FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 285 



as far east as Chicago. The spring trade is said to be constantly 

 increasing, and in a frozen condition the species is now being sent to 

 foreign countries. A considerable quantity is also salted for export, 

 and after the heavier shipments to the East have ceased, and the high 

 price then prevailing has fallen in consequence, they maybe put up by 

 a few of the canneries, especially on the Fraser Eiver. By the time 

 the canneries are in full operation, however, the quiunat have become 

 scarce, and in the fall their quality has dejjreciated, while the incon- 

 venience occasioned by the number of light-iheated fish in the catch 

 causes many of the canners to avoid handling them even at a season when 

 their condition might otherwise be favorable. The canned quinnat of 

 good color is graded about with the sockeye, the deeper and more 

 stable tint of the latter increasing its relative value as compared with 

 the quinnat, despite the inferior quality of its flesh. 



On the Eraser River commercial fishing for the quinnat is restricted 

 to the use of drift nets. On the Washington coast the species is 

 obtained only to a limited extent in traps, which are seldom set until 

 after the principal runs are over, and the catch therefore consists 

 mainly of scattered individuals taken in conjunction with the sockeye. 

 No dependence is placed upon the species at Point Roberts, and it has 

 not been the practice to fish for it specially at that place. Nets are 

 used for its capture in some of the rivers of Washington. Its game 

 quality has led to a considerable fishery in the salt water with hooks 

 and lines, which is carried on mainly for profit, but also to a slight 

 extent for sport. The fishermen are chiefly Indians, and the season is 

 principally the winter, beginning in November. The method followed 

 is trolling with both bait and spoon at various depths below the surface, 

 dependent on the position of the fish. Herring is the bait usually 

 employed. The principal localities of this fishery have already been 

 enumerated. While no statistics on the subject are obtainable, the 

 catch by this means is probably very inferior to that made by nets in 

 the various waters of British Columbia and Washington. 



SILVER SALMON. 



The silver salmon or coho, Oncorhynchus Msutch (Walbaum), ranks 

 next in importance after the sockeye and quinnat. It is considered 

 the most handsome of the salmon tribe, and in the salt water has game 

 qualities in common only with the quinnat. The color of the flesh, 

 though much lighter than in the sockeye, is as deep as in the quinnat, 

 but it fades to such an extent in cooking as to make the species less 

 desirable for canning than either of the former. The flesh is also drier 

 or less oily, but of excellent quality for the table when fresh, and packs 

 nicely. The Indians prefer this species to the sockeye for their own 

 use, probably because it is more readily cured by t^eir process of 

 drying. 



The size, as observed in these waters, is reported to range from 2 J to 

 10 and 12 j)ounds, but to run generally from about 6 to 8 pounds. The 

 species is said to attain 30 pounds in Alaska. 



