SALMON AND SALMON FISHERIES OF SWIFTSURE BANK 
719 
Haro Strait, Lummi Island, etc.; 16 percent along West Beach, Ebeys Landing, and 
the south side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca; 9 percent east of Whidbey Island — chiefly 
Hope Island area; and 15 percent south of Point Wilson — Admiralty Bay, Hood 
Canal, etc. 
CANNERY EXPANSION FROM THE TRAP FISHERY 
After more than a decade of cannery operation in the southern portion of 
Puget Sound, 1877-90, during which time 3 or 4 small canneries were annually engaged 
in the industry, business had fallen off to such an extent that only 1 cannery operated 
in 1890. 
The successful use of salmon traps at Point Roberts resulted in the building of a 
salmon cannery at Semiahmoo in 1891, one at Point Roberts in 1893, and another at 
Friday Harbor in 1894, the number quickly increasing to 19 by 1900. In 1901, a big 
sockeye year, the number dropped to 16, owing to overproduction the previous year, 
especially of the cheaper grades. In 1902, however, the number rose again to 20 
(see table 1). In 1902, in addition to the original sockeye cannery at Semiahmoo, 
there were 2 at Point Roberts, 3 at Blaine, 3 at Fairhaven (now South Bellingham), 1 
at Chuckanut, 1 on Lummi Island, 6 at Anacortes, and 1 each at Friday Harbor, 
Port Angeles and Seattle. The successful use of salmon traps near Sooke, on Van- 
couver Island (see fig. 2) caused the building of a cannery at Victoria in 1905. 
SEASON 
One very striking instance of the increased intensity of fishing in later years is 
furnished by changes in the season when the fish traps were operated. The season 
has been measured by the dates of the first and last lift of a trap. Since the traps 
usually fish from about two days to as much as a week before the first lift, all seasons 
mentioned are slightly less than the actual time fished. In Boundary Bay, the most 
important sockeye area, the date by which half the traps had been lifted for the first 
time was July 9 in the period 1897-1902, in the next 8 years, it advanced to July 7, 
in the following 16 years it averaged July 4, and in the last period, 1927-34, it had 
advanced to June 25, a total for the whole period of 14 days. (See fig. 10.) 
The change at the end of the season is more striking. From August 23 the closing 
date became later and later until, in the last 8-year period, it was September 27. A 
46-day season had changed to one of 95 days. The reasons for the change are best 
explained by comparing trap seasons with the curves for seasonal occurrence of each 
species. It is evident that the late spring fishing is to increase the catch of kings. In 
the early days the traps usually stopped fishing in the odd-numbered years before the 
sockeye run was quite over in order to avoid bothering with the tremendous pink runs 
which were of little value. In recent years the traps have usually fished until the pink 
runs are over. 
A somewhat similar story is told of the traps in the area between Point Wilson and 
Point No Point (Admiralty Inlet). Admiralty Inlet was a fall fishing area for many 
years. The opening date for the period 1900-1910 averaged August 27, and for the 
next 8 years August 23. From 1919-26 it had advanced to June 14 and in the last 
8-year period, 1927-34 it was May 30, a change in the opening date of 85 days. 
