614 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
in 1919, but there was no material decline in catches until 1925, a result which was 
probably brought about by the closing of practically every locality in which red salmon 
were taken in this section of the district. The catches in the northern part, however, 
show a distinct upward trend which is reflected in the more moderate upward trend 
in the total catches in this district. Previous to 1926 the aggregate catch in the 
northern part was always well below that of the southern part but in both 1926 and 
1927 the catch in the northern part slightly exceeded that of the southern part. No 
definite reasons can be assigned for this shift in the relative importance of the red- 
salmon fisheries in the two parts of Clarence Strait. So far as can be seen there has 
been no corresponding shift in the relative intensity of fishing. Gear, especially the 
Lf) 
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Figure 42. — Catch ot pink salmon in the Clarence Strait district, 1904 to 1927. 
number of traps, has increased rapidly throughout the period 1904-27 but about 
equally in the northern and southern sections. It is not known whether the fisheries 
in the two sections draw upon the same runs of fish or not but if they do the continued 
encroachment of the northern fisheries must ultimately result in the reduction of the 
catches in the southern part of the strait. 
The unallocated catches of p ink salmon in these waters has reached tremendous 
totals. During the period 1892-1917 inclusive the unallocated catches aggregated 
over 34 millions and during the 10-year period 1918-27 nearly 50 millions, 27 million 
of these coming in the last 5 years notwithstanding the fact that the catch in 1927 was 
only 506,592 and that during this period fishing was more restricted by closed waters, 
closed seasons, and limitations of gear than it had been in all the preceding years of 
