302 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



less of the old and generally much decayed stakes. One object in 

 leaving the latter in place, besides the trouble and expense of removing 

 them, was to show a preemption of the grounds they occupy, and thus, 

 as far as possible, to prevent encroachment by outsiders. The better 

 sites, to the extent that they have been disclosed or that a foothold 

 could be gained, are the ones now occupied, and the good grounds seem 

 already to be pretty thoroughly controlled by those in possession, 

 although further experience may suggest other profitable locations. 

 The extent of fishing at this point, however, will probably continue to 

 be largely regulated by the capacity of the canneries near at hand, or 

 rather by their output as dictated by market conditions, unless competi- 

 tion should arise to stimulate an active rivalry. 



Eleven traps were in operation to the east of Point Roberts in 1895, 

 two of these being in Canadian waters and the majority of the others 

 directly off Cannery Point. Seven were controlled by the canneries at 

 Point Roberts and Semiahmoo, while the catch from the remaining four 

 was disposed of on the Fraser River. These traps were irregularly 

 distributed to a distance of about 2 miles from the shore of the Point, 

 three being united in one continuous string and two in another, the 

 remainder being placed singly. The string of three traps extended off 

 from the shore of Cannery Point in a southeasterly direction a distance 

 of about a mile, paralleling the northern edge of the Indian fishing- 

 ledge elsewhere described. The inner trap had a length of about 2,500 

 feet, the second of about 1,500 feet, and the outer one of about 1,000 feet. 

 The cribs were large and were located successively in depths of 5J, 6J, 

 and 7 fathoms. In none of the other traps on the east side did the 

 inner end of the leader approach near to the land, and in most cases it 

 was a considerable distance off, while the depth of water at the several 

 cribs ranged from 3 to 8i fathoms. 



The direction given to the leaders is based upon the experience of 

 the fishermen that the sockeye appear to enter Boundary Bay well to 

 the east, make a broad sweep westward and then turn somewhat 

 abruptly southward so as to pass out quite close to Cannery Point. The 

 leaders in the outer and northernmost traps may extend north and 

 south, but they generally deviate from this course so as to trend more 

 or less northwest and southeast. Farther west and south, however, 

 they usually run more nearly east and west, but never exactly so, and 

 altogether there is a very great variation in the direction given them. 

 The Canadian nets are rather out of the course of the sockeye, and 

 their catch is largely dependent on the direction of the wind, which is 

 also the case with the more northern nets south of the boundary. The 

 expense of transporting fish to the Fraser River also works to the 

 disadvantage of the Canadian nets. 



The two traps in operation off the south shore of the Point in 1895, 

 both single ones, were situated near its southwest corner, which is 

 considered to offer the best advantages next to Cannery Point. The 

 abrupt slope of the bottom in this locality necessitates the use of short 



