574 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
abruptness in 1926 and 1927, due in part to the shortening of the fishing season and 
in part to a real scarcity of fish. 
Exploitation of the runs of coho salmon began in 1888, but only moderate catches 
were made previous to 1898, in which year the first substantial improvement was 
noted. ? For several years the catch fluctuated between 12,000 and 65,000, but with 
an increase in the number of trollers and the discovery of good fishing grounds around 
Forrester and Noyes Islands larger catches resulted consistently, and in 4 years, 1916 
to 1919, all previous records for high production were broken. The slump in 1920 
and 1921 doubtless was due to economic causes and to the low prices then offered 
for fresh fish rather than to a decreased supply of cohos. During these years of 
extraordinarily heavy yields, the bulk of the catches were made by trollers whose oper- 
ations were exempt from the seasonal limitations applicable to all other methods of 
fishing. If the market for fresh fish had not suffered the same demoralization that 
affected the market for canned salmon there is little doubt that the trollers would have 
conducted their fishing as usual and that results would have been equally good. 
During the period 1922 to 1927 the catches of cohos have been fair, but not equal to 
those of the period just preceding 1921. 
In large measure the same situation existed in respect of the king-salmon fishery. 
Large catches were made from 1912 to 1915, but in subsequent years the trend fell 
