712 
BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OP FISHERIES 
Aside from a few small precipitous streams that attract coho salmon, Resur- 
rection Bay has three fairly large tributaries entering at its head — Resurrection 
River, Bear Creek, and one stream unknown by name except to local residents. 
These larger streams are the chief source of the salmon supply of this district. Bear 
Creek is undoubtedly the largest producer of red salmon, and perhaps of the other 
species, though Resurrection River is a much larger stream. The river is a rough, 
glacial stream, whereas Bear Creek is lake fed, less tumultuous, and provides larger 
areas for spawning beds. 
In late years, fishing has been entirely with gill nets, though in the earlier history 
of the fishery both beach and purse seines were used and in one season a trap was 
driven near Kanes Head on the west side of the ba 3 ^ about 8 miles south of Seward, 
but it caught very few salmon. 
Table 35 . — Salmon catch and fishing appliances used in the Resurrection Bay district , 1911 to 1927 
Year 
Coho 
Chum 
Pinks 
King 
Red 
Beach seines 
Purse seines 
Gill nets 
Pile 
traps 
1911 
2,665 
78 
256 
40 
2,340 
Number 
Fathoms 
Number 
1 
Fathoms 
16 
Number 
2 
Fathoms 
150 
Number 
1912 
2, 365 
2,365 
3, 606 
7, 880 
722 
350 
810 
16, 220 
1, 857 
5,500 
9, 650 
7 
400 
1913 
255 
4 
200 
1914 
2,948 
800 
200 
6 
259 
1915 
30 
1 
125 
14 
680 
1916 
4, 300 
3, 388 
2,340 
29, 050 
39, 670 
26, 690 
23, 834 
24, 773 
12, 154 
1 
85 
7 
360 
1917 
134 
631 
45 
9 
600 
1918 
11, 130 
24, 939 
5, 463 
1,444 
79 
4,988 
5,633 
541 
19 
4 
300 
26 
2, 190 
1 
1919 
389 
3 
420 
36 
2, 810 
1920 
19, 095 
7, 592 
1,883 
6 
339 
2 
190 
24 
1, 800 
1,050 
840 
1921 
38 
1 
115 
15 
1922 
i 
85 
14 
1923 
8 
17, 740 
14 
800 
1924 
4, 300 
14 
57 
14, 984 
14 
840 
1925 
3 
1926 
6,635 
9,072 
121 
17 
21,215 
18 
1,800 
1, 120 
1927 
2,521 
14 
This district produces a small run of reds and cohos. All other species have 
been taken, but the catches were decidedly irregular. Since 1920, the catch of other 
species has been extremely small, and in most of the years none at all. 
Efforts were made to build up a larger run here by artificial propagation and by 
clearing the streams of obstructions to make larger and better areas available for 
spawning fish, but the runs continue to be small and the possibility of developing 
a much larger fishery in this district than now exists seems remote. 
A cannery was built at Seward in 1917 and was operated each season through 
1921. These five years cover the most productive period of the Resurrection Bay 
salmon fisheries, and they also represent the period of most intensive fishing. Fishing 
in these years demonstrated conclusively that the supply of fish was insufficient for 
the profitable operation of a cannery, and that the runs gave little promise of ever 
becoming profitable. 
