669 



If the salmon had to keep on their way upstream or die and a run 

 lasted only 30 days and there was a period of 30 days right at the time 

 of such run when the fish could not pass up the river, the conclusion 

 Avould be natural that such run would not reproduce itself. The prob- 

 lem is not that simple. However, the Commission did find that salmon 

 could only stand a limited delay and that if the delay exceeded such 

 limit they dropped downstream and Avere lost for reproductive 

 purposes. 



The Commission further found that there were specific levels of the 

 river during which the salmon were unable to get up through the ter- 

 rific rush of water at Hell's Gate Canyon and that these impassable 

 levels occurred during the salmon season, but varied greatly in time, 

 length, and seriousness from year to year. In some years practically 

 all the runs which had survived to that year got through. In other 

 years the entire season was nearly impassable (in 1941 it is estimated 

 that one million fish were unable to ascend the Canyon, dropped down 

 below and died). In some years certain runs were affected ; others were 

 not. 



It was also found that, although Hell's Gate Canyon was by far the 

 most serious obstruction of this character, there were other places in 

 the river system, each of which took its toll. Some forty such obstruc- 

 tions were specifically noted, of greatly varying importance, but a 

 much more thorough survey of the seriousness of each, and of condi- 

 tions at other points where difficulty may exist than the Commission 

 has thus far been able to make, is essential. Moreover, the Commis- 

 sion found large areas apparently suitable to salmon spawning which 

 never had been utilized l3ecause of some natural obstruction, and that 

 it was probable that an adequate survey and proper remedial action 

 would be the means of opening up such areas, thereby increasing the 

 productivity of the system beyond what it had ever been. 



A most important consideration is that a depleted run of sockeye 

 salmon if given a reasonable opportunity recuperates rapidly. There 

 are, however, great areas to which the runs of certain years have been 

 completely destroyed. Such areas require distinctive treatment. More- 

 over, any measure of redress, in order to be effective, will require the 

 aid of regulation of the catch. 



Viewing the entire field, the Commission found that it would be 

 uneconomical and unsound, if not wholly futile, to attempt to resort 

 to any recuperative or regulatory measure if the same might in any 

 year be rendered fruitless by reason of the restored runs being a sain 

 depleted by being obstructed in their attempted passage up Hell's 

 Gate Canyon or other points of difficulty. 



Accordingly, it is essential that as a first step in an orderly rehabili- 

 tation of the sockeye salmon of the Fraser River system as a whole 

 that this continuous threat of destruction at Hell's Gate Canyon be 

 removed. After that, many runs will promptly proceed to restore 

 themselves and this natural process can be going on while the Com- 

 mission effectuates its plan to bring back lost runs as well as those so 

 close to extinction as to require artificial stimulation, and to produce 

 runs into new areas. Gradual removal of minor obstructions can also 

 be carried on concurrently, as biological and engineering studies indi- 

 cate the corrective action necessary. 



These facts and conclusions are the result of six years of intensive 

 investigation of every available source of information from official 



