FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 
191 
Quantity and value of salmon. 
Year. 
Pounds. 
Value. 
1887 
1, 260, 000 
837, 200 
$18, 900 
12, 558 
1888 
35. FISHERIES OF THE ALSEYA RIVER. 
Alseya River rises in the southwestern section of Benton County, 
Oregon, and flows in nearly a northwesterly direction to the Pacific, a 
distance of about 60 miles. 
Importance of the fisheries . — Although this stream is of no great length, 
its salmon fisheries are quite important. In 1888 813,400 pounds of quin- 
nat and silver salmon were caught, of which 673,400 pounds were util- 
ized for canning purposes, and 140,000 pounds shipped fresh to interior 
markets. These products had a value of $12,901. The industry gave 
employment to 92 fishermen and 65 “hands” at the canneries. 
Species , seasons , etc.— -About the same species of fish occur here as in the 
Siuslaw and other small streams along the coast, but no fishery is prose- 
cuted for other than the salmon. There are three varieties — quinnat, 
silver, and steelhead. The first two are most esteemed for canning pur- 
poses. There is no spring migration in this river; the fall run begins 
early in August and continues until about November. Thequinnatcomes 
first, followed by the silver salmon which appears about the first week 
in September. The largest catches are made between September 20 and 
October 20, when both species are in abundance. The average weight 
of the quinnat salmon on this river is 25 pounds, though single individ- 
uals weighing 60 pounds or more have been taken. Silver salmon aver- 
age about 12 pounds each. 
Fishing grounds . — The best grounds are from the mouth of the river 
to about 3 miles inland. Gill nets are fished in the channel near the 
entrance of the river as well as at other suitable localities. There are 
many places where sweep seines can be used. 
Apparatus , boats , etc . — The drift nets are about 100 fathoms long, 3 
fathoms deep, and have a 9J-inch mesh when used for quinnat salmon 
and 71-inch mesh for silver salmon. Three haul seines are in use. 
Pound nets have been experimented with here, but, as was the case 
with those operated on the Yaquina River, their use was soon aban- 
doned on account of the great quantities of grass which lodged in them 
and thus prevented the capture of salmon. 
The boats are of the flat-bottomed bateau type, sharp at the bow 
and having a square stern. They average 20 to 22 feet in length and 
have about 5J- feet beam. 
Salmon canning.— There are three canneries located on the Alseya, 
two near its mouth and the third about 2 miles up the river. Salmon 
canning on this river was first undertaken in 1886 ; in 1887 two estatb 
