PACIFIC HERRING 
287 
but the Eshamy Bay fish were rather thin while the McClure Bay fish contained an 
abundance of ister and were in excellent condition. 
In 1927 the herring in Elrington Passage in June and the first part of July 
attained a fair condition earlier than in 1926, and in McClure Bay they were in 
excellent condition at the 1st of October in 1927, while in Eshamy Bay they were thin 
in the middle of September in 1926. Thus it appears that in Prince William Sound 
in 1927 the herring were in good condition for a much longer time than in 1926 and 
probably also attained a much higher maximum condition. Only study for several 
years can tell which year comes closer to being normal. 
Similar comparisons for Kachemak Bay are given in Figure 31. Halibut Cove 
herring were in better condition just before spawning the last part of April, 1926, than 
the last part of April and first part of May, 1927, just the reverse of conditions in 
Elrington Passage. Herring from lower Kachemak Bay for the last part of August 
were quite similar in condition in 1926 and 1927. In September, 1927, the condition, 
while still excellent, had commenced to fall slightly. 
Samples were taken at Shuyak Strait on July 15 and August 5, 1926. The 
herring were in excellent condition and their condition-factor curve is very nearly the 
same as that for lower Kachemak Bay from August 19 to 30, 1926. 
Besides a difference in condition in different years and at different times, there is 
also a difference between localities. Samples were obtained from Naked Island and 
from Macleod Harbor in Prince William Sound on the 12th and 13th of June, 
respectively. (Table 29.) The sample from Macleod Harbor was but little below 
the samples from Elrington Passage taken a few days later, whereas the herring from 
Naked Island were much lower. The latter herring were quite thin, containing no 
ister, and had spawned on the webbing of the pounds in which they were confined. 
