SALMON AND SALMON FISHERIES OF SWIFTSURE BANK 
699 
ful use of traps in the capture of sockeye Purse seines did not become of great 
importance in this district until 1907 when power-driven vessels had come into 
general use. 
In the Gulf of Georgia the fishery developed slowly, except for the area near 
the mouth of the Fraser River. The first cannery in this district was built at 
Quathiaski in 1904 and canned chiefly cohos, caught by troll in the northern end of 
the Gulf of Georgia, as well 
as small quantities of sock- 
eye. Later pinks and 
chums were also utilized. 
Except for a small cannery 5 
at Pender Harbor in 1906 g 
and 1907, this was the only 
cannery in this district for 
several years. « 
Swiftsure Bank was the 5 
last district to be exploited, z 
as the development of this 
fishery in the open ocean 
depended upon the in- 
creased mobility of power- , 
driven vessels. About 
1908 trolling vessels were „ 
fishing in the Strait of §, 
Juan de Fuca as far as the £ 
open sea, and by 1912 the 
greater part of the fleet was 
fishing at the cape. Purse- z 
seine vessels also began ^ 
to fish here by 1911 and, 
since 1912, a fair share of 
the fleet has spent a por- 
tion of the summer there. 
PRODUCTION AND VALUE 
Because of variations in economic conditions, and in the abundance of the various 
species, it is difficult to appraise the value of these fisheries. During the 8-year period, 
1927-34, the average annual production was 113,450,000 pounds of raw salmon which 
had a wholesale market value of $10,400,000. If the 2 worst depression years, 1931 
and 1932, are omitted, the averages are raised to 116,660,000 pounds and $11,720,000 
(see fig. 4). 
However, this region is capable of producing a great deal more wealth than it does at 
present. By way of illustration one need only refer to the reduced catches of sockeye. 
From 1898-1913, a 16-year period when the sockeye fishery was flourishing, the average 
pack of sockeye was 790,000 cases per year, worth on the average $4,930,000 (average 
price of just over $6.00 per case). During the 8-year period, 1927-34, the sockeye 
4. — Salmon production of the region in pounds of raw salmon, and wholesale 
value of the products. 
