328 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Statistics of the British Columhia salmon fishery of the Fraser River, Gtilf of Georgia, 



and Strait of Juan de Fuca. 



[Compiled from the annnal reports of the Department of Marine and Fisheries of Canada.] 



Note.— This table is based upon the reports of the inspector of fisheries for British Columbia as 

 published in the annual reports of the DeDartment of Marine aud Fisheries of Canada. No data are 

 available fur determining the part taken by the hook-and-liue fishery iu the salt waters. In comput- 

 ing the total annual catch, the figures for which are only approximate at best, an allowance of 

 one-fourth in weight is made for waste in the preparation of the canned salmon. A barrel of cured 

 salmon is reckoned at 200 pounds, and fresh salmon have been estimated to average 10 pounds each 

 where the records show the number marketed instead of the weight. This total catch relates almost 

 exclusively to the salmon utilized in trade, both foreign and domestic, although some part of the fresh 

 salmon may have been taken by the catcher to .supplj' his own wants. 



The quantity of salmon caught and used by the Indians is said to be very large, generally much 

 exceeding the amount secured for market, though undoubtedly consisting in greater part of inferior 

 species. Exact figures are not obtainable, but in 1886 or previously the quantity was estimated at 

 25,000,000 pounds annually, and these figures or their money equivalent were repeated iu the official 

 reports for several subsequent years. They were afterwards di.scon tinned, however, as having too little 

 foundation in fact. 



