Baker. It is the general opin- 

 ion tliat the entire run turns up Baker River and that it ascends no 

 farther than the lake, but this supposition is not yet entirely confirmed. 

 The inquiries already made, however, indicate that Baker Lake contains 

 one of the most important spawning-grounds of the sockeye known to 

 exist in the United States, and advantage has recently been taken of 

 that fact to begin its artificial propagation in that locality. 



It is reported that the sockeye begin to be taken at Baker Falls, near 

 the mouth of Baker River, as early as the middle of June, but this so 

 far antedates the time of their appearance elsewhere in the region that 

 the evidence seems to be in error. They are also said to reach Baker 

 Lake chiefly during July, and to begin spawning the last of August or 

 early in September. The hatchery on Baker Lake was established by 

 the State of Washington in 1S90. The first eggs were taken on Sep- 

 tember G of that year and the last on October 8, when the capacity of 

 the hatchery was reached, the total number obtained being 0,500,000. 

 The season had not closed, however, by the latter date, and it was 

 thought that fully twice that number might have been secured had there 

 been means for caring for them. The number of fry obtained from the 

 above eggs and planted in the sj)ring of 1897 was 5,500,000. The out- 

 put of fry in the spring of 1898 was 0,000,000, and 7,500,000 eggs were 

 collected in the fall of that year. 



In his account of this subject for 1898, the fish commissioner of 

 Washington states that Baker Lake is about If miles long by 1^ miles 

 wide, and has two principal inlets, Sutter River and Noisy Creek. The 

 spawning-i)Iaces of the sockeye occur in the lake and in both of these 

 streams. The silver salmon and steelhead also run uj) to this locality 

 in large numbers, and the quinnat appears here, though to a less 

 extent. 



Frascr River. — From the bank in front of the delta, where they first 

 assemble, the sockeye pass into the Fraser River through both entrances, 

 the main channel and the north arm, including also Canoe Pass, a short 

 offshoot of the former. The relative proportion which enters each is 

 said by the fishermen to vary considerably in different years, as well 

 as in different jjarts of the same season, but their evidence in this 

 regard is quite indefinite. They claim, however, that at times as good 



