PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, COPPER AND BERING RIVER SALMON STATISTICS 221 
decline of the reds. Billys Hole was closed to salmon fishing in 1924 and has remained 
closed ever since. The effect of this can not yet be ascertained. 
Long Bay . — Records indicate that Long Bay, as distinguished from Billys Hole, 
was first fished in 1917 when 2,500 pink salmon, only, were taken. Fishing was not 
resumed until 1922, in which year a comparatively large number of pinks and a few 
thousand reds and chums were caught. In the next two years the catch of pinks and 
chums declined, while that of reds increased slightly. In 1925, reds declined but 
pinks and chums advanced. The catch of pinks was still larger in 1926, yet not 
equal to the catch of 1922. Reds and chums fell off. The catch of pinks in 1927 
declined approximately 59 per cent which probably represented at that time the 
normal difference in runs of that species for even and odd years. More chums were 
taken than ever before, and the catch of reds again approached 3,000. 
TOTAL, WESTERN PART 
The development of the salmon fisheries in the western part of Prince William 
Sound was rapid. In a very few years after exploitation first began the district 
became an important producer, especially of pink salmon. This development is 
graphically shown in Table 5. 
The general trend of the red-salmon catch has been downward since 1919; 
and yet at the end of 24 years of continuous fishing, the catches are approximately as 
great as during the early history of the fishery in spite of all the laws and regulations 
that have since been applied. Although some localities show reduced catches, others 
made larger yields and thus a general balance was maintained in that region. No 
material increase in the production of red salmon may be expected in this section as 
the streams used by this species are small, comparatively few, and largely of glacial 
origin, with low temperatures and probable limited capacity for the maintenance of 
the young salmon. Most of the streams of Prince William Sound are not lake fed, 
are relatively short, and produce chiefly the cheaper grades of salmon. 
The pack of pink salmon has increased rapidly and steadily since the first catch 
was made in 1912. The abundance of pinks in this area was not even remotely 
realized until after several canneries were opened and commenced the regular exploi- 
tation of this fishery. The trend of the catch in both even and odd years ascended 
rapidly throughout the period covered by this report with the exception of a slight 
retardation during 1921 to 1923. There appears to be no indication of a diminishing 
supply of pinks. 
Kin gs and cohos constitute minor fisheries of little value, though 1919 and 1920 
show an unusual production of kings never approached before or since, and not 
explainable in the fight of present data. 
The catch of chums since 1916, the year in which that species was first reported, 
shows wide fluctuations, reaching its highest level in 1918 and its lowest in 1922, 
excepting 1921 , when for economic reasons practically no fishing was carried on. Suc- 
cessively larger catches were noted in the next three years, 1923 to 1925, and since 
then remained fairly uniform. However, chums in the western part of the sound 
are not considered of great value and are taken chiefly incidental to other fishing 
operations. 
