36 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
When tlie attention of those known to liave an interest in keeping the salmon 
streams in a normal condition has been called to the existence of barricades, with the 
expectation of having them join in jirotests against their construction, it has been 
surprising to hear some defend barricading as right, and the belief has been inevitable 
that if such persons were not directly concerned, they at least encouraged these 
practices. The statement was made in certain localities that it is impossible to obtain 
suflicient fish to compete with other canneries without barricading. This is very 
true, but the argument is absurd, and needs no comment. Equally absurd defense 
of barricades was made in other parts of Alaska. 
The effect of barricades can be readily appreciated. Salmon eome to the streams 
to ascend for spawning at certain dates, from which there is little variation. At first 
a few stragglers appear, then small schools, and the schools grow larger and larger 
as the season advances. At the mouths of the streams the fish accustom themselves 
to the new conditions in brackish water, and if the river is open to their jiassage they 
soon ascend to the lakes and thence to the spawning-beds. A whole school has been 
known to ascend in one night. If the stream is barricaded, preventing their ascent, 
they school around in the bay or inlet at the a|)proaches of the streams, may apparently 
leave the vicinity for a short time, and then return and repeat this process many 
times. While thus schooling in the salt water they do not reach a spawning condition 
so rapidly, and continue suitable for canning a longer time. Some of the fish that are 
more advanced toward the ripening period, in their frenzy to get to the spawning- 
grounds, fairly attack the obstruction and have been known to dash themselves 
against the timbers with such force as to be killed or die of exhaustion caused by the 
repeated attacks. Brietly, the barricades corral the fish, and thus permit the fisher- 
men to catch all at little expense; they are also said to keep them from ripening 
rapidly, and thus permit the cannerymeu to pack good-quality fish much later in the 
season. This seems to be shown in the 189G catch at Hetta, where — not from the 
action of barricades, but because tlie fish, on account of the extreme low water, could 
not ascend until the late September rains raised the water — over 40,000 redfish were 
taken between September 1 to 20. It is claimed that after the fishing season is over 
some of the rails of the barricade are knocked out to allow the remaining stragglers 
to pass through, but this is doubtful. 
The defenders of barricades state that when the water in the rivers is high it 
flows over the ends of the rails, and some redfish leap the barrier, while the other 
species and the trout are kept out, and thus the eggs of the redfish are preserved. 
But the barricades are generally so constructed that if a few fish find a passage the 
same proportion of one species iiasses in as another. 
The origin of barricading Alaska salmon streams dates back to a period prior to 
the acquisition of Alaska by the United States. The Eussians built “zapors” or dams 
with stone piers across the streams, near the settlements, from which they drew their 
salmon supply. The ruins of some are still standing, at Eedoubt, Afoguak, and other 
places. The injury these zapors caused to the fisheries is acknowledged by everyone 
who has any knowledge of the subject. The Eussians doubtless received the idea of 
barricading the streams from the Indians. When the first fisheries for the canneries 
were organized, “these little Indian devices,” as they were called by a person interested 
in Indian education, were in use, and in some instances were so ingeniously arranged 
that the fish were carried out high and dry into a basket. At one place (Klawak) 
