704 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
of a large production in other areas, and the chum-salmon pack remained small until 
1910, when 52,000 cases were packed. The pack did not again exceed 100,000 cases 
until 1923. 
NUMBER OF CANNERIES 
Judging from the number of canneries in operation on the Fraser River or near 
its mouth each season since 1876 (see table 1), exploitation of salmon increased almost 
continuously from 1876-98. The great majority of the canneries were built during 
this 23-year period and the peak was reached when nine new canneries were built 
in 1897. 
The decline in the number of canneries in 1884 was possibly due to unfavorable 
economic conditions at that time. The Annual Report of the Department of Fisheries 
for 1884 says: 
There is estimated to be over in Great Britain now — 1st January, 1885 — in an unsalable con- 
dition, . . . , over two hundred thousand (200,000) cases of fall salmon, that will not bring much 
more than freight, insurance and charges. 
In 1901, the large packs both on the Fraser River and in Puget Sound again 
brought about an oversupply of salmon. The British Columbia Packers Association, 
which was formed at this time, included 29 of the 49 canneries on the river. The 
number of canneries in operation was considerably curtailed through this and other 
combines, especially during the “off” years when a few canneries were sufficient to 
handle all the catch. During the war years the number of canneries increased some- 
what, but at the end of the war it dropped sharply, and there have been less than a 
dozen since 1921. 
EVALUATION OF FISHING INTENSITY 
Company Licensing System 
In the early years of the fishery the majority of the fishing licenses were taken 
out by the canneries, who then hired men to fish them on whatever arrangement the 
company wished to make. At first they usually hired men to fish by the day or month, 
but later this custom was largely supplanted by the share system in which a certain 
percentage of the price of the fish, usually one-third, was deducted by the company, 
which supplied the net and rented a boat for a nominal charge. The independent 
fisherman was required to fish under his own license. The canneries often hired 2 
gangs (2 men in each gang) for each of their boats. Thus, by working in shifts, the 
license and boat might be used day and night. For instance, Hittell (1882) says of 
the cannery of Laidlaw and Co. in 1881, “It has 25 boats, which run day and night, 
with 4 men to each boat.” 
Of a total of 1,174 gill-net licenses issued in 1893 the companies obtained 909, 
varying from 27 to 40 licenses per company. Apparently the companies were re- 
stricted as to the total number of licenses they might have for 1 company had 27, 
7 had 30, 4 had 35, 7 had 36, and 7 had 40. 
In 1894 the number of company licenses was reduced by law to a maximum of 
20 each for canneries, and 7 for dealers in fresh, frozen, salted, cured or smoked 
salmon. By 1898 this limit was further reduced to 10, and after 1907 company 
licenses were abolished. 
