FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 275 



Table showing the anticipated and actual conditions regarding the relative abundance of 

 sockeye salmon for each year from 1877 to 1898, in illustration of the subject of periodic 

 fluctuation. 



From an inspection of the table a correspondence will be noticed in 

 the anticipated and actual fluctuations for every year down to 1885, 

 inclusive. In 1886 the quantity fell much short of expectations, 

 although the catch was kept up by an increase in the number of nets 

 employed, and in 1887, which should have been a poor year, the run was 

 better than in 1886. In 1895, also theoretically a poor year, the run was 

 above the average, while in 1896, expected to be the poorest of its cycle, 

 the catch is recorded as the third largest in the Eraser Eiver fishery 

 down to that time. As a whole, there were few measurable diflerences 

 from the anticipated conditions down to 1892, since which time good 

 runs have occurred during practically five continuous years. In 1898, 

 however, which should have been a good year, the catch was relatively 

 small. 



The run of 1897 was one of the largest if not the largest in the history 

 of the region. Preparations had been made in anticipation of a good 

 year, both on the Fraser River and in Washington. The great body 

 of sockeye first made its appearance about the middle of July and 

 continued until about the end of the first week in August, a relatively 

 short season, but during this period the cannery pack was completed 

 and in addition an immense amount of fish was thrown away, the daily 

 catch being often much larger than could be disposed of. It has, in 

 fact, been claimed, though this is probably an exaggeration, that more 

 fish were caught and wasted than were utilized. Where contracts had 

 not previously been made, the canneries soon found it necessary to 

 refuse much of the fish offered them, thus depriving many fishermen of 

 their occupation through the very abundance of the objects of their 

 pursuit. At Boundary Bay it is said that the traps filled faster than 

 tliey could be emptied, while some of the gill-netters caught fully 1,200 

 salmon to a net in a single night, and many from 500 to 1,000 each. 

 On the Fraser River the individual catches were in proportion. 



While in 1897 the bulk of the catch was made early, the height of 

 the season varies in different years. In 1890 and 1896, both of which 

 were good years, the boats all made very small catches on the Fraser 

 River until about August 10, when the fish began to run abundantly, 

 raising the average daily catch i>er boat to from 200 to 500. In those 



