THE SALMON AND SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 
63 
about 20 yards wide, and from tbe lake to liigli water has iJossibly a fall of 30 feet. 
At the outlet of the lake the stream is heavily choked with drift, but this does not 
form a serious obstacle to the ingress of salmon. 
Quadra Lake is about 4 miles long and from a half to three-fourths of a mile wide, 
and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and ^precipitous shores. The dense, 
almost impenetrable, forest growth prevents any extended exploration from the shores, 
and, as the only navigable means at baud was a very crank and leaky canoe, only a 
cursory examiuatiou was made. The lake seems very deep and the water is dis- 
colored, probably from decomposed vegetation and the spongy conditions along the 
shores. It is fed by numerous cascades and falls, formed by the melting snows and 
the natural drainage, and it is said tliere is a sandy beach and an entering stream at 
the head. 
It appears, from a superticial examination, that this would aflbrd an excellent 
site for a hatchery. The small bay at the mouth of the stream could be made into a 
natural trap, with an abundance of room for all the fish, from which they could be 
easily removed when wanted, and plenty of water is obtainable by gravity, but it 
would probably have to be filtered. 
Quadra Stream is at present considered one of the best red-salmon streams in 
southeast Alaska. 97,000 redfish in 1895 were taken from around its mouth and 
approaches; 137,000 were obtained in 1890, of which number the cannery at Loring 
secured 44,370 between July 13 and August 31, and Metlakahtla 13,780 from July 14 
to August 22; and in 1897 about 05,000 fish were taken, of which 20,000 went to 
Loring, 4.000 to Metlakahtla, and the remainder to the Quadra cannery. The run of 
redfish at Quadra for cannery ijurposes usually lasts from July 15 to Sei»teniber 1. 
Straggling fish are taken before and after these dates. A few years ago tliis 
stream did not rank as a large producer of salmon. Until recently it was tightly barri- 
caded every year. The competition for these salmon has probably caused overfishing 
by the introduction of more gear than the stream warrants. 
In 1897 thelocality was fished by the canneries at Loring, Metlakahtla, and Quadra, 
and the Mink Arm saltery. Fourteen seines, from 200 to 240 fathoms in length, were 
used, and Clark & Martin, of the saltery, used two purse seines, one 225 fathoms, the 
other 240 fathoms long. If fishing is continued as extensively as at present, it would 
seem that a large reduction in the catch must follow. 
Judging this stream by others examined, and taking into consideration the 
probable overfishing, it is thought to have a capacity of 50,000 redfish under average 
conditions. 
The Quadra redfish are the largest found in southeast Alaska, if not in all Alaska. 
They are well known to all the cannerymen in the vicinity, running 8 to the case, 
or averaging a trifie over 8 pounds in weight. Early in August they fre(piently 
lose their bright and firm appearance, their scales drop off, their fins become frayed, 
and they commence turning red in color. It is thought by some that these fish 
have been in fresh water, but such is probably not the case. 
During a dry season, such as 1896, the salmon streams of southeast Alaska are 
so low that the fish can not ascend, but school around the mouths of the streams until 
the September rains raise the water, when they go up in a body. Fish so held and 
prevented from running, undoubtedly ripen in the brackish water at the river months 
as the spawning time approaches, and commence to disintegrate just as in fresh 
water, though not so rapidly. 
