526 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Steelheads are much scarcer than formerly. They are found as 
early as the middle of November, but not many before December, 
there being a scattering Hght run all winter. 
La Connor, at the mouth of the river, continues to be the headquar- 
ters for the river fishermen. Here supplies are purchased and the 
fish are sold to agents of fresh-fish firms and canneries. 
The prices and average weights of fish in 1899 were as follows: 
| 
Salmon, Price. Pounds. 
DLCCMN CAC aan amen 2 Acak of h an. See ey, Me eee a ee 5 cents per pound ....! 11 
C1 a8 000) CMS Sry ie ec opm a ORS SRS 2 cents per pound .... 20 
NIM DAG: oo. 2 Hate ares hb is eis Sia Saleem sce esate cieere ones Scraper sien | e.cents eachie soo csse- 4 
DOD Rates coco nse ose oa cee cee ee cane et eemee eee scem seco ces ce scene 0 CONtVCACh tot peas sso 15 
j BW b=) 05 1 eee ee ere ie Pre ee iy nc SC aie ec eee 20 cents each ......... 62 
COT aC tas Soe red ede ries ore aCe are ge ere aie) 4 gaye 5 Ete ee RL Sem 1siecents: each .3.2cn.- 8 
\ 
The catch from the Skagit River during 1899 amounted to 1,652,320 
pounds of salmon, that brought the fishermen $30,997, and 240,000 
pounds of smelt, of $3,000 value. No pound nets are permitted to be 
used in the river. 
San Suan County comprises a group of rugged islands between 
Skagit County and the southern end of Vancouver Island. Through 
the numerous waterways of these islands the immense numbers of 
salmon pass in their migration toward the Fraser River and other 
streams northward, and here are located many pound nets owned by 
the canneries of Whatcom County. One cannery at Friday Harbor, a 
branch of one at Fairhaven, packed 20,549 cases of salmon, of which 
14,908 were blueback. The total amount of salmon used at the cannery 
was 1,359,620 pounds gross weight, all caught by pound nets. 
Snohomish County.—TVhe fisheries are contined to the salmon catch 
of the Snohomish River. The few miles of river from Everett, at its 
mouth, to Snohomish City comprise the fishing-grounds, from which 
607,169 pounds of salmon were taken in 1899. | Five-sixtbs of this 
amount was silver salmon, the remainder comprising, with the excep- 
tion of the blueback, all the other species of salmon. Sturgeon are 
occasionally taken in the salmon nets, but here as elsewhere in the 
numerous rivers of the coast these valuable fish have been nearly 
exterminated. . The catch of this stream is bought by agents of Seattle 
canners and fresh-fish firms. 
King County.—The fisheries of this county are practically the fish- 
eries of Seattle. The continued large increase in the fish business of 
that city is shown by the following receipts from the home fishermen: 
Year. Pounds. Value. 
LEO 2 eter gee ee att tacs gs onsieatesictciers, Sudety wie wiseas See cate MO Se ee Poe ee EE | 2, 385, 352 $72, 300 
SS Cyrene tote essa 3 x So SG sins, 5 ci cite SiMe se Sere eine CIN oe oP eee eee | 11,469,118 123, 582 
LOD Ore ee eee meen sa 2s ccm. n tle, cninisinitdar rs Dacars eeaae Seen eee eee eee BLOT OO la O40 448, 428 
