SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA SALMON STATISTICS 
447 
nets averaged 50 fathoms in length, while in 1917 the average length was 100 fath- 
oms. Comparing these figures with similar ones for 1927, the last year covered by 
this review, it is found that the average length of seines is 156 fathoms and that of 
gill nets 164 fathoms. In proportion as the opportunity to fish is restricted, the 
intensity of fishing has obviously been increased in an effort to maintain the catch 
and defeat the very object of applied conservation measures. One of the striking 
things in this connection is the relatively slight deviation from the trend of the 
catch of red salmon shown in figure 11. These deviations are by no means as great 
as has been commonly found in other districts. At first sight this would appear to 
indicate that the supply has been comparatively constant except as affected by the 
long-time trend. This interpretation, however, is not borne out by an inspection of 
Figure 3. — Catch of reds, cohos, and pinks at Situk River. 
the data bearing on the catches in the separate rivers. These have fluctuated quite 
violently but whether from actual changes in the abundance of fish or from changes 
in the intensity of fishing it is impossible to say. That there were not greater de- 
viations from the trend is surprising, but may have been due to chance or, more 
probably, to adjustments of fishing effort so that the streams where the better supply 
of fish were to be found were more heavily fished. 
It is certainly true, however, that there is clear evidence of depletion, particularly 
of the red salmon, in several of the streams and in the district as a whole. The 
reduced catches during the last few years considered in this review, since the newer 
conservation measures began in 1924, have doubtless been affected by the regula- 
tions; but even before this it is quite apparent that the catches were gradually be- 
coming smaller. The depletion of the runs of both reds and cohos had gone far at 
the Ankau River as far back as 1913. The Situk has apparently held up well and 
there is little, if any, evidence that the catches had been reduced materially before 
