766 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
abundance without comparing it with the availability to other forms of gear. Also, 
the number of sockeyes caught on Swift sure and Salmon banks is bound to influence 
the catches in Boundary Bay, and they aid in influencing the catches in the Fraser 
River. 
The gill nets in the Fraser River, covering a restricted area, undoubtedly sample 
the portion of the run that escapes thus far more thoroughly than the traps and seines 
can hope to do. If the number and efficiency of the gill nets remained constant they 
might then give an adequate picture of the escapement, but, unfortunately, their 
number varies considerably. 
To work out these complexities so as to allow for the difference in seasonal avail- 
ability to different gear, the effect of one form of gear on the catch of another, the 
amount of competition between units of gear according to their numbers, and, finally, 
the changes in abundance of some races due to the difference in fishing intensity at 
different parts of the season, is beyond the scope of this report. General indices of 
abundance are presented for the major forms of gear and such general conclusions 
drawn as appear justified. 
AVERAGE CATCH PER UNIT OF EFFORT WITH GILL NETS 
The number of sockeyes actually captured by gill nets in the Fraser River, taking 
into consideration, whenever possible, fish shipped to and from the Fraser River, is 
given in table 31. This has been divided by the number of units of fishing effort and 
the results shown in figure 23. 
In the earlier years the catch was often limited by the capacity of the canneries, 
and this continued in the big-year cycle up to 1913. Under these conditions the 
curve does not give a true picture of the actual early abundance which was undoubtedly 
somewhat higher. 
Year 
1877— 
1878,-. 
1879— 
1880— 
1881— 
1882... 
1883— 
1884.. . 
1885.. . 
1886— 
1887— 
1888.. . 
1889— 
1890.. . 
1891.. . 
1892.. . 
1893— 
1894.. . 
1895— 
1896— 
1897.. . 
1898.. . 
1899.. . 
1900.. . 
1901— 
1902.. 
1903.. . 
1904.. . 
1905— 
1906- 
Table 31 . — Catch per unit of effort by gill nets, 1877-1934 
Number 
gill-netted 
Total 
units of 
effort 
Catch per 
unit of 
effort 
Year 
Number 
gill-netted 
Total 
units of 
effort 
Catch per 
unit of 
effort 
799, 107 
285 
2,804 
1907 
584, 033 
2,942 
199 
1, 077, 000 
449 
2, 399 
1908 
707,011 
2,410 
293 
571,350 
304 
1,879 
1909 
4, 869, 134 
4, 634 
1,051 
272, 500 
274 
995 
1910 
1, 459, 297 
2,745 
532 
1, 768, 766 
396 
4, 467 
1911 
659. 496 
2, 350 
281 
1, 884, 750 
666 
2, 830 
1912 
1, 185, 746 
2, 476 
479 
1, 142, 700 
782 
1, 461 
1913 
8, 761, 249 
4, 369 
2, 005 
272, 500 
723 
377 
1914... 
2, 035, 630 
4, 621 
441 
1, 112,257 
672 
1, 655 
1915... 
1, 050, 672 
4, 683 
225 
387, 720 
775 
500 
1916 
311, 196 
4, 299 
72 
1, 428, 375 
1, 055 
1, 354 
1917 
1, 402, 327 
4, 849 
289 
433, 000 
576 
752 
1918 
197, 352 
3, 049 
65 
3, 651, 393 
596 
6, 126 
1919.... 
368, 395 
2, 600 
142 
2, 263, 250 
596 
3, 797 
1920 
486, 118 
2, 545 
191 
1, 296, 937 
629 
2, 062 
1921 
433, 852 
2,702 
181 
543, 100 
954 
569 
1922 
514, 249 
2,548 
202 
5, 397, 005 
1,626 
3,319 
1923. 
300, 115 
1,768 
170 
3, 737, 200 
2,481 
1, 506 
1924 
372, 333 
1,768 
211 
4, 033, 720 
2, 580 
1, 563 
1925. 
397, 386 
1, 689 
235 
3, 120, 523 
4, 291 
727 
1926— 
891,045 
1,810 
492 
9, 959, 350 
3,832 
2,599 
494 
1927 
648, 254 
2, 010 
323 
2, 293, 715 
4, 642 
1928 
267, 457 
2, 092 
128 
4, 514, 385 
4,785 
943 
1929 
605, 170 
2,312 
262 
1,873, 981 
6,369 
294 
1930 
964, 987 
2, 375 
408 
11,792, 692 
6, 350 
1,857 
1931 
4.50, 532 
2, 163 
208 
3, 142, 814 
4, 278 
735 
1932 
657, 222 
546, 026 
2, 2S9 
287 
2, 338, 987 
5, 362 
436 
1933 
2, 598 
210 
742, 081 
3,571 
208 
1934.... 
1, 230, 986 
2,745 
448 
10, 143, 517 
1, 983, 698 
4,582 
3,178 
2, 214 
624 
116, 335, 643 
