METHODS, CONDITIONS, AND STATISTICS OF THE SALMON FISHERIES. 



APPLIANCES AND METHODS. 



The fleet engaged in carrying cannery outfits, supplies, men, and products in the 

 season of 1889 included 13 steamers, 4 steam schooners, 1 ship, 13 barks, 2 brigs, 10 

 barkentines, and 23 schooners, a total of 66 vessels. 



The earliest clearing date which I have observed was January 30, and the latest 

 on my list is September 20, 18S9. Many of these vessels are chartered by the fishing 

 companies for the season or the trip. 



The number of dories employed at Karluk is about 200; the Karluk Packing 

 Company alone has more than 50. At Afognak about 40 dories are used, and the 

 number in Alitak Bay is probably not over 50. Several of the canning companies 

 have steam launches for towing their scows and lighters. All of the companies have 

 a sufficient number of the latter for loading and unloading their vessels, and all 

 handling of freight to and from vessels must be done by means of the scows and 

 lighters, as there are no wharves on the bay and no possibility of establishing them. 

 The steam launches can tow lighters and flat-boats into the river at high tide, bat not 

 during low water nor on the half tide. Columbia River boats are used to some extent 

 by the fishing companies at Kadiak, chiefly for making short voyages between 

 stations. 



Most of the fish used in the canneries are caught in seines varying from 150 to 

 250 fathoms in length, and from 16 to 20 feet in depth. The usual size of the mesh is 

 \S\ inches. Gill-nets also are used at Karluk, in Prince William's Sound, and some 

 other localities. Soft-laid twine is preferred to the hard laid for beach seining at 

 Karluk, as it does not chafe so much on the rocks. A purse-seine was used August 7 

 by Mr. Barker outside of the kelp, and did reasonably well. The kelp is a great hin- 

 drance to the seining at Karluk, but affords excellent shelter for the salmon. The 

 bottom of the bay is thickly covered with it, and its fronds float up to the surface 

 except over about a half mile adjacent to the river mouth. The species is known as 

 Bull-kelp. 



We were informed that 36 canneries were in operation in Alaska in 1889, and we 

 are indebted to Capt. H. E. Nichols, of the U. S. Coast Survey, for a chart showing 

 the locations as nearly as conld be ascertained. The canneries are situated as follows : 

 Eight are on Kadiak Island, and 2 on Afognak; on the Nushagak there are 4; on the 

 east side of the peninsula of Alaska, 5; in Cook's Inlet, 2; in Prince William Sound, 

 2; on Kayak Island, 2; in Lynn Canal, 3; Icy Strait, 1; Takou River, 1; Baranoff 

 Island, 1; Stickene River, 1; Klawak, 1; in Behm Canal, 3; in Tongass Narrows, 1, 

 and at Port Tongass 1 — the last doubtful. 



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