572 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
that these diminished catches were due at least in part to the seasonal closing and 
limitation of gear noted above, for it was reported that the escapement of salmon was 
large in all streams of the west coast of Prince of Wales Island in 1927. The runs of 
pinks and chums were good in 1926, large catches coming from Klawak Inlet, but there 
was apparently an almost total failure of these fisheries a year later. The catch of 
both species had fluctuated considerably over a long period, yet never in the history 
of Klawak had the catch of pinks been so low, while that of chums had dropped to a 
lower level but once since 1909. 
In view of its long record of 41 years as a producer of salmon, Sarkar Cove merits 
more than passing notice. The first recorded catch was made here in 1887 and 
consisted entirely of red salmon, and, with one exception (1905), it produced only 
Figure 36.— Catch of salmon in Klawak Inlet, 1886 to 1927. 
reds and cohos for 23 years. During this period, fishing was carried on near the 
mouth of the stream or directly in the stream, and at one time a trap was driven across 
the creek and probably maintained for several seasons, supposedly closing the stream 
completely to the ascent of salmon. To what extent such fishing prevented the 
escapement of salmon to the spawning grounds up stream is not known, but it would 
certainly greatly reduce the number. It is surprising, then, that under these condi- 
tions the run was not totally destroyed, and yet there was no marked evidence of 
depletion until 1913. In 1916 the catch dropped to 110 red and 1 king salmon. 
During the next 6 years considerably better catches were made, but again in 1923, 
the run was almost a total failure. The fishery had evidently reached a precarious 
condition and it was necessary, therefore, in the interest of conservation, to prohibit all 
commercial fishing in the cove for an indefinite period. That action was taken in 1925. 
