670 



and commercial records and from one of the largest fish tagging ex- 

 periments ever conducted, many thousands of fish having been tagged 

 in salt water and at different parts of the river with observable cellu- 

 loid tags these then having been collected by means of rewards and 

 otherwise, also by the use of trained observers systematically stationed 

 throughout the area. 



Submitted herewith is a biological report from the Commission's 

 scientific-staff which presents a remarkable record of investigation 

 and analysis. Dr. W. F. Thompson, until he came to this Commission, 

 had been Scientific Director of the International Fisheries Commission 

 (Halibut) and was largely responsible for the accomplishments of 

 that Commission which have justly won world-wide recognition. He 

 is now the Scientific Consultant for this Commission. 



When the Commission became convinced that a basic difficulty in 

 rehabilitating the Fraser sockeye salmon run lay at Hell's Gate can- 

 yon, it not only concentrated its biological work to bear upon that 

 point but also engaged the most experienced fishery engineers avail- 

 able. Milo Bell, the Commission's chief engineer, is the only active 

 engineer in either nation who has specialized in fishery conservation 

 devices directly related to Pacific salmon. And he in turn has had the 

 assistance of Professor Charles W. Harris, an outstanding hydraulic 

 engineer, as consultant. 



So-called fish-ladders have been in use for many years as a means 

 of enabling fish to ascend rivers blocked by dams and natural obstruc- 

 tions. The greatest installation heretofore made was at the Bonneville 

 Dam on the lower Columbia River. The fishery devices at the Bonne- 

 ville are said to have cost approximately $7,000,000.00 Nevertheless, 

 these fully justified the expenditure for they have successfully demon- 

 strated their effectiveness in passing the well known Chinook salmon 

 up the Columbia. The practical use of fish-ladders is therefore well 

 recognized in the engineering field. 



In the engineering report submitted herewith, the use of fish- 

 ladders to obviate the Hell's Gate Canyon obstruction is presented. 

 But although the Fraser salmon run substantially exceeds that of the 

 Columbia both in quantity and value, the cost of the proposed fish- 

 ladders at Hell's Gate Canyon, together with the estimated cost of 

 investigating and overcoming other obstructions and incidental re- 

 medial proposals, all together is less than one-third of the cost of the 

 work at Bonneville. 



The Commission therefore requests a total appropriation of $2,000,- 

 000, one-half from Canada, one-half from the United States, for the 

 purposes above outlined. One good year's run restored should produce 

 a catch ten times the entire proposed investment. And under continued 

 and adequate regulation and protection, this enormous food resource 

 should become recurrent year after year in perpetuity. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission 

 By 



"Edward W. Allen" 



Chairman. 

 "A. J. Whitmore" 



Secretary. 



January llth^ 1944' 



