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BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
000,000 salmon were taken by traps, 53 percent of which were caught in the waters 
north of Sandy Point, 27 percent in the region of the San Juan Islands, 4 percent on the 
west shore of Whidbey Island, north of Point Wilson, 5 percent west of Point Wilson, 
and 1 1 percent in areas south and east of Point Wilson. 
In the period from about 1900-1934 the average number of days of operation of 
each trap has increased from 46-95 days in Boundary Bay, and in Admiralty Inlet the 
time at which they commence operations has advanced 85 days. 
The average seasonal occurrence of each species of salmon is quite distinct in the 
trap catches. Kings run very early, 40 percent of the catch being made by June 30. 
They are followed by the sockeyes, whose run is practically over by August 25, at 
which date only 40 percent of the pinks have been taken. The latter species reaches 
a peak about August 29, the cohos about October 1 and the chums about October 23. 
THE PURSE-SEINE FISHERY 
Purse seines were used in this region before 1882, and within a decade had become 
the most important type of gear on Puget Sound. Later they were surpassed by the 
traps, but the introduction of the gasoline engine, completed by 1907, returned them 
to a place of considerable consequence in the fishery. 
The purse-seine vessels have improved steadily in design and equipment, and 
have increased in size throughout the history of this fishery. The average efficiency 
of the fleets has correspondingly increased so that, although the modern fleet is smaller 
in numbers than were those of many earlier years, the total fishing efficiency of today 
is greater than in all but 1 previous year. 
Both fishing season and the size of the fleets vary considerably in odd- and even- 
numbered years. The summer fishery is most important in the odd-numbered 
years, when pink salmon are abundant, while the fall fishery for cohoes and chums is 
considerably greater in even years. The number of vessels fishing is usually greater 
in odd than in even years. The larger vessels fish on the high seas in spring and early 
summer, moving into Puget Sound later in the season. 
Seasonal occurrence of the various species in purse-seine catches is similar to that 
in trap catches, but the periods of abundance are more prolonged. From 1917-34, 
pink salmon have averaged 75 percent of the catch in odd years, but less than 1 percent 
in even years. Over this 18-year period their average was 37.44 percent of the catch, 
chums were 32.07 percent, sockeyes 15.63 percent, cohoes 14.16 percent, and kings 
0.70 percent. 
The proportion of pink salmon in odd and even years at the cape is similar to 
that on Puget Sound. During the period from 1927-34, pinks averaged 46.54 percent 
of the cape catches, cohoes were 36.83 percent, and sockeyes 14.84 percent. Chums 
and kings both averaged less than 1.0 percent. 
THE TROLL FISHERY 
Coho and king salmon provide almost the entire catch of the troll fishery, which 
was of slight consequence until the introduction of engines increased the efficiency of 
the boats. During recent years almost the entire troll fleet has fished at the cape, 
