XX REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



season of open water, the different species following each other in 

 somewhat regular sequence, so that the canneries are able to operate 

 advantageously throughout the summer months and into the early fall. 

 King salmon are taken as soon as the ice disappears in the spring, as 

 early as May 6 at the Copper River, but the canneries usually begin 

 to operate in June, as the run of redfish begins during that month. 

 Except at Karluk, where the runs frequently extend to the first of 

 October, canuerymen count on the supply of redfish lasting about six 

 weeks, and the pack of this species is completed early in August. 

 There is also considerable variation in the runs of cohoes, which follow 

 the redfish, but which are taken in quantities from the first week in 

 August until the canneries close, about September 20, though in one or 

 two instances canneries commence packing cohoes as early as July. 

 Humpbacks are said to be in condition for packing only about one 

 month ; the bulk of this species is packed in southeast Alaska, from the 

 middle of July to the middle of August. 



The fishing is carried on in the main by fishermen in the employ of 

 the canneries, except in southeast Alaska, where, though the canneries 

 have their own fishermen, a large part of the supply of fish is purchased 

 from native or white fishermen. This supply is obtained under various 

 arrangements, and frequently certain fishing rights are recognized by 

 the canneries. These so-called rights have their foundation in prior 

 discovery or — especially with the Indians — in continuous residence on 

 or near the stream in question. The fisheries frequently give rise to 

 disputes between the rival claimants to the different streams. 



The streams of Alaska show the results of the enormous drains made 

 on them by continuous fishing, and though it can not be asserted that 

 the supply of salmon will fail entirely within a few years, there is no 

 doubt that the streams are slowly becoming depleted. Canneries have 

 increased in numbers, many of them have been enlarged, and the 

 production of canned salmon is steadily increasing, but fewer salmon 

 are caught now than formerly in the streams which have long been 

 fished, notwithstanding the use of improved gear and appliances. 

 Taking, for instance, a section of southeast Alaska, where, in 1889, four 

 canneries produced 13,000 cases, and in 1897 produced double that 

 pack — in 1889 the fish were nearly all redfish and taken from streams 

 near the canneries, while in 3897 few redfish were taken, the pack being 

 mainly composed of humpbacks; and yet, to obtain the supply, all the 

 streams within 70 or 80 miles of the canneries had been fished with all 

 the gear that could be used. Again, at another locality, where, from 

 1890 to 1896, an average of Gl,400 cases annually were packed with fish 

 taken from one stream by one establishment, in 1896 three canneries, 

 putting forth great efforts to secure a large output, only packed 65,000 

 cases, and in 1897, with redoubled energy, 74,159 cases. Many such 

 instances could be pointed out, but these will serve as illustrations of 

 how the streams are being gradually depleted by the barricading of 

 streams and overfishing — in other words, illegal fishing. 



