FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. XLIIl 



The capelin occurs around the entire coast of Alaska, and furnishes 

 food for the cod, halibut, salmon, and other commercial fishes. 



The surf smelt of southern Alaska is also a very valuable species 

 for food and bait. 



The eulachon is a very important food fish, both fresh and dried, and 

 it is very attractive to other fishes. The fat or oil made from this fish 

 is used as a substitute for butter, and to some extent to take the place 

 of cod-liver oil. Salted eulachon are prepared on the west shores of 

 Shellikoff Strait, and are said to be excellent for the table. 



In the fresh waters there is a great wealth of white fish, seven spe- 

 cies being known in the Territory. One of these, Eicbardson's white 

 fish, reaches a weight of over 30 ])ounds. 



Eelated to the white fish is the inconuu, a very excellent food fish, 

 which grows to a length of 4 feet, and sometimes weighs 50 pounds. 



The grayling is very common in Alaska in the spring. It is a very 

 handsome fish and much valued for food. 



The trout of Alaska are very large and excessively numerous. The 

 lake trout, so well and favorably known in our Great Lakes and else- 

 where, is very abundant and grows very large in Alaska. Dr. Dawson 

 found specimens measuring 30 inches in length. 



The Dolly Vardeu trout is found everywhere, being known from the 

 Colville and from various points throughout the limits of the Territory. 

 It reaches a very large size, and, in the sea-run condition, is extensively 

 salted in Kodiak under the name of salmon trout. 



Clark's trout attains to a weight of 20 pounds. It is very abundant 

 at Sitka, Kodiak, and as far north as Bristol Bay region. 



Gardner's trout, also called the steel head, is known from southern 

 Alaska and probably extends northward at least to Bristol Bay. It 

 sometimes exceeds 20 pounds in weight. 



The great salmon of the West coast are all found in Alaska. The 

 quinnat salmon, which is the largest of the five species, abounds even 

 as far north as the Yukon. Specimens weighing over 80 pounds are 

 found. Canneries using this and other species are located in various 

 parts of the Territory— Sitka, Kodiak, and Cook's Inlet, and the fish is 

 salted as far north as the Yukon. The abundance of salmon in Alaskan 

 waters is marvelous. In the summer season every village along the 

 coast is reddened with the drying frames containing ukali in course of 

 preparation for winter use. 



The herring of Alaska resemble our own sea herring very closely. 

 They occur in countless multitudes, are fat and of excellent quality, and 

 supply a notable amount of food for large fishes, and food and bait for 

 fishermen. We have taken them all around the coast as far north as 

 Port Clarence and they are said to occur as far north as the Colville 

 River. 



The spined dog-fish is very common in the Gulf of Alaska and it is 

 a great nuisance to the fishermen. Its liver might be utilized for oil, as 

 they are on the New England coast, and the remainder as a fertilizer. 



The sleeper shark is sufficiently common at Kodiak, appearing during 

 the salmon run in schools of 30 to oO. Turner has seen specimens 

 weighing 340 pounds. The natives drain the oil out of the livers and 

 use them as food. 



A fresh-water lamprey is particularly abundant in the Yukon and 

 furnishes a vast amount of food, which is highly relished by the natives. 

 It is caught in enormous numbers through the ice and left to freeze 

 where it falls. Turner says that a native provided with a stick, having 

 left upon it several prongs, can easily pull out a wagon-load by a couple 

 hours' labor. 



