PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA EEPOET OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31st, 1923 WITH APPENDICES PRINTED by AUTHORITY OP THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. VICTORIA, B.C.: Printed by Chaei.es P. Banfield, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 1924. To His Honour Walter Cameron Nichol, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. May it please Your Honour: I beg to submit herewith, the Report of the Provincial Fisheries Department for the year ended December 31st, 1923, with Appendices. WILLIAM SLOAN, Commissioner of Fisheries. Provincial Fisheries Department, Commissioner of Fisheries' Office, Victoria, British Columbia, December 30th, 1923. TABLE OF CONTENTS. FISHERIES COMMISSIONER'S REPORT FOR 1923. Page. Value of Fisheries and Standing with other Provinces 5 Species and Value of Fish marketed 5 The Salmon-pack of 1923 6 The Salmon-pack hy Districts 6 Contribution to the Life-history of the Sockeye Salmon 7 Reports from Salmon-spawning Areas, 1923 13 APPENDICES. Contributions to the Life-history of the Sockeye Salmon. (Paper No. 9.) By C. H. Gilbert, Ph.D '. 16 The Spawning-beds of the Fraser River 41 The Spawning-beds of the Skeena Rivee 43 The Spawning-beds of the Nass River 40 The Spawning-beds of Smith Inlet 49 The Spawning-beds of Rivers Inlet' 50 The Salmon-pack of 1923 in detail 53 The Salmon-pack of the Province, 1908 to 1923, inclusive 55 The Sockeye-salmon Pack of the Fraser River System, 1908 to 1923, inclusive 58 The Sockeye-salmon Pack of the Province, by Districts, 1908 to 1923, inclusive 58 FISHERIES COMMISSIONER'S REPORT FOR 1923. Value of Canadian Fisheries and the Standing of Provinces. The value of the fishery products of Canada for the year 1922 totalled $41,800,210, as against $34,931,935 in 1921 and $49,241,339 in 1920. During the year 1922 British Columbia produced fishery products of the value of $18,849,65S, or 45+ per cent, of the total fishery products of Canada. British Columbia again led all the Provinces of Canada in the value of her fishery products. Her output for 1922 exceeded that of Nova Scotia, the second in rank, by $8,640,400, and it exceeded that of all the other Provinces combined by $12,741,294. The capital employed in fishing and fish-curing in Canada in 1922, Including value of lands, buildings, equipment, vessels, boats, and gear, totalled $47,764,988, of which $22,763,S13, or 47+ per cent., was employed in British Columbia. The capital employed in agencies of fishery production in British Columbia in 1922 totalled $22,763,813, of which $15,994,036 was invested in plants, $4,992,462 in vessels and hoats, and $1,777,315 in fishing-gear. The persons engaged in actual fishing in Canada in 1922 totalled 57,880 and those employed in fish packing and curing totalled 16,577, a grand total of 74,457 persons, of whom 15,813, or 21+ per cent., were engaged in British Columbia. British Columbia in 1922, with but 21 per cent, of the total persons engaged in the fisheries of Canada, produced 45 per cent, of the total value of the fishery products of Canada. In 1922 there were 6,318 persons engaged in fish packing and curing plants in British Columbia and 9,495 in fishing, a total of 15,S13. There were 149 fish packing and curing establishments, valued at $15,994,036, and their 6,318 employees received in wages and salaries $2,152,743. The following statement gives in the order of their rank the value of the fishery products of the Provinces of the Dominion for the years 1919,1920, 1921, and 1922 :— Value of Fisheries by Provinces. 1919, 1920, 1921, and 1922. Province. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. British Columbia - - $25,301,607 15,171,929 4,979,074 3,410.750 4,258,731 1,536,844 1,008,717 475,797 333,330 8,800 $22,329,161 12,742,659 4,423,745 3,306,412 2,592,382 $13,953,670 9,778,623 3,690,726 3,065,042 1,815,284 924,529 1,023,107 243,018 408,868 28,988 $18,849,658 10,209,258 4,685,660 2,858,122 Quebec .. 2,089,414 1,612,599 908,816 Saskatchewan ..,. - - - 2,108,257 245,337 331,239 10,107 Total - $41,800,210 The Species and Value of Fish caught in British Columbia. The total value of each principal species of fish taken in British Columbia for the year ended December 31st, 1922, is given in the following statement:— Salmon ' $13,073,927 Halibut 3,918,441 Herring .' 850,734 Pilchards 106,055 Cod 212,871 Black cod 119,026 Flounders, brill, etc 18.220 Carried forward. $18,299,274 H 6 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 The Species and Value of Fish caught in British Columbia—Continued. Brought forward $18,299,274 Soles 59,505 Crabs 60,765 Clams and quahaugs 68,206 Red cod .' 23,479 Oysters 33,081 Perch 16,404 Grayfish 10,085 Shrimps 8,201 Smelts 4,414 Octopus 3,297 Sturgeon 6,440 Skate 2,709 Oolachans 1,212 Fur-seals 18,600 Shad 232 Hake and cusk 49 Whiting 1,012 Whales 158,814 Fish-oils 22,655 Fish-meal 34.270 Fish-fertilizer 14,656 Miscellaneous 2,298 Total $18,849,658 From the above statement it will be noted that the value of_ the salmon-fishery of British Columbia for 1922 totalled $13,073,927, or 69 per cent, of that year's total fishery products. The increase over 1921 in the value of salmon products was $4,496,325. The halibut-fisheries also show an increased value over that of the previous year of $2S2,365, notwithstanding that the total catch was not as large. The foregoing data are derived from the " Fisheries Statistics of Canada," issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. The Salmon-pack of 1923. The salmon-pack of the Province in 1923 totalled 1,341,677 cases, as against 1,290,336 in 1922, 603,548 cases in 1921, 1,187,616 cases in 1920, and 1,393,156 cases in 1919. The gain in the pack of 1923 is largely due to an increase in the catch of pink and chum salmon. Seventy per cent, of the total pack consisted of these two species. The total pack consisted of 334,647 cases of sockeye, 27,142 cases of red and white springs, 440,932 cases of pinks, 418,055 cases of chums, 112,044 cases of cohoe, and 8,857 cases of bluebacks and steelheads. The 1923 Salmon-pack by Districts. The Fraser River System.—The pack of all species of salmon in the Fraser River system in the Province totalled 226,869 cases, and consisted of 31,655 cases of sockeye, 8,133 cases of red and white springs, 20,173 cases of cohoe, 63,645 cases of pinks, and 103,24S cases of chums. The pack of pinks and chums constituted 74 per cent, of all grades. The pack of sockeye in the State of Washington waters of the Fraser River system in 1923 totalled but 47,402 cases and was the smallest ever made in that section of the system. The pack of sockeye in the entire Fraser River system in 1923 totalled but 79,057 cases, as against 100,398 cases in the preceding year, again showing that year after year the catch of sockeye declines. The Skeena River Pack.—The catch of salmon from the Skeena River in 1923 totalled 338,863 cases, as against 477,915 in 1922, 234,765 in 1921, 332,8S7 in 1920, and 398,877 in 1919. The pack was made up of 131,731 cases of sockeye, 12,247 cases of springs, 31,967 cases of cohoe, 145,973 cases of pinks, 16,527 cases of chums, and 418 cases of steelheads. The total pack of 1923 was 139,052 cases less than in 1922. There was a gain of 35,454 cases of sockeye and a 14 Geo. 5 British Columbia. H 7 loss of 155,682 cases of pinks. There were 900 gill-nets used on the Skeena this year, as against 1,109 in 1921 and 1,091 in 1922. Rivers and Smith Inlets Pack.—The pack at Rivers Inlet, including 50 per cent, of the 'sockeye-catch at Smith Inlet, in 1923 totalled 132,274 cases, as against .80,367 cases in 1919 and 103,155 cases in 1918. The pack of sockeye totalled 116,850 cases. The pack of sockeye has only been exceeded since the record high pack of 1915 by the pack of 125,742 cases in 1920. As is usually the case at Rivers Inlet, almost the entire pack consisted of sockeye. There were 975 gill-nets engaged at Rivers Inlet in 1923, as against 1,000 in 1921 and 1,012 in 1922. Nass River Pack.—The catch of salmon in the Nass River District produced a total pack of 99,580 cases, consisting of 17,821 cases of sockeye, 3,314 cases of springs, 44,165 cases of pinks, 25,791 cases of chums, 7,894 cases of cohoe, and 595 cases of steelheads. The sockeye-pack was the third smallest made in that district. It was 7,134 cases less than the average for the last ten years. There were 244 gill-nets used on the Nass in 1923, as against 338 in 1921 and 304 in 1922. The Mild-cured-salmon Pack of 1923.—The four mild-curing fish-packmg establishments operated in the Province in 1923 produced 1,S19 tierces of salmon, totalling close to 1,465,200 lb. The pack was 700 tierces less than in 1922, owing to the fact that the bulk of the catch of springs made on the west coast of Vancouver Island was purchased by buyers who marketed the fish in fresh state in Seattle. Salmon marketed in Frozen State.—The four food-fish-freezing plants operated in the Province in 1923 marketed 7,396,943 lb. of salmon. The tierced and fresh salmon "products totalled 8,853,143 lb. Contribution to the Life-history of the Sockeye Salmon. f Dr. O H. Gilbert's ninth contribution to the reports of the Department on the life-history of the sockeye salmon, which is issued herewith, contains an analysis of the sockeye runs to the principal waters of the Province for the year 1923. We therefore have an uninterrupted series of observations for twelve years. As it is the only extended record of the kind that has been made of any run of fish to any water, it is of high value to the fisherman and the student. The following is a digest of Dr. Gilbert's present paper:— The Fraser River Sockeye Run of 1923. After the slight recovery in. 1922 the run of sockeye to the Fraser River subsided to a still lower level in 1923. The total product of the run amounted to 79,057 cases, of which 31,655 were packed in British Columbia and 47,402 in Puget Sound. The Sound pack, as stated in previous reports, includes not only the sockeye hound for the Fraser, but also those headed for the Skagit River, in the State of Washington. The run to the Skagit, however, is not believed to he considered of importance. The number of sockeye known to have reached the spawning area of the Skagit in 1921 was reported to be unusually large, but totalled only 7,850 fish of both sexes. If we assume, Dr. Gilbert states, that the escapement comprised only 10 per cent, of the run— though it probably amounted to much more than 10 per cent.—the commercial yield of the Skagit in 1921 would be only some 7,000 cases. Not all of that can be credited to the operations of the Baker Lake Hatchery, for there would be some yield if the brood fish had been permitted to spawn naturally. The results of a hatchery are confined to the excess of production under hatchery methods over that which would obtain under natural production. This should be made the subject of vigorous investigation to ascertain whether the assumed increase of output is sufficient to warrant the very considerable expenditure incurred in the operation of hatcheries. The One-year-in-lake Type in 1923.—The sockeye run to the Fraser in 1923 again consisted largely of the one-year-in-lake type. Of the total of 947 specimens examined, taken by random sampling from the traps along the south shore of Vancouver Island, 741, or 78 per cent., belonged to the one-year-in-lake type, while SO per cent, belonged to that group in 1922. A conspicuous feature in the run of 1923 was the great reduction in certain races wThich were formerly dominant and the relative increase in certain others. The Morris Creek race, the scales of which are characterized by a large sharply defined nucleus representing the growth in fresh water, occupied a very subordinate position, while the Birkenhead race, w7ith its small nucleus and its very small first year's growth in the ocean (resembling in these respects the Rivers Inlet sockeyes), formed a much more conspicuous feature than in former years. A characteristic scale of the Birkenhead race is reproduced in Dr. Gilbert's present paper. Such scales were extraordinarily numerous among the 1923 samples and give a satisfactory cross- section of the entire run. The number of males and females was remarkably even in this, as in all the other types of the Fraser River sockeye. The 1923 samples contained 379 males and 359' females of this type, there being a very slight excess of males in both the four- and the five-year classes. The reverse was the case in 1922, but the difference in both years is so slight as to he without significance. Taking all the year-classes in each group, there were in the 1923 samples 466 males and 477 females. This equality in the sexes among all the year-classes has been evident in the Fraser River run during the twelve years in which Dr. Gilbert has had the run under observation, and is to be considered a racial peculiarity of value in perpetuation of the salmon- supply of the Fraser. We may contrast with it the condition in such a race as the Rivers Inlet sockeye, in which, as Dr. Gilbert has shown, the four-year males are constantly more numerous than the females, and the five-year females more numerous than the five-year males. In seasons when the four-year Rivers Inlet fish greatly predominate, as was strikingly the case in 1923, the efficiency of the spawning reserve is seriously diminished hy the relative scarcity of females, which in 1923 constituted only 32 per cent, of the run. The average lengths of the four-year males and females in the Fraser run of 1923 are slightly greater than in the four years immediately preceding, but are still notably less than the average for the five years from 1914 to 1918. Dr. Gilbert has previously adduced similar figures to show apparent reduction in average size during recent years. The Two-years-in-lake Type in 1923.—This group consists of individuals which reside for two full years in fresh water before their seaward migration. It has been shown in previous reports that they gain nothing by way of increased stature through the additional year in fresh water. They remain in the sea the same length of time as those which migrate seawards after a single year's lake residence. They are then no larger than the four- and five-year fish of the one-year-in-lake group, which are one year younger but have spent the same time in the sea. In fact, the former group at times averages even smaller, as was shown in Dr. Gilbert's report for 1922. In less degree that was also the case in 1923, as is shown by the following figures:— Four years (one-year-in-lake group) : Males, 24.3 inches; females, 23 inches. Five years (two-years-in-lake group) : Males, 24.2 inches; females, 22.9 inches. Inasmuch, therefore, as the members of this group gain nothing by their additional year in fresh water, and as they are during that year constantly exposed to the depredations of trout and other enemies which must materially reduce their numbers, it is evident that the habit of prolonged residence in the lake before migrating must be considered a very undesirable one. Different river systems, even within the same general vicinity, vary widely in the relative abundance of this group. In the Fraser River it has never assumed large dimensions, only 7 per cent, in 1922 and 5 per cent, in 1923. Dr. Gilbert noted for the first time in 1922 that this group was very sparsely represented in the August part of the run, whereas in previous years there was a well-marked increase during August. The same was the case in 1923, when there was not only no increase in number in August, but the representation fell off materially from that which obtained during July. It seems probable that this change in the constitution of the run is caused by progressive impoverishment and the practical disappearance of certain races in which the two-years-in-lake group loere most abundantly represented. The Sea-type.—In his report for 1922 Dr. Gilbert called attention to the unusually large representation of the members of this group in' the run of that year, of which they constituted 12 per cent. They were relatively even more numerous in 1923, forming 17 per cent, of the run. They were not only present in larger numbers, but they made their appearance earlier in the season than in previous years. The first were taken June 25th, one on July 2nd, and two more on July 5th. From the latter date on they appeared throughout July and August and five were included in a small sample on September 4th. It has been shown in previous years that this type is produced, to the apparent exclusion of any other, by the Harrison River spawning- beds. There are no lakes below these beds, and the areas of slack water below the spawning- grounds are apparently too shallow to afford protection during the winter. So the young have perforce adopted the habit of striking out for the open sea" as soon as they have absorbed the yolk-sac and become free-swimming. Other portions of the watershed may also produce fry which run precociously to salt water, and may share the responsibility for the apparent increase 14 Geo. 5 British Columbia. H 9 of fish to this group in the last two years, notwithstanding that no sea-type adults have been found in other beds. Advocates of hatchery methods may contend that young liberated from hatcheries at the time the yolk-sac is absorbed are more likely to adopt the immediate migration habit than is the case with fry that emerge from the gravels as the result of natural propagation. This may indeed be the fact, but there is no data bearing on the question. The Rivers Inlet Sockeye Run of 1923. The Rivers Inlet pack of 1923 mounted to the high level of 107,174 cases, the best exhibit made since 1920. It comes as a welcome break, Dr. Gilbert states, in a long series of declining runs and is the most promising indication for the future that recent years have produced. The pack figures for 1918 and 1919, the two brood-years of 1923, gave no indication of a successful season, being 53,401 and 56,258 cases respectively. As estimated by pack statistics, they were thus among the very poorest seasons the inlet has ever produced. What, then, was the origin of the very favourable run of 1923? In this case the composition of the run itself and the reports from the spawning-beds during the brood-years are in entire harmony, and seem to afford a wholly satisfactory answer to the question. As reported by Fishery Overseer Stone, there was a good spawning escapement in 1917, but many of the tributaries were rendered wholly unproductive by tremendous freshets, which scoured out the gravels and destroyed the eggs. It seems probable that the destruction was even greater than that estimated at the time, and was responsible for the very poor showing during the two years (1921 and 1922) when the progeny of 1917 were due to return as mature fish. In 1918, one of the brood-years for 1923, the spawning escapement was reported by Overseer Stone as very deficient and unpromising. Conditions in many tributaries were most unsatisfactory. The hatchery, which in most seasons was filled to its capacity of 14,000,000 eggs, secured but 3,000,000. In summing up the results of his investigations, Overseer Stone stated: " I am of the opinion the serious shortage of sockeye salmon disclosed on the beds, and amounting to approximately 25 per cent, of the 1913, 1914, and 1915 runs, will have a correspondingly serious effect on the number of adult sockeye which will return from this season's spawning." This prophecy, Dr. Gilbert states, has been abundantly verified in the runs of 1922 and 1923. In 1922 a portion of the 1918 progeny returned as four-year fish, and while they constituted a relatively large proportion of the run of that year, the total run was very small. In 1923 the remainder of the 1918 brood returned as five-year-olds, and while the run of 1923 was a large one, the five-year component was extremely small; 191S thus contributed very little to it. As regards the brood-year 1919, there were no reasons to anticipate any considerable yield from it, on the basis of its commercial yield as shown by the pack statistics. We have here, Mr. Gilbert slates, a conspicuous example of the unreliable nature of such evidence. Turning to the reports from the spawning-beds of 1919, we find Overseer Stone emphasizing the abundance of salmon in practically all the tributaries of the spawning area of the Rivers Inlet run. Furthermore, the Dominion Department of Fisheries had since the previous year removed the log-jams which obstructed the mouths of some of the most important spawning-streams, and had thus opened up miles of spawming-grouuds. Mr. Stone states that the exceptionally large number of sockeye salmon observed on the beds and schooled up in tens of thousands in the deeper portions of the tributaries precluded the opinion generally expressed by canners that the run of that year was a small one, and he expresses the belief that the spawning-beds were as abundantly seeded as in 1914 (S9.S90 cases) and more so than in 1915 (130,350 eases). On that basis he concluded that a favourable return should be expected in 1923 and 1924. No more striking example could he found of the high value of the inspection of the spaw7ning-beds of all the important sockeye-rivers of British Columbia, •which was inaugurated by the Provincial Fisheries Department in 1902. The Rivers Inlet pack of 1923 was one of the largest in the history of the river, and it was comprised to a very exceptional degree of four- year fish derived from the spawning of 1919. The five-year component from the 1919 hatching is due in 1924, and the Rivers Inlet is pre-eminently a five-year stream. If these fish appear in their customary proportions and are accompanied by the four-year fish that may justly be expected from the almost unexampled spawning of 1920, there will be a satisfactory run in 1924. In this connection it is interesting to note that in 1920 Mr. Stone was impressed by the large size of the spawning fish. The analysis of that season's run indicated that 95 per cent, of it consisted of fish in their fifth year, and it is to be remembered that in five-year fish of the Rivers H 10 Report op the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Inlet race the females are constantly in excess of the males, a condition much more favourable to successful spawning than where the males are in the majority. In 1919 the same observer called attention to the reverse condition, when the spawning fish w7ere unusually small and the males outnumbered very largely the females, there being in some streams as many as three males to one female. The analysis of the run in 1919 determined that the five-year fish constituted but 54 per cent., instead of the 95 per cent, as in the following year. The samples from which Dr. Gilbert made these estimates were chosen at random, without selection, from gill-net fish captured for commercial purposes. Taken in that way at frequent intervals during the entire run, they afford a satisfactory basis for estimating the contents of the season's catch. But neither the commercial catch nor the spawning escapement have the same constitution as the untouched run when it first approaches the mouth of the inlet. The use of gill-nets of a certain mesh effectually screens out the larger sizes in undue proportion and permits larger numbers of the smaller fish to escape to the spawning-grouhds. All the Rivers Inlet three-year males (grilse) pass through the nets and are a detriment rather than an aid on the spawning-beds, where they have no useful function. The total result of limiting the size of the mesh by law is to ensure propagation to an undesirable extent from the smaller fish, which consist of the three-year-olds, which are all males, the four-year-olds, and the stunted five-year- olds. The four-year-olds contain a considerable proportion of excess males which are wholly useless on the spawning-beds and were better caught and put in tins. The common practice of limiting by law the size of mesh in spckeye gill-nets is not a conservation measure and may, Dr. Gilbert states, result detrimentally. As all members of the sockeye spawning run die at the close of the spawning season, it cannot be in the interest of conservation to save from capture the smaller individuals. It were far better to permit the fishermen to employ any mesh they consider most effective, and then secure an adequate escapement by some other method. Among the many distinct racial peculiarities of the runs to the different sockeye-streams, that of size is the most prominent and most easily observed. To one acquainted with the appearance of the fish brought into the canneries,from the large rivers and from the smaller streams of British Columbia and the adjacent districts of Alaska, the characteristic size attained from year to year by the various colonies would alone be sufficient demonstration of the independence of the runs and the prevalence of the habit of returning to the home stream at maturity. It was, Dr. Gilbert states, ignorance of the facts in this connection which led to the denial of the existence of independent races by certain scientists who early concerned themselves with this question. The conclusions reached on the basis of characteristic size and general appearance have now been supplemented by evidence of other racial differences in colour and quality of flesh, and in the prevalence of certain racial habits and tendencies, concerning which Dr. Gilbert's information has been derived wholly from microscopic examination, of the scales. The total result has been such complete demonstration of the existence and distinctness of sockeye colonies that the conclusion is universally accepted, and the question is no longer in controversy. There is almost certainly a small percentage of strays from one colony to another. Spring salmon planted many years ago in a certain river in New Zealand have gradually spread to other streams along a considerable stretch of coast. And in the case of sockeye salmon, spawning individuals are occasionally encountered in small streams which have no lakes in their course and no sockeye colonies. But the percentage of strays must be very small. In none of the marking experiments which have been carried through, in which thousands of marked fingerliugs have been liberated, has the capture of any of them been recorded at maturity, except in the home stream. In the home stream itself hundreds of the marked fish have been recovered in a single season. The Skeena River Sockeye Run of 1923. The Skeena River sockeye-pack of 1923 was the fourth largest in the history of the industry, and it had for its two brood-years 1918, which produced a pack almost equally large, and 1919, which stands second in rank among the largest packs. So far as pack records can be relied upon, therefore, there was good reason to anticipate a successful season in 1923. The run of that year, Dr. Gilbert determined, was composed as usual almost wholly of four- and of five-year fish. Fifty-six per cent, of the entire run was made up of four-year fish, derived from eggs laid down in 1919, while 37 per cent, were in their fifth year, developed from the spawning of 1918. The remainder of the run, 7 per cent., were six-year fish from 1917. 14 Geo. 5 British Columbia. H 11 The five-year fish were of two classes, one of which had remained in their native lake for a single year before passing to the sea, where they spent four years, while the other class had remained in fresh water for two years and had spent three years in the sea. The first of these two classes, Dr. Gilbert states, is always far more numerous than the second in the Skeena watershed, while the reverse is the case in the Nass. As there was no inspection of the spawning-beds of the Skeena in 1918 and 1919, there is no direct evidence as to the spawning colonies in those years. It can only be inferred from the size of the packs that there was a good run in both years, with the probability of large spawning escapements, that of 1919 being probably the largest. This inference is borne out by the results of Dr. Gilbert's analysis of the run, for he found it composed more largely of four-year fish than is customary in the Skeena. He has shown that for a period of seven consecutive years they averaged 46 per cent, of the total run, and the five-year fish averaged 48 per cent. In 1923 the four-year component of the run consisted of 56 per cent, and the five-year 37 per cent., from which he concludes that 1919 was extraordinarily successful on the spawning-grounds. In 1922 Dr. Gilbert noted that the Skeena run of that year averaged smaller in size and weight than usual in each year-group, and that was true also of the sockeye in Rivers Inlet and the Nass in 1922. He again records a similar tendency in the 1923 run. Each group was slightly below the normal length for the race in the last ten years, and the average weight of each age-group was distinctly less than the average for former years. It is interesting to note that in 1923, as in 1922, the dwarfing in the Skeena was accompanied by similar decrease in size in other rivers. The analysis shows that each group of sockeye averaged smaller in length and weight in 1923 than is usual in the Fraser River and Rivers Inlet. In the Skeena River race, Dr. Gilbert notes, there is never such a wide inequality between the numbers of males and females in the different age-groups as is found in the run to Rivers Inlet, and, on the other hand, it is much more marked than in the Fraser River colonies. In the Skeena, as in Rivers Inlet, the four-year males outnumber the females, and the five-year femaies of the one-year-in-lake group are correspondingly more numerous than the males. On the other hand, the five-year group that spent two years in the lake before migrating to sea, and which at maturity agrees in size with the four-year fish of the one-year-in-lake type, agrees with the latter also in the proportions of the sexes represented. The males are more numerous than the females. The material examined hy Dr. Gilbert in 1923 consisted of 2,029 individuals, of which 1,051 were males and 978 females. The slight excess of males is due to the unusual percentage of four-year fish, in which the males always predominate. The Nass River Sockeye Run of 1923. In his analysis of the sockeye run to the Nass River in 1923, Dr. Gilbert states that the run of 1923 again registered a decline from its former high average of production. The pack was 17,821 cases, a smaller yield than during any season of the twelve-year period from 1908 to 1919. The smallest pack for that twelve-year period was 21,816 cases. Comparing this record with the packs of the last four years—16,740, 9,364, 31,277, and 17,821—there is a basis for uneasiness concerning the future of the Nass River run of sockeye. In his previous reports Dr. Gilbert advanced certain reasons for fearing that the Nass run is declining in size and stated that the phenomenal run of 1922 is not conclusive of this question. An exceptionally favourable season in a declining run is not an unusual occurrence, but the experience of the next two or three years should demonstrate beyond doubt the truth of the matter. The principal brood-year for the 1923 run to-the Nass w7as 1918, as nearly 80 per cent, of the run were in their fifth year. The pack of 1918 was 21,816 cases, this being the smallest of the twelve-year period from 190S to 1919. As no report was made of the Nass spawning- grounds in 1918, we are without information concerning the size of the spawning escapement. The great complexity of the Nass River run is one of the best-marked characteristics of the race. In each year a portion of the young pass down to the sea immediately after they absorb the. yolk-sac and become free-swimming, returning at maturity in their third or fourth year. A second group remain in the lake for one year after hatching, and after spending three or four years at sea mature in their fourth or fifth year. A third group spend two years in the lake and remain in the sea until five or six years of age. Still a fourth group postpone their descent to the sea until after spending three years in fresh water, and return to their native stream after maturing in their sixth or seventh year. In accordance wyith this history, H 12 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Dr. Gilbert finds individuals in the run ranging from three to seven years of age, and belonging to any one of the eight different year-classes above indicated. These eight-year classes were all represented in the 1923 run, and, in addition, a single individual was present in the samples taken from the 1923 run which belonged to a ninth-year class heretofore unreported. It was a male specimen, 27 inches long and weighing 8 lb., which had spent two years in the lake and five years at sea, returning to the spawning-beds in its seventh year. Another large male was also in its seventh year, having spent three years in the lake and four at sea, but this type had been previously noted from the Nass by Dr. Gilbert. As in all previous years, the two-years-in-lake group in the 1923 run of sockeye to the Nass greatly outnumbered all the others, comprising 77 per cent., while the one-year-in-lake group made 16 per cent., the three-years-in-lake 6 per cent., and the sea-type 1 per cent. Disregarding their early history in fresh water, and considering only their final age as indicative of the brood-year from which they were derived, Dr. Gilbert found 12 per cent, were in their fourth year and were derived from the spawning run of 1919, 77 per cent, were in their fifth year and came from the 1918 spawning, and 11 per cent, were in their sixth year, the progeny of the run of 1917. One individual was in its third year and two in their seventh. The total percentages of four-, five-, and six-year fish of these groups were identical in 1923 with the average of the past eleven years. From the tables which Dr. Gilbert presents it will be noted that the 1923 lengths compare very clqsely with the general past averages in the Nass, while the weights were in each year- class below the average. This is most unusual, as weights and lengths usually agree in the Nass. But in Rivers Inlet in 1923 Dr. Gilbert found a like disparity, only in that case the reverse of the above was true, the lengths being well below the average and the weights were conspicuously above. In neither of these cases is there reason for doubting the reliability of the material examined. The lengths were taken with steel tapes and the weights with spring- balances which were tested as to accuracy. The Bowser and Meziadin Lake Sockeye Colonies of the Nass River. In his report for 1922 Dr. Gilbert, noted the examination of fifteen specimens from the Bowser Lake spawning-grounds and ten from the Meziadin, and stated that while the material was wholly inadequate to produce conclusive evidence, it apparently indicated that separate sockeye colonies populated these two large lakes, distinguished in part by the fact that the young of the Meziadin colony spent more years in the lake before migrating to sea than did the young of the Bowser Lake colony. Of the ten Meziadin specimens, none had remained but a single year in that lake, SO per cent, had spent two years there, and 20 per cent, had spent three. Of the fifteen Bowser Lake specimens, 40 per cent, had remained a single year in the lake, 60 per cent, had remained two years, and none had remained three years. In 1923 the material collected by Inspector Hickman from the two lakes was more extensive, there being sixty-three specimens from the Meziadin Lake and forty-one from Bowser Lake, the latter being procured at the mouth of the Bowser River as the fish were entering. Examination of this new material verifies in general the differences previously pointed out as distinguishing the two colonies, and establishes certain other differences of undoubted significance, sufficient to warrant the asserting of the substantial independence of the two races, with the necessary corollary that the members of each race return at maturity to the same tributary in which they were hatched. This distinctness of tributary races has been demonstrated as yet in comparatively few watersheds, but the present instance is a clear-cut one and is worthy of being placed on record. It is, Dr. Gilbert states, very difficult to procure from spawning fish the data required for racial discrimination. The differences between the races of sockeye are found largely in habits of growth and development, including differing percentages of the various year-classes present, and the average size of these classes. But data of this kind can be procured only in connection with the microscopic examination of the scales, as used in determination of age. Unfortunately, In the spawning fish, the scales have suffered such extensive erosion about the margins that age-determination is impossible and the segregation of the year-classes cannot be made. In the Meziadin and Bowser Lake material the age could not be ascertained in a single specimen. The only data w7hich these imperfect scales can furnish are those derived from an examination of the central or nuclear area of the scales, which records the growth' as fry and fingerling 14 Geo. 5 British Columbia. H 13 during their life in fresh water. Outside this nuclear area was found a portion of the scale still preserved sufficiently to furnish a record of the first and sometimes the second year's growth in the sea, but in no case was the margin of the scale kept intact at any point, and it was thus impossible to ascertain how much of the total record had been destroyed. The record of the growth in fresh water is, however, of high value for the purpose, and is not infrequently sufficient in itself to establish the complete differentiation of races. The nuclear area of the scale establishes the length of time the individual remained as a resident of its native lake, whether one, two, or three years, or whether it belonged to the sea-type, which descends to the sea as soon as free-swimming. The proportions in which individuals of these different classes are found in a colony constitute racial peculiarities which are relatively constant from year to year, as is abundantly shown in the series of reports of Dr. Gilbert's analysis of the runs to the four principal sockeye-streams of British Columbia, from 1912 to 1923, inclusive. From the nuclear area of the scale the relative size attained by fingerlings at the time they reach the sea can be determined. This may vary widely in the different sockeye strains, and is frequently so diagnostic that members of two races can be distinguished at a glance on inspection of the centres of the scales. Bowser and Meziadin Lake colonies exhibit differences belonging to both of these categories. They differ with regard to the average numher of years they spend in fresh water before descent to the sea, and they differ In the size the young attain during their residence in fresh water. No specimen in the material from Meziadin and Bowser Lakes belonged to the sea-type. All had spent as fingerling either one, two, or three years in their native lake before seeking the sea. Considering the limited amount of material available, the correspondence in the two years is remarkably close and displays well the differing constitution of the runs to the two tributaries of the Nass River. A very large majority of the Meziadin fish belong to the two-years-in-lake type, while the Bowser Lake race contains a liberal percentage of one-year-in-lake fish. As regards the size attained by the fingerlings of the two races, and the picture of the nucleus of the scale presented by the two, the difference was sufficiently striking to attract immediate attention. As the two-years-in-lake type was the only one in the samples from the two colonies possessing sufficient material for comparison, Dr. Gilbert confined his attention to that type. In the Meziadin specimens he found in the nuclear area of the scale a remarkable uniformity, as though all were in close conformity to the same pattern. The young had made a uniform vigorous growth in each of the two years in the lake. He found no subsidiary checks during the growing season, testifying to the occurrence of unfavourahle conditions, and the annuli, or normal winter-checks, are unusually well defined. The Bowser Lake nuclei are, on the other hand, much less regular in appearance, by no means giving the impression of being constructed after the same pattern, but suggesting the possibility of representing the progeny from a number of spawning-streams. Growth was less constant, there were more subsidiary checks, and the total growth attained is distinctly less than that attained by the specimen from Meziadin Lake. Dr. Gilbert's report w7ith its thirty-five tabulations is reproduced in the Appendix of this report. As the foregoing digest shows, it is of great economic importance. Reports from tiie Salmon-spawning Areas of the Province in 1923. Following the practice inaugurated in 1902, the Department again conducted investigations of the salmon-spawning beds of the Fraser, Skeena, and Nass Rivers and Rivers and Smith Inlets. Detailed reports from each section are reproduced in the Appendix of this report. The Fraser River.—John P. Babcock, Assistant to the Commissioner, inspected the salmon- spawning beds of the Fraser River basin, his twenty-first annual inspection. He states:— " As a result of the season's investigations I am of the opinion that the number of sockeye that spawned in the wraters above Hell's Gate Canyon was less than in any previous year. In no section above that canyon were sockeye found in sufficient numbers to be worthy of notice. In many of the northern sections, where in earlier years large numbers spawned annually, not a sockeye was seen this year. . . . The number of sockeye which now reach the waters above Yale is so insignificant as to make a hunt for them fruitless. ... It is again a pleasure," he states, " to record that the numbers of sockeye which this year reached the spawning-beds of the Birkenhead River, at the head of the Harrison-Lillooet Lakes section, equalled those seen there in any one of the last twenty-one years with which I am familiar. H 14 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 The run to this section shows no decrease. It is the only section in the Fraser basin to which the run has not very materially decreased. The family of sockeye in the Birkenhead apparently enters the Fraser in August and has to run the same gauntlet of traps, gill and purse nets employed by fishermen as all other salmon have to do. Why the escapement of the Birkenhead sockeye is so much greater than the run to any other section is not. therefore manifest. One cannot study present conditions in the Fraser without being impressed with the fact that the present run of sockeye largely consists of fish spawned in the Birkenhead River, Harrison, Cultus, and Pitt Lakes. " For the first time since the fatal blockade of 1913 a few pink salmon were noted at Hell's Gate, several were found in Lake Creek at the outlet of Seton Lake, and others in tributaries of the Thompson—the first year since 1913 that any pink salmon have been reported in any section above Hell's Gate." The Skeena River.—Fishery Officer Robert Gibson again inspected the salmon-spawning beds of the Skeena River. He found conditions in all tributaries as favourable as in any previous season. All were well seeded by sockeye this year. Rivers Inlet Spaicning Area.—Fishery Officer A. W. Stone was again detailed to an inspection of the spawning area of the salmon that run through Rivers Inlet—his eleventh yearly consecutive inspection of that area. In summarizing the results of his inspection of the many tributaries of Owikeno Lake, he states: " Summarizing the results of the inspection of the spawning-grounds of the Rivers Inlet run of salmon, I am able to record a highly satisfactory run of sockeye to all tributaries, with the possible exception of Sunday Creek, the Sheemahant and Nookins Rivers. All of them contained a run of fish which in my opinion exceeded the run in 1919. Since the spawning-beds in 191S were found to be in such an unsatisfactory state, it must be assumed that the return of adult sockeye this year is due in a great measure to the spawn deposited in 1919. . . . Other factors responsible for the big run were the clearance of obstructions in rivers, the extension of the weekly closed season, and the extension of the closed fishing area at the head of Rivers Inlet." Smith Inlet.—The spawning-beds of the salmon that run through Smith Inlet were again inspected by Fishery Overseer Stone. He found them all abundantly seeded. He summarizes his report as follows: " Summing up the results of my inspection, I am of the opinion that the run was even greater than that recorded in 1919 and equalled in numbers the great run of 1914. The run to Smith Inlet this year was the result of spawnings of 1918 and 1919. As the lieds were poorly seeded in 191S and abundantly seeded in 1919, it is concluded that the bulk of the run this year consisted of fish hatched from the seeding of 1919. The abundant seeding of 1923 should eventually give a big return." Salmon- and Trout-egg Collections for Hatcheries in the Province. The Department is indebted to Major J. A. Motherwell, Chief Inspector of Fisheries for the Dominion Government in British Columbia, for the following statement of salmon- and trout- egg collections placed in hatcheries in the Province:— 14 Geo. 5 British Columbia. H 15 o oo a e 1*1 i a, El a i ?J 0 5 c c c- _ 0 0 0 ci" CD 0 0 0 10 t- 03 g . o+j c 3 a2 rtH M 0 0 I© CO" Cl t- O O O cf 10 O W 0" ■* °i cf cl 0 : 0 : 0 i ^ i 0" • Cl 0 0 10 0" Cl cj 5 p ■ O 0 0 0 0 00 GO IO H 0 0 O^ of 0 cc Cl trt 02 fl O O O IO CO CO CO" IO O IO a .2 0 fc"3 m : 0 : 0 ! °i i co" : 0 : 0 O O os co" 0 0 flS m O O O^ 0" 00 CO t4 0 0 0^ 0" 10 0 0 0 otf L- Cl 0 0 o_ 00" 0 CO cf a 0 0 0 CD tH t- co 0 0 0 tr^ t- co O O of CN 0 0 0 co" tr- O H p d 8,505,000 8,430,000 O 0 o_ 0" Ci 10 15,258,000 5,306,000 30,629,000 3,447,000 15,379,000 10,245,000 O O O^ Oi" X CO cf 0 u <D rt HI a 0 l-l § ca a d a 0 e cd a a Is <0 a a a 0 CJ. 0 a ed a 0 a B a 0 > cu 0 a F C E 5 d M a +. ft 4- a B EO h V > 2 t- a > ft d OJ cu 2J a 0 4. OQ cu ca ■a c 2 p 0 a a « c Eh H 16 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 APPENDICES. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE SOCKEYE SALMON. (No. 9.) By Charles H. Gilbert, Ph.D., Professor of Zoology, Stanford University. 1. THE FRASER RIVER SOCKEYE RUN OF 1923. After the slight recovery in 1922 the Fraser River sockeye run subsided to a still lower level during the season of 1923. The total product of the run amounted -to 79,057 cases, of w7hich 31,655 were packed in British Columbia and 47,402 in Puget Sound. The Puget Sound pack, as. we have stated in previous reports, includes not only the sockeyes bound for the Fraser River, but also those headed for the Skagit River, in the State of Washington. It is not believed, however, that the Skagit run is of any considerable importance. It is known to be intercepted hy traps in Puget Sound, especially those on the West Beach, near the northern part of Whidbey Island. Whether the traps which extend out into the Strait of Fuca from the southern shores of Vancouver Island also capture Skagit River fish is not known, for the migration route has not been determined and it may or may not coincide with that of the Fraser Biver sockeyes. The spawning escapement of sockeyes (bluebacks) to the Skagit River in 1921 was reported as unusually large in comparison with previous years, but it totalled only 7,850 fish of both sexes. If we assume that the escapement comprised only 10 per cent, of the run—it probably amounted to much more than 10 per cent.—the commercial yield of the Skagit in 1921 would be only about 7,000 cases. Not all of this can be credited to the operations of the Baker Lake Hatchery, for there would be some yield if the brood fish were permitted to spawn naturally. The results of a hatchery are confined to the excess of production under hatchery methods over that which would obtain under natural propagation. This should be made the suhject of rigorous investigation to ascertain whether the assumed increase of output is sufficient to warrant the very considerable expenditures incurred in the operation of hatcheries. (1.) The One-year-in-lake Type. This type, which always greatly prevails in the Fraser Kiver, was present in the 1923 run in about the same proportions as during the previous season. Of the total of 947 specimens, taken hy random sampling from the traps along the southern shore of Vancouver Island, 741, or 7S per cent., belonged to the one-year-in-lake type in 1923, while 80 per cent, belonged to this group in 1922. Only four of the 1923 samples were three-year-old males (grilse), and of the remainder, S6 per cent, were in their fourth and 14 per cent, in their fifth years, as compared with 88 and 12 per cent, in 1922._ A conspicuous feature in the run of 1923 was the great reduction in certain races which were formerly dominant and the relative increase in certain others. The Morris Creek race, the scales of which are characterized by a very large sharply-defined nucleus representing the growth in fresh water, occupied a very subordinate position, while the Birkenhead race, with its small scale nucleus and its very small first year's growth in the ocean (resembling in these respects the Rivers Inlet sockeyes), formed a much more conspicuous feature than in former years. A characteristic scale from the Birkenhead is figured in Paper No. 4 of this series, Fig. 2, and is reproduced here. Such scales were extraordinarily numerous among the 1923 samples, which gave a satisfactory cross-section of the entire run. The number of males and females is remarkably even in this, as in all the other types of Fraser River sockeyes. Our 1923 samples contained 379 males and 359 females in this type, there being a very slight excess of males in both the four-year and the five-year classes. The reverse was the case in 1922, but the difference in both years is so slight as to be without significance. Taking all the year-classes in each group, there were in the 1923 samples 466 males and 477 females. This equality in the sexes among all the year-classes has been evident in the Fraser River run during the twelve years in which we have had this run under observation, and is to be considered a racial peculiarity of value in the perpetuation of the salmon-supply of this river. A characteristic scale from the Birkenhead sockeye. which were extraordinarily numerous in the 1!)23 run of the Fraser. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 17 We may contrast with it the condition in such a race as the Rivers Inlet sockeyes, in which, as we have shown, the four-year males are constantly much more numerous than the females, and the five-year females more numerous than the five-year males. In seasons when the four-year Rivers Inlet fish greatly predominate, as was strikingly the case in 1923, the efficiency of the spawning reserve is seriously diminished by the relative scarcity of females, which in this year constituted only 32 per cent, of the run. The grilse (three-year males) were in less than usual abundance, only four individuals appearing among our samples. In 1922, when they were slightly more numerous, none appeared prior to July 12th, but in 1923 the first one was taken on June 4th, the others July 19th, August 15th, and August 21st. They were respectively 16, 17, 18%, and 19% inches long, and weighed 1%, 2, 3%, and 4 lb. Undoubtedly they were relatively more numerous on the spawning-beds than these figures indicate, for they pass freely through the meshes of the vast array of gill-nets at the mouth of the Fraser, while the larger sizes are in great measure captured. The two tables which follow give lengths and weights of all four- and five-year specimens of the one-year-in-lake group which are included in our material. The average lengths of the four-year males and females are slightly greater than in any of the four years immediately preceding, but are still notably less than the average for the five years from 1914 to 1918. We have previously adduced similar figures to show apparent reduction in average size during recent years. This is indicated in the figures which follow:— Males. Females. Average lengths for five years prior to 1919 25.0 24.1 Lengths in 1919 24.1 22.8 Lengths in 1920 24.1 . 23.2 Lengths in 1921 23.7 23.0 Lengths in 1922 .'. 24.0 23.0 Lengths in 1923 : 24.3 23.3 Table I.—Fraser River Sockeyes, One Year in Lake, 1923, from, Vancouver Island Traps, grouped by Age, Sex, and Length. Length in Inches. Number of Individuals. Four Years old. Males. Females. B7ive Years old. Males. Females. Total. 18% - 19 19% 20 20% , 21 21% 22 22% 23 23%.. 24 24% 25 25% _ 26 26% 27 27% : 28 28% Totals Total each group Average lengths.. 2 1 3 1 5 3 10 14 23 29 52 55 43 34 22 15 9 1 323 6 7 22 36 56 50 71 37 7« 7 312 1 3 4 8 10 6 8 8 4 2 56 1 3 6 11 7 9 7 1 46 635 102 23.3 25.8 24.8 1 2 2 6 9 11 10 33 52 SO 83 132 107 65 60 35 24 17 5 2 1 737 24 H 18 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Table II.—Fraser River Sockeyes, One Year in Lake, 1923, from Vancouver Island Traps, grouped by Age, Sex, and Weight. Number ob- Individuals. Weight in Pounds. Four Years old. Five Years old. Total. Males. Females. Males. Females. 21/. 3 5 12 9 20 28 45 42 56 36 34 14 13 4 2 1 4 6 12 20 3T 55 85 51 32 8 1 1 1 1 2 8 4 10 11 5 6 4 1 2 1 6 5 8 11 5 6 4 1 3 7 3% 11 4 26 -tv-> 29 5 58 sy, 90 6 6^ 109 103 7% 59 8 52 8%...... 23 9 • 19 9% ' 8 10 3 Totals 323 312 56 46 737 6.6 5.8 7.8 6.9 6.4 (2.) The Two-years-in-lake Type. This group consists of individuals which reside for two full years in fresh water before undertaking their downward migration to the sea. It has been shown in previous reports that they gain nothing by way of increased stature through the additional year in fresh water. They remain at sea the same length of time as those which migrate seawards after a single year . in lake residence, and return as mature fish when five and six years old. They are then no larger than the four- and five-year fish of the one-year-in-lake group, which are one year younger but have spent the same time feeding at sea. In fact, the former group at times averages even smaller than its younger relative, as was shown in our report of the 1922 run (page 22). In less degree that was also the case in 1923, as shown by the following figures:— Four years (one-year-in-lake group) Males, 24.3 inches; females, 23.0 inches. Five years (two-years-in-lake group) Males, 24.2 inches ; females, 22.9 inches. Inasmuch, therefore, as the members of this group gain nothing by their additional year in fresh water, and as they are during that year constantly exposed to the depredations of trout and other enemies which must very materially reduce their numbers, it is evident that the habit of prolonged residence in the lake before migrating must be considered a very undesirable one. Different river systems, even within the same general vicinity, vary widely in the relative abundance of this group which they produce. In the Fraser River it never assumes large dimensions, constituting only 7 per cent, in 1922 and 5 per cent, in 1923. No four-year-old individuals were found am*ng our material in 1923, of which 77 per cent, were in their fifth year and 23 per cent, in their sixth year. We noted for the first time in 1922 that this group was very sparsely represented in the August part of the run, whereas in previous years there was a well-marked increase in numbers during August. The same was the case in 1923, when there was not only no increase in numbers during August, but the representation fell off materially from that which obtained during July. It seems probable that this change in the constitution of the run is caused by progressive impoverishment and the practical disappearance of certain races in which the two-years-in-lake group were most abundantly represented. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 19 Table III.—Fraser River Sockeyes, Two Years in Lake, 1923, from Vancouver Island Traps, grouped by Age, Sex, and Length. Length in Inches. Number of Individuals. Five Years old. Males. Females. Six Years old. Males. Females. Total. 19 19% 20 20% 21 21% - - 22 22% 23 23% 24 24% 25 25% 26 26% : - 27 27% .' 28 ..:... Totals Average lengths 3 2 1 1 5 1 10 1 6 5 O 5 7 1 1 1 17 20 48 24.2 22.9 26.3 24.9 24.1 Table IV.—Fraser River Sockeyes, Tico Years in Lake, 1923, from Vancouver Island Traps, grouped by Age, Sex, and Weight. Weight in Pounds. Number of Individuals. Five Years old. Males. Females. Six Years old. Males. Females. Total. 3 3% 4 4% 5 5% 6 6% - 7 7% - 8 Totals Averages 2 1 1 5 1 3 2 5 1 11 1 9 2 4 1 3 2 3 48 6.0 5.2 7.3 6.5 5.8 (3.) The Sea-type. In our report for 1922 we called attention to the unusually large representation of the members of this group in the run of that year, of which they constituted 12 per cent. In 1923 they were relatively even more numerous, forming 17 per cent, of the run. Our material includes 158 sea-type individuals, of which 64, or 41 per cent., are in their third year and 94, or 59 per cent., are in their fourth year. They were not only present in larger numbers, but they made their appearance earlier in the season than in previous years. The first to be included in our material was taken June 25th. Another was captured on July 2nd and two more on July 5th. From the latter date on they H 20 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 appeared throughout July and August, and five were even included in a small sample taken at the end of the season on September 11th. It has been shown in previous years that this type is produced to the apparent exclusion of any other by the Harrison River spawning-beds. There are no Jakes below these, and the areas of slack water below the spawning-gravels are apparently too shallow to afford protection during the rigorous winter. So the young have perforce adopted the habit of striking out for the open sea as soon as they have absorbed the yolk-sac and become free-swimming. Other portions of the watershed may also produce fry which run precociously to salt water, and may share the responsibility for the apparent increase of fish of this group in the last two years. Advocates of hatchery methods may even contend that young fry liberated from hatchery-troughs at the time the yolk-sac is absorbed are more likely to adopt the immediate migration habit than is the case with fry that emerge from the gravels as the result of natural propagation. This may indeed be the fact, but we have no data bearing on the question. * Table V.—Fraser River Sockeyes, Sea-type, 1923, from Vancouver Island Traps, grouped by Age, Sex, and Length. Length in Inches. Number of Individuals. Total. Three Years old. Four Years old. Males. Females. Males. Females. 20 : 1 4 o 5 10 6 o 2 2 4 7 4 4 5 2 2 1 1 2 5 7 10 2 3 3 2 4 16 14 10 10 3 1 1 „ 2 4 12 9 14 31 24 18 21 13 2 4 3 20% 21 21% : 22 22% 23 23% 24.. 24% 25 25% 26.. 26% 27 .... ____ Totals 34 | 30 34 60 158 64 94 23.3 22.7 25.2 | 24.1 24.2 Table VI.—Fraser River Sockeyes, Sea-type, 1923, from Vancouver Island Traps, arranged by Age, Sex, and Weight. Weight in Pounds. Number of Individuals. Total. Three Years old. Four Years old. Males. Females. Males. Females. 1 4 2 9 8 8 2 2 1 1 8 10 6 1 1 2 1 2 3 6 7 7 3 3 2 9 16 7 18 5 2 1 3 1 1 16 22 33 19 33 14 9 4 3 4. 4% 5 5% 6 6% 7 7% 8 8 % 9 Totals 34 30 34 60 158 6.2 5.3 | 7.3 6.5 6.4 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 21 2. THE RIVERS INLET SOCKEYE RUN OF 1923. (1.) General Characteristics and Age-groups. The Rivers Inlet pack of 1923 mounted to the high level of 107,174 cases, the best exhibit made since 1920. It comes as a welcome break in long series of declining runs, and is the most promising indication for the future that recent years have produced. The pack figures for 1918 and 1919, the two brood-years of 1923, gave no indication of a successful season, being 53,401 and 56,258 cases respectively. As estimated by pack statistics, they were thus among the very poorest seasons the inlet has ever known. What, then, was the origin of the very favourable run of 1923? In this case the composition of the run itself and the reports from the spawning-beds during the brood-years are in entire harmony, and seem to afford a wholly satisfactory answer to the question. In discussing spawning-bed records we must here correct an unfortunate error tlptiwas made in our report for 1922 (page 28), where the records for the two years 1917 and 1918 were interchanged. As reported by Overseer Stone, there was a good spawning escapement in 1917, but many of the tributaries were rendered wholly unproductive by tremendous freshets, which scoured out the gravels and destroyed the eggs. It seems probable that the destruction was even greater than was estimated at the time, and was responsible for the very poor showing during the two years (1921 and 1922) when the progeny of 1917 were due to return as mature fish. In 1918, one of the brood-years for 1923, the spawning escapement was reported by Overseer Stone as very deficient and unpromising. Tributary after tributary, which could usually be depended on to contain fine spawning colonies, were signalled as " very unsatisfactory," or " containing nothing," " empty," or " a complete failure." The Rivers Inlet Hatchery, which has a capacity of 14,000,000 eggs and is in most seasons filled, was able to secure only about 3,000,000 eggs. Summing up the results of his investigation, Overseer Stone states: " I am of the opinion the serious shortage of sockeye salmon disclosed by a visit to these beds, and amounting to approximately 25 per cent, of the 1913, 1914, and 1915 runs, will have a correspondingly serious effect on the number of adult sockeye which will return from this season's spawning." This prophecy has been abundantly verified in the runs of 1922 and 1923. In 1922 a portion of the 1918 progeny returned as four-year fish, and w'hile they constituted a relatively large proportion of the run of that year, the total run was very small. In 1923 the remainder of the 1918 brood, maturing one year later, returned as five-year-olds, ami while the run of 1923 was a large one, the five-year component was extremely small, and 1918 thus contributed very little to it. As regards the brood-year 1919, we should have no reason, as we have seen, to anticipate any considerable yield from it, on the basis of its commercial yield as shown by the pack statistics. But we have here a conspicuous example of the unreliable nature of such evidence. Turning to the reports from the spawning-beds of 1919, we find Overseer Stone emphasizing the abundance of salmon in practically all the tributaries of Owikeno Lake. Furthermore, the Dominion Department of Fisheries had since the previous year removed the log-jams which were obstructing the mouths of some of the most important spawning-streams, and had thus opened up miles of spawning-gravels that otherwise would have been inaccessible. Mr. Stone states that the exceptionally large number of sockeye salmon which he observed spawning on the beds, and schooled up in tens of thousands in the deeper portions of the various tributaries, precluded the opinion generally expressed by the canning fraternity that the run of that year was a small one, and he expresses the belief that the spawning-beds were as abundantly seeded as in 1914 (S9,S90 cases), and more so than in 1915 (130,350 cases). On this basis he concludes that a favourable return should be expected in 1923 and 1924. No more striking example could be found of the high value of the inspection of the spawning-beds of all the important sockeye-rivers of British Columbia, which was inaugurated by Mr. J. P. Babcock and is made annually under his direction. The Rivers Inlet pack of 1923 was one of the largest in the history of the river, and it was composed to a very exceptional degree of four-year fish derived from the spawning of 1919. The five-year component from the 1919 hatching is due in 1924, and Rivers Inlet is pre-eminently a five-year stream. If these fish appear in their customary proportion and are accompanied by the four-year fish that may justly be expected from the almost unexampled spawning of 1920, we should experience a very satisfactory run in 1924. It is interesting to note that in 1920 Mr. Stone was impressed by the large size of the spawning fish. Our analysis of that season's run indicated that 95 per cent, of it consisted of fish in their fifth year, and it is to be remembered that in five-year fish of the Rivers Inlet race the females are constantly in excess of the males, a condition much more favourable to successful spawning than where the males are in the majority. In 1919 Mr. Stone called attention to the reverse condition, when the spawming fish were unusually small. He also noted that males very largely outnumbered the females, there being in some tributaries as many as three males to one female. In our analysis of the run of 1919 we found the five-year fish to constitute but 54 per cent., instead of 95 per cent, as in the following year. The samples from which we make these estimates are chosen in a random fashion, without selection, from the gill-net fish captured for commercial purposes. Taken in this way at frequent intervals during the run, they afford a satisfactory basis for estimating the contents of the commercial catch. But neither the commercial catch nor the spawning escapement have the same constitution as the untouched run when it first approaches the mouth of the inlet. The use of gill-nets of a certain mesh effectually screens out the larger sizes in undue proportion, and permits larger numbers of the smaller fish to escape to the spawning-grounds. All the Rivers Inlet three-year males (grilse) pass through the nets and are a detriment rather than an aid on the spawning-beds, where they have no useful function. The total result of limiting the size of the mesh by law is to ensure propagating to an undesirable extent from the smaller fish, which consist of the three-year-olds, which are all males, the four-year-olds, and the stunted five-year-olds. The four-year-olds contain a considerable proportion of excess males which are wholly useless on the spawning-beds and were better put in tins. The common practice of limiting by law the size of mesh in sockeye gill-nets is not a conservation measure and may even result detrimentally. As all members of the sockeye spawning run die at the close of the spawning season, it cannot be in the interest of conservation to save from capture the smaller individuals. It were far better to permit the fishermen to employ any mesh they consider most effective, and then secure an adequate escapement by some other method. As in all previous years, the run of 1923 consisted almost exclusively of sockeyes of the one-year-in-lake type. Our samples, taken at intervals throughout the season, consisted of 807 individuals. Of these, 782 were of the prevailing type, having remained one year in fresh water after hatching, before passing down to the sea, eighteen belonged to the two-year-ln-lake type, and seven were of the sea-type, having left for the ocean as soon as free-swimming. The following table (No. VII.) concerns itself only with the one-year-in-lake group. The seven sea-type individuals comprised two in their third year, both males, and five in their fourth year, three males and two females. It will be showm in a later table that the two-years-in-lake group is represented by fifteen males and two females of the five-year class and a single male specimen of the six-year-class. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 23 Table VII.—Percentages of Four- and Five-year Rivers Inlet Sockeyes, in Runs from 1912 to 1923, with Broods from which they were derived. Run of the Year. Percentage, Four and Five Years old. Brood-year from which derived. J , 1912 (112,884 cases). 1913 (61,745 cases i. 1914 (89,890 cases) . 1915 (130,350 cases). 1916 (44,936 cases). 1917 (61,195 cases) 1918 (53,401 cases). 1919 (56,258 cases)- 1920 (121,254 cases). 1921 (46,300 cases) 1922 (60,700 cases). 1923 (107,174 cases). 5 yrs. 79% 4 yrs. 21% 5 yrs. 20% 4 yrs. 80% 5 yrs. 65% 4 yrs. 35% 5 yrs. 87% 4 yrs. 13% 5 yrs. 76% 4 yrs. 24% 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 67% 33% 43% 57% 54% 46% 95% 5% 51% 49% 18% 82% 24% 76% 1907 (87,874 cases). 1908 (64,652 cases). 1909 (89,027 cases). I j. 1910 (126,921 cases). \ j. 1911 (88,763 cases). I j. 1912 (112,884 cases). J. 1913 (61,745 cases). [ 1914 (89,890 cases). I ]- 1915 (130,350 cases). I j. 1916 (44,936 cases). (. 1917 (61,195 cases). 1918 (53,401 cases). 1919 (56,258 cases). (2.) Lengths and Weights as Racial Characteristics. Among the many distinct racial peculiarities of the runs to the different sookeye-streams, that of size is most prominent and most easily observed. To one acquainted with the appearance of the fish brought, into the canneries from the larger rivers and from the smaller streams of British Columbia and the adjacent districts of Alaska, the characteristic sizes attained from year to year by the various colonies would alone be sufficient demonstration of the independence of the runs, and the prevalence of the habit of returning to the home stream at maturity. It was ignorance of the facts in this connection which led to the denial of the existence of independent races by certain scientists who early concerned themselves with this question. The conclusions reached on the basis of characteristic size and general appearance have now been supplemented by evidence of other racial differences in colour and quality of flesh, and in the prevalence of certain racial habits and tendencies concerning which our information has been derived wholly from microscopic examination of the scales. The total result has been such complete demonstration of the existence and distinctness of sockeye colonies that the conclusion is universally accepted, and the question is no longer in controversy. There is almost certainly a small percentage of straying from one colony to another. Chinook salmon planted many years ago in a certain river in New Zealand have gradually spread to other streams along a considerable stretch of coast. And in the case of sockeye salmon, spawning individuals are occasionally encountered in small streams which have no lakes in their course and no sockeye colonies. But the percentage of strays must he very small. In none of the many marking experiments which have been carried through, in which thousands of H 24 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 marked fingerlings have been liberated, has the capture of any of them been recorded at maturity, except in the home stream. In the home stream itself hundreds of the marked fish have been recaptured in a single season. The Rivers Inlet race is the smallest of any of those inhabiting the important sockeye- streams of British Columbia. Comparing the average lengths for a period of ten years of sockeyes belonging to the same year-classes in Rivers Inlet, the Skeena and the Nass, we obtain the following results :— Table VIII.—Average Lengths in Inches, for Ten Years, of Sockeyes One-year-in-lake Class from Rivers Inlet, the Skeena, and the Nass. Nass. Four-year males... Four-year females Five-year males.... Five-year females. 24.3 23.5 26.0 24.9 In addition to the smaller average lengths of Rivers Inlet fish, there is less difference between the lengths of four-year males and females than we find in any other stream. This has been a constant factor throughout our series of observations. In Table X. it is shown that the difference between average lengths of males and females of this group in six years out of eleven did not exceed one-tenth of an inch, and in only two of the eleven years did it exceed two-tenths. Not only are the sockeyes of the Rivers Inlet race shorter than those of the Skeena and the Nass, but they are comparatively deeper and plumper, as is shown in the following table giving average weights over a term of years:— Table IX.—Average Weights in Pounds, for Nine Years, of Sockeyes One-year-in-lake Class from Rivers Inlet, the Skeena, and the Nass. Rivers Inlet. Skeena. Nass. Four-year males.... Four-year females Five-year males.... Five-vear females. 5.7 5.2 6.8 6.1 5.9 5.3 7.0 6.2 It will be noted again, on the basis of weights, that the four-year, males and females of the Rivers Inlet race are of almost equal size, while in other races the females are decidedly smaller. Despite their shorter stature, the Rivers Inlet five-year-olds equal or exceed in weight those from the Skeena and the Nass. The female four-year-olds from Rivers Inlet are but little lighter than are those from the other two rivers, and only the four-year males are greatly below the averages from the other streams. The substantial equality in size of males and females of the four-year group in Rivers Inlet seems to be due to the proportionally smaller size of the males rather than to the larger size of the;females in this race. Table X.—Average Length in Inches of Rwers Inlet Sockeyes for Eleven Years. 1912. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1921. 1922. 1923. Average. Four-year males Four-year females 23.2 22.8 25.8 24.6 22.9 23.0 25.9 25.2 23.0 22.8 25.9 25.2 22.9 22.8 26.0 25.1 I 22.9 22.8 25.8 25.0 _J 22.5 22.3 25.0 24.4 22.3 22.5 24.9 24.5 22.4 22.3 24.8 24.4 22.9 22.6 25.2 24.2 22.5 22.4 24.6 24.2 22.4 22.3 24.6 24.1 22.7 22.6 25.3 Five-year females 24.6 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H'25 It is apparent from the above table that the Rivers Inlet sockeyes have for several years averaged smaller than they had previously done. This is made clearly evident by the following figures:— * Inches. Four-year males, average length, 1912 to 1916 23.0 Four-year males, average length, 1918 to 1923 22.5 Four-year females, average length, 1912 to 1916 22.8 Four-year females, average length, 1918 to 1923 22.4 Five-year males, average length, 1912 to 1916 25.9 Five-year males, average length, 1918 to 1923 24.8 Five-year females, average length, 1912 to 1916 25.0 Five-year females, average length, 1918 to 1923 ....i -. 24.3 It will be noted that the four-year males and females, as well as the five-year males and females for 1923, are slightly smaller than the averages for the last five years. Table XI.—Average Weight in Pounds of Rivers Inlet Sockeyes for Nine Years. 1 1914. | 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1 1921. 1922. 1023. Average. Four-year males 5.4 5.2 7.3 6.8 5.3 5.1 ' 7.3 6.6 5.5 5.0 7.6 6.7 5.0 4.9 6.6 6.2 4.9 5.1 6.7 6.7 4.9 4.8 6.3 5.9 5.2 4.9 6.9 6.0 6.0 5.9 7.4 7.0 5.0 4.8 6.5 5.9 5.2 5.1 Five-year males Five-year females 7.0 6.4 Table XII.—Rivers Inlet Sockeyes, Run of 1923, grouped by Age, Sex, and Length, and by their Early History. Inches. 19% 20 2oy2 21 2i%..: 22 ... 22% 23 23% 24 24% 25 25%....- 26-.-- 26% :. 27 27% 28 30 Totals Ave. length Number of Individuals. One Year in Lake. Four Years old. Males. 74 96 71 59 29 24 14 4 6 1 423 22.4 Females. 10 26 47 43 30 6 5 2 1 171 22.3 Five Years old. Males. 6 6 11 6 6 3 2 6 1 4 2 1 59 24.6 Females. 1 6 15 19 37 20 21 3 4 2 1 129 24.1 Two Years in Lake. Five Years old. Males. 15 23.0 Females. Males Six Years old. 23.0 26.0 Females. Total. 1 1 7 49 101 151 124 110 64 79 43 33 12 800 22.8 H 26 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Table XIII.—Rivers Inlet Sockeyes, Run of 1923, grouped by Age, Sex, mid Weight, and by their Early History. Pounds. Number of Individuals. One Year in Lake. Four Years old. Males. Females. Five Years old. Males. Females. Two Years in Lake. Five Years old. Males. Females. Six Years old. Males. Females. Total. 3 3%. 4 4%. 5 5%. 6— 6%- 7 7%. 1 39 146 124 57 40 6 4 5 1 1 2 14 75 46 25 7 1 8%.. 9... 9%.. 10— 10% 11... 2 1 8 11 11 6 4 3 6 20 32 37 18 10 1 3 Totals Averages- 423 171 59 129 15 5.0 4.8 6.5 5.9 5.2 4.8 1 I 7.5 1 3 55 233 203 130 96 32 18 10 13 o 1 1 1 800 (3.) Distribution of the Sexes. In the runs of 1921 and 1922, both four-year and five-year males were in less than their normal numbers for the Rivers Inlet race. The four-year males were 65 and 66 per cent, of the total four-year group, as compared with 75 per cent., the average for the five years preceding. The five-year males were in each of the two years 3,8 per cent, of their group, as compared with an average of 45 per cent, for the five years preceding. In no previous year that has come under our observation has there been such a falling-off in number of males below what is usual in the Rivers Inlet colony. In the run of 1923 the same tendency continues, less marked among the four-year fish, and still further emphasized in the five-year group, in which there were two females to one male. As the four-year fish constituted 76 per cent, of the entire run, there were still many more males than females on the spawning-beds, the percentage of males in the entire run being 62. We have elsewhere called attention to the fact that this is an undesirable condition to which the Rivers Inlet race is peculiarly liable because of the wide disparity of the sexes in four- and five-year fish, and the wide diversity in different years in the representation of these two year-classes. Table XIV.—Relative Numbers of Males and Females, Rivers Inlet Sockeyes, One-year-in-lake Type, 1916 to 1923. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. Average percentages— Four-year males Four-year females 74 26 40 60 52 48 75 25 42 58 53 47 74 26 49 51 66 34 79 21 45 .55 58 42 74 26 48 52 49 51 65 35 38 62 51 49 66 34 38 62 61 39 71 29 33 67 62 38. 3. THE SKEENA RIVER SOCKEYE RUN OF 1923. (1.) General Characteristics and the Year-classes. The Skeena River sockeye-pack of 1923 was the fourth to the largest in the history of the industry, and it had for its two brood-years 1918, which produced a pack almost equally large, 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 27 and 1919, which stands second in rank among the largest packs. So far as pack records can be relied upon, therefore, we had good reason to anticipate a successful season for 1923. The run of 1923 was composed as usual almost wholly of four- and of five-year fish. Fifty- six per cent, of the entire run w7as made up of four-year fish, derived from eggs laid down in 1919, while 37 per cent, were in their fifth year and were developed from eggs deposited in 1918. The remainder of the run (7 per cent.) was composed of six-year fish, with 1917 as their brood- year. The five-year fish were of two classes, one of which had remained in their native lake for a single year before passing down to the sea, in which they had spent four years, while the other class had remained in fresh water for two years and had spent three years at sea. The first of these two classes is always far more numerous than the second in the Skeena watershed, while the reverse is the case in the Nass. As there was no inspection of the spawning-beds of the Skeena River in 1918 or 1919, we have no direct evidence as to the size of the spawning colonies in those two years. We can only infer from the size of the packs that there were good runs in both years, with the probability of large spawning escapements, that of 1919 being probably the largest. This inference is borne out by the results of our analysis of the run, for we find it to be composed more largely of four-year fish than is customary in this river-basin. In Table XVI. it is shown that the four- year fish for a period of seven consecutive years averaged 46 per cent, of the total run and the five-year fish of the two classes averaged 48 per cent. In 1923 the four-year component of the run made 56 per cent, and the five-year portion 37 per cent. Evidently 1919 was extraordinarily successful on the spawning-grounds, doubtless because of the magnitude of the run with' a generous spawning escapement. Table XV.—Percentages of Four- and Five-year Skeena River Sockeyes that spent One Year in Lake, in Runs of Successive Years. Run of the Year. Percentage, Four and Five Years old. Brood-years from which derived. 1912 (92,498 cases).. 1913 (52,927 cases)- 1914 (130,166 cases) 1915 (116,553 cases) 1916 (60,923 cases) .. 1917 (65,760 cases).. 1918 (123,322 cases) 1919 (184,945 cases) 1920 (90,869 cases).. j' I i 1921 (41,018 cases).. 1922 (100,667 cases) 1923 (131,731 cases) 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. yrs. yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. yrs, yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. 4 yrs. 43% 57% 50% 50% 75% 25% 64% 36% 60% 40% 62% 38% 59% 41% 69% 31% 82% 18% 24% 76% 19% 81% 34% 66% 1907 (108,413 cases). 1908 (139,846 cases). 1909 (87,901 cases). 1910 (187,246 cases). 1911 (131,066 cases). 1912 (92,498 eases). 1913 (52,927 eases). 1914 (130,166 cases). 1915 (116,553 cases). 1916 (60,923 cases). 1917 (65,760 cases). 1918 (123,322 cases). 1919 (184,945 cases). H 28 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Table XVI.—Percentages of the Principal Year-classes, Skeena River Sockeyes, from 1916 to 1923. Year. One Year in Lake. Two Years in Lake. Four Years old. Five Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. 1916 .' : 34 57 51 27 15 69 70 56 38 29 34 60 71 22 16 29 13 9 9 9 6 6 12 8 18 1917 5 1918 6 1919 : 4 1920 8 1921 3 1922 2 1923 ;rages, 1916 to 1922 46 39 9 6 (2.) Lengths and Weights. In the following tables, XVII. to XXIIL, are given length and weight frequencies for over 2,000 individuals of the 1923 run, taken at random without selection on a number of dates spaced throughout the season. The average size of each year-class is given, and also data foi- comparing the 1923 run with those of former years. In 1922 we noted that the Skeena run of that year averaged smaller than usual in each age-group, and that this was true also for the sockeyes of Rivers Inlet and the Nass. We have to record a similar tendency in the run of 1923. In Table XX. it is shown that each year-group was slightly below the normal length for the race, as determined by averages over a term of ten years. The condition was very similar to that existing in 1922, but the reduction in length was possibly a trifle less. In Table XXII. a similar comparison is made, using average weights of the age-groups instead of the lengths. The results are the same as those obtained from a consideration of the lengths. The average weight of each age-group is distinctly less than the average for former years. They are even smaller than for 1922. It is interesting to note that in 1923, as in 1922, the dwarfing in the Skeena was accompanied by similar decrease in size in other rivers. Other sections of this report show that each group of sockeyes averaged smaller in 1923 than is usual in the Fraser River and in Rivers Inlet. The Nass was the only exception to this among the larger sockeye-streams of British Columbia. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 29 Table XVII.—Skeena River Sockeyes, 1923, grouped by Age. Sex, and Length. Length in Inches. Number op Individuals. One-year-in-lake Type. Four Years old. Males. Females. Five Years old. Males. Females. Two-years-in-lake Type. Five Years old. Males. Females. Six Years old. Males. Females. Total. 19 19% 20 20% 21 21% 22 22% 23 23% 24 24% 25... — 25% 26 26% 27— 27% 28 - 28% ._..;. 20 Totals Ave. length 1 1 1 1 8 2 16 12 28 43 50 78 90 121 145 104 152 65 104 22 65 4 21 2 6 1 7 15 23 35 43 40 24 15 12 2 4 18 39 71 90 71 50 16 3 5 15 11 20 20 14 3 1 2 3 17 17 19 9 4 3 5 5 9 8 14 8 2 1 1 689 454 215 368 94 53 23.7 23.1 25.5 24.5 23.! 23.2 25.6 1 1 1 2 11 32 1 80 3 158 6 267 9 334 14 351 17 285 22 223 7 134 2 79 3S 18 12 1 1 81 24.4 I 2,029 23.7 Table XVIII.—Average Lengths of Skeena River Sockeyes, One Year in Lake, for Twelve Successive Years. 1912 1913. 1914. 1915. 1 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1 1922. 1 1923. 1 ! 24.6 23.5 26.4 25.2 23.5 22.9 25.5 24.7 24.2 23.4 26.2 25.1 24.2 23.5 25.9 25.0 23.9 23.6 26.2 25.0 23.6 23.2 25.5 24.7 24.1 23.3 25.9 25.0 24.3 23.4 25.7 24.8 23.8 23.2 26.2 25.3 23.8 23.1 25.2 24.2 23.6 23.2 25.3 24.4 23.7 23.1 Five-year males 25.5 24.5 Table XIX.—Average Lengths of Skeena River Sockeyes, Two Years in Lake, for Eight Successive Years. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. 24.1 23.8 26.2 24.8 23.9 23.8 25.4 25.0 23.9 23.4 25.2 24.7 24.3 23.4 25.8 24.7 24.1 23.4 26.2 25.1 24.2 23.4 24.9 24.2 23.8 23.3 24.6 24.1 23.9 Five-year females 23.2 25.6 Six-year females 24.4 H 30 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Table XX.—Average Lengths of Skeena River Sockeyes, 1.923, compared with General Averages, 1912 to 1921. Average Lengths, 1923. Averages, 1912 to 1921. One year in lake— Four-year males.... Four-year females Five-year males.— Five-year females Two years in lake— Five-year males.... Five-year females . Six-year males Six-year females ... 23.7 23.1 25.5 24.5 23.9 23.2 25.6 24.4 24.0 23.3 25.8 24.9 24.1 23.6 25.7 24.8 Table XXI.—Skeena River Sockeyes, 1923, grouped by Weight, Age, Sex, and by their Early History. Number of Individuals that spent Weight in Pounds. t. One Year in Lake. Two Years in Lake. Four Years old. B'ive Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. Total. Males. Females. Males. 1 Females. 1 Males. Females. Males. ! Females. 1 2% 1 2 8 32 113 194 171 127 34 7 3 47 138 171 78 14 2 1 2 4 27 20 46 49 36 20 7 4 2 25 72 115 93 49 9 3 1 4 16 21 27 15 10 1 9 26 27 10 2 1 4 9 11 12 11 2 2 1 2 8 20 22 21 7 1 1 3 2 3% 13 4 98 4% . ... 331 536 5% 452 6 329 6% 163 7 7% 65 25 8 9 8%...- Totals 689 454 215 368 94 75 53 81 2,029 Ave. weights ... 5.3 4.9 6.3 5.7 5.3 4.8 6.3 5.5 5.4 Table XXII.—Average Weights of Skeena River Sockeyes for Ten Successive Years. 1914. 1915. I 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1920. 1921. 1922. 1923. One year in lake— Four-year males... Four-year females Five-year males.— Five-year females. Two years in lake— Five-year males.... Five-year females. Six-year males Six-year females... 5.9 5.3 7.2 6.3 5.7 5.2 6.8 6.2 5.9 5.2 6.6 6.0 5.4 5.1 7.1 6.3 5.8 5.4 7.1 5.9 5.3 5.0 6.4 6.0 5.5 5.2 6.3 5.8 5.8 5.3 6.9 6.4 5.7 5.3 6.6 6.1 6.1 5.5 7.0 6.2 6.1 5.4 6.9 6.3 5.6 5.1 7.2 6.4 6.3 5.1 7.3 6.3 5.7 5.1 6.4 5.7 5.1 6.0 5.6 5.4 5.1 6.5 5.7 5.5 5.1 6.2 5.7 5.3 4.9 6.3 5.7 5.3 4.8 6.3 5.4 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 31 Table XXIII.—Average Weights of Skeena River Sockeyes, 1923, compared with General Averages, 1915 to 1921. Average Weights, 1923. Averages, 1915 to 1921. One year in lake— Four-year males.— Four-year females Five-year males.... Five-year females Two years in lake— Five-year males.— Five-year females Six-year males Six-year females .. 5.3 4.9 6.3 5.7 5.3 4.8 6.3 5.4 5.7 5.2 6.8 6.2 5.9 5.2 6.7 6.0 (3.) Proportions of the Sexes. In the Skeena River race there is never such wide inequality between the numbers of males and females in the different age-groups as we find in Rivers Inlet, and, on the other hand, it is much more marked than in the fish belonging to the Fraser River colony. In the Skeena, as in Rivers Inlet, the four-year males outnumber the females, and the five-year females of the one-year-in-lake group are correspondingly more numerous than the males. On the other hand, the five-year group that spent two years in the lake before passing down to the sea, and which at maturity agrees in size with the four-year fish of the one-year-in-lake type, agrees with the latter also in the proportions of the sexes represented. The males are more numerous than the females. The material examined in 1923 consisted of 2,029 individuals. Of these, 1,051 were males and 97S were females. The slight excess of males is due to the unusual percentage of four-year fish, in which the males always predominate. Table XXIV.—Percentages of Males and Females in each of the Different Year-groups, Skeena. River Sockeyes, in a Series of Years. One Yeak in Lake. Two Yeaes in Lake. Year. Four Years old. Five Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females: Males. Females. 1912 1913 1914 1915.... 54 69 60 55 70 65 63 53 41 44 52 60 46 31 40 45 30 35 37 47 59 56 48 40 42 47 47 45 43 48 46 46 37 44 41 37 58 53 53 55 57 52 . 54 54 63 56 59 63 .... 56 65 61 52 43 50 52 56 44 35 39 48 57 50 4S 44 54 58 56 45 41 43 53 40 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 46 42 44 55 59 57 47 60 Averages before 1923 57 43 1 44 56 1 54 46 50 [ 50 1 ! 1 H 32 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 4. THE NASS RIVER SOCKEYE RUN OF 1923. (1.) General Characteristics. The Nass River sockeye run of 19231 again registers a decline from its former high average of production. The commercial pack was 17,821 cases, a smaller yield than during any season of the twelve-year period from 1908 to 1919. The smallest pack for this twelve-year period was 21,816 cases, the largest was 39,349 cases, and the average for the period was 29,827 cases. When we compare with this record the packs for the past four years—16,740, 9,364, 31,277, and 17,821—a basis is evident for uneasiness concerning the future of the Nass run. As we stated in 1922: " In previous reports we have advanced certain reasons for fearing that the Nass River run is declining in size. The phenomenal run of 1922 is not conclusive of this question. An exceptionally favourable season in a declining run is not an unusual occurrence, but the experience of the next two or three years should demonstrate beyond doubt the truth of the matter." The principal brood-year for 1923 was 1918, as nearly 80 per cent, of the run were in their fifth year. The pack of 1918 was 21,S16 cases, this being the smallest of the twelve-year period from 1908 to 1919. We have no report from the Nass River spawning-grounds for the year 1918, and are thus without information concerning the size of the spawning escapement. (2.) The Age-croups. The great complexity of the Nass River run is one of the best-marked characteristics of the race. In each year a portion of the young pass down to the sea immediately after they absorb the yolk and become free-swimming, returning at maturity in their third or fourth year. A second group remain in the lake for one year after hatching, and after spending three or four years at sea mature in their fourth or fifth year. A third group spend two years in the lake and remain at sea until five or six years of age. Still a fourth group postpone their descent to the sea until after spending three years in fresh water, and return to their native stream after maturing in their sixth or seventh year. In accordance with this history, we find individuals in the run ranging from three to seven years of age and belonging to any one of the eight different year-classes above indicated. These eight year-classes were all represented in the 1923 run, and, in addition, a single individual was present in our samples belonging to a ninth year-class, heretofore unreported. This was a male specimen, 27 inches long and weighing 8 lb., which had spent two years in the lake and five years at sea, returning to the spawning-beds in its seventh year. Another large male was also in its seventh year, having spent three years in the lake and four at sea, but this type has heen previously noted in the Nass. As in all previous years, the two-year-in-lake group in 1923 greatly outnumbered all the others, comprising 77 per cent, of the run, while the one-year-in-lake group made 16 per cent., the three-years-in-Iake group 6 per cent., and the sea-type 1 per cent. Disregarding their early history in fresh water, and considering only their final age as indicative of the brood-year from which they were derived, we find that 12 per cent, were in their fourth year and were derived from the spawning run of 1919, 77 per cent, were in their fifth year and came from the 1918 spawning, and 11 per cent, were in their sixth year, the progeny of the spawning run of 1917. In addition, one individual was in its third year and two were in their seventh. In Table XXV. the percentages of only the principal age-groups are given for comparison over a term of years. From this it appears that the percentages of the total four-, five-, and six-year fish of these groups were identical in 1923 with the averages of the past eleven years. The only difference concerns the relative numbers of the two five-year classes, those that had spent two years in fresh water and three in the sea being unusually numerous at the expense of the class that had spent one year in fresh water and four in the sea. As this last-mentioned class always exceeds the former in size of individuals, the poor representation in 1923 was a detriment to the run. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 33 Table XXV.—Percentage of Principal Age-groups present in the Nass River Sockeye Run from 1912 to 1923. Percentage of Individuals that spent Year. One Year in Lake. Two Years in Lake. Four Years old. Five Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. 1912.. . 8 15 4 19 9 10 30 7 8 10 6 11 27 12 41 14 17 15 16 22 14 7 2 6 63 71 45 59 66 71 45 65 72 75 91 77 2 1913 2 1914 10 1915 8 1916 8 1917 4 1918.. 9 1919- . 6 1920- . 6 1921 .' 8 1922. 1 1923 6 Averages, 1912 to 1922 11 17 I 66 6 (3.) Lengths and Weights. In the following tables are given the lengths and weights of 1,379 samples taken at a number of different dates throughout the run, and believed to furnish a reliable index to the constitution of the run. Tahles XXVII. and XXXI. give average sizes of the different year- classes in 1923 for comparison with runs of previous years. It will be noted that the 1923 lengths compare very closely with the general past averages, while the 1923 weights were in each year- class below the average. This is most unusual, as weights and lengths usually agree in their tendency in the same material. But in Rivers Inlet in 1922 we found a like disparity; only in that case the reverse of the above was true, the lengths being well below the average and the weights were conspicuously above. In neither of these cases have we any reason for doubting the reliability of our material. The lengths are taken with steel tapes and the weights with spring-balances which are tested as to their accuracy. We have omitted from Table XXVI. the records of three individuals, each of which is the sole representative of a year-class. A three-year fish of the sea-type is a female, 22% inches long, and weighs 4% lb. A seven-year specimen, of the two-years-in-lake type, is 27 inches long and weighs 8 lb.; and a seven-year individual of the three-years-in-lake type is 28% inches long and weighs 7% lb. H 34 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 s> o •«. •S ft} Si e e 6a a, so a ■H a c3 oj a) X7* io -*< o t- h e i- w o c i-i MriWrl'rl ! W tH IO ^ CO ; r-i ^ e « o c :i ^ cc t- •* o ^ h : i-i r-i :Ol"tfOl^Olt--tC0 !tH OlrtCCt-LOCO^OlOl : r-i !OIC«00OQ0t-CDOr-OC0 ! H rl K ■* Q 00 CO K H t-I CO ^ CO rH O Cl rH I : co : t- ■•* o ■* "* oi l TH t- O t- r-\ CO CM h oi h o w :: rt o iH rt CM Ol CO CO ■* tF LO LO CO CO I- t- 00 X Cl Ci © O Ol 01 CM Ol M 01 W 01 CN 01 Ol O) CM 01 Ol 01 01 OU* W 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 35 Table XXVII.—Nass River Sockeyes, Average Lengths of Principal Glasses from 1912 to 1923. One Year in Lake. Two Yeaes in Lake Four Years old. Five Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. 24.6 1 23.3 26.5 25.1 26.2 25.4 27.0 25.6 24.1' 23.5 25.6 24.8 26.0 25.2 26.0 26.6 24.6 22.7 26.1 25.1 26.3 25.5 26.9 25.6 24.0 23.5 25.9 25.2 26.5 25.9 26.6 25.3 24.5 23.3 26.4 25.0 26.5 25.6 27.9 25.7 23.4 23.2 25.5 24.7 25.3 24.7 26.5 25.5 25.0 24.3 25.7 24.7 25.9 25.0 27.2 25.2 24.9 24.1 26.2 25.2 26.5 25.8 27.9 26.7 24.0 23.4 26.3 25.0 26.7 25.9 27.4 25.9 24.3 23.5 25.5 24.3 26.2 25.6 27.9 26.2 24.2 23.4 25.6 24.6 25.7 25.0 28.0 25.9 24.3 23.7 25.9 25.3 26.2 25.5 27.2 26.5 1912 (inches). 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 Table XXVIII.—Average Lengths of Principal Classes of Nass River Sockeyes, 1923, compared with General Averages of 1912 to 1921. Average Lengths, 1923. General Averages, 1912 to 1921. One year in lake— Four-year males.... Four-year females Five-year males.... Five-year females Two years in lake— Five-year males.... Five-year females . Six-year males Six-year females ... 24.3 23.5 26.0 24.9 26.2 25.5 27.1 25.8 H 36 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 rllOOQOaOCOt-^lOOHrt c. 01 K ■*rt-*©rtCOOCOH t-» CD o rt 01 Ol CO CM rt w H TH a; Ul .M T3 0 o ri CJ d a O t/3 t-i ri OJ H ri a QJ CO ICO cc •h K fa 3 3 ri "* ^S p tO CD ::::::: rt ;:;: : 1-i 0 'S O o "3 l> e to fe S Ej % > o rM JO 'S 03 CJ * •o- ri : : : h c n 01 a r< ri : : : 0 CO ^° 3 "0 a : : : rt t-h : : : IC CO ED O Ul U ri CJ 0 — ■§ CO / 3 cb Cv M CJ : : : ; co t- co co co : 01 : : 0 b- t-i DQ ri CO co •** a rfS B 1*5 ,Cs 'co CO CJ *-" tj ri : : | : ^ 01 t- od © : j : : 0 00 « 0 a CO CD a •4 CD a to t-i ri OJ CJ fa CO CD" 0 Q Q H cj M 33 09 CD ri 3 i-i 1 I Ol rtrtlOrtrtt-^rtrt : I r-i rH CM t-^ o> fr i ^ o «! oi tf t-i »d "ri ICMCMOtCOrtQOlOOlrtrt ', ! tH O H O O s a fa 1 rt CD CM CO oi 10 : ! CM CD cs n 3 p CO t-i ri CJ r-i r-i r-i IO —— - o CO to Cv : irtococoirtoort : : l> CD ri ; : -^ t- 01 co co oi ; : IQ CD 65 s S r-i r-i •^ ©J CJ »H a 2 0 ri ; irtCDooot-cm rt ; : : CD T-i ^ 0 a Th CO a cj CO ri CD fa i«8 En Cj cd CJ CD > CO CJ i jOlOlOlt-CDlCOTflWCM : I ICO t- 1 5 ri CO CD CO CO >d Ul QJ 0 «l 01 01 >s cc a cc ICO o SQ OJ Cl O tH ri CJ H QJ fa 5> <u CO ?y 3 CJ irt-^coonoo-^cM : : , . CO 00 Si 0 ri : rt rt rt : 1 : ; CD 10 fe S CC cc C3 te i ^ 'd EC H 5 ,c H o Ph % a ■ ® rO .3 CJ C3 +j a 8 fc-j ■ti bi a c "a; tf tf ^ ^ tf 1 tf 1 tf 1 ■« -1- Tf IC )- cc cc l- u- oc cc c 0 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 37 Table III.—Nass River Sockeyes, Average Weights of Principal Classes, from 1913 to 192i One Yeae in Lake. Two Years in Lake. Year. Four Years old. Five Years old. Five Years old. Six Years old. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. 1913 (pounds)-.... 1914 .. 5 6.2 5.6 6.0 5.3 6.3 6.0 5.6 6.0 5.9 5.8 5 5.0 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.8 5.5 5.2 5.4 5.4 5.2 _J 1 6.3 7.4 6.5 6.9 6.4 7.2 6.3 6.8 6.2 7.2 6.3 6.6 5.9 7.4 6.3 6.9 6.1 6.8 6.2 6.7 6.1 1 1 6.5 7.2 6.5 7.0 6.6 7.2 6.2 6.3 5.8 7.2 6.4 6.7 6.1 7.4 6.7 6.9 6.3 6.8 6.3 6.6 6.0 6 7.9 7.2 8.1 7.3 8.3 7.8 7.9 7.7 8.1 7.2 7 6.8 1915 6.5 1916 6.4 1917 6.4 1918 6.7 1919 6.7 1920 7.0 1921 6.6 1922 66 1923 6 8 Table XXXI.—Average Weights of Principal Classes of Nass River Sockeyes, 1923, compared with General Averages of 191^ to 1921. One year in lake— Four-year males...- Four-year females Five-year males.... Five-year females Two years in lake— Five-year males.... Five-year females Six-year males Six-year females ... General Averages, 1914 to 1921. 5.9 5.3 7.0 6.3 7.0 6.3 7.8 In our report in this series for the season of 1922, we show on page 24 and in Table XIV. that the different year-groups in the Fraser River attain approximately the same size when they have spent the same number of years at sea, irrespective of the length of time they may in their early history have spent in fresh water, and without reference to their age at maturity. Their stature is determined almost altogether by the length of time they have spent in rapid growth on the rich feeding-grounds of the sea. This is generally true of other sockeye races which inhabit the various streams of British Columbia and Alaska. Neither age nor fresh water growth in themselves affect the final size. For convenience of reference, and for comparison with the very different habit of growth which characterizes the Nass Klver colony of sockeyes, we repeat below the Fraser River table. H 38 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Table XXXII.—Fraser River Sockeyes, 1922, grouped by Number of Years spent on Sea-feeding Grounds. Age. j Males. Females. 3 Two Years at Sea. Inches. 19.0 19.2 23.0 24.0 23.5 25.5 25.8 25.4 Inches. 4 16.5 3 Three Years at Sea. 22.6 4 23.0 5 22.7 4 Four Years at Sea. 24.2 5 24.1 6 Two-years-in-lake type - - 24.3 As seen in Table XXXIII., the growth-habit in the Nass River race forms a striking exception to that universally observed elsewhere, and forms a strongly marked racial peculiarity. The number of years spent in feeding in the sea no longer solely determine the size to be attained. Another factor enters in, that of age, associated with longer or shorter periods spent in fresh water before migrating downwards to the sea. The vigorous growth, on reaching the sea, of those groups which spend a longer period in fresh water is shown on comparing the five-year group that has spent two years in the lake with the five-year group that spent only one year in the lake. The two-year-in-Iake group had spent only three years at sea, while the one-year-in-lake group had spent four years at sea, yet the former averages larger than the latter. Table XXXIII.—Nass River Sockeyes, 1.923, grouped I Sea-feeding Grounds. Number of Years spent on the I Age. | Males. Females. 3 Three Years at Sea. Sea-type (from 1921 material! - Inches. 23.1 24.3 26.2 25.5 25.9 27.2 Inches. 22.4 4 23.7 5 25.5 4 Four Years at Sea. 24.3 5 25.3 6 26.5 (4.) The Bowser and Meziadin Lake Sockeye Colonies. In our report for 1922 (page 47) we note the examination of fifteen specimens from the Bowser Lake spawning-grounds and ten from the Meziadin, and state that while the material was wholly inadequate to produce conclusive evidence, it apparently indicated that separate sockeye colonies populated these two tributaries, distinguished in part by the fact that the young of the Meziadin colony spent more years in the lake before seeking the sea than did the young of the Bowser Lake colony. Of the ten Meziadin specimens, none had remained but a single year in the lake, SO per cent, had spent two years, and 20 per cent, had spent three years. Of the fifteen Bowser Lake specimens, 40 per cent, had remained a single year in the lake, 60 per cent, had remained two years, and none had remained three years. In 1923 Inspector of Fisheries C. P. Hickman again inspected the spawning-grounds of the Nass for the Department and brought back from the two tributaries more extensive material, there being sixty-three specimens from the Meziadin Lake and forty-one from the Bowser Lake, the latter being procured at the mouth of the Bowser River as the fish were entering. 14 Geo. 5 Life-history of Sockeye Salmon. H 39 Examination of the new material verifies in general the differences previously pointed out as distinguishing the two colonies, and establishes certain other differences of undoubted significance, sufficient to warrant us in asserting the substantial independence of the two races, with the necessary corollary that the members of each race return at maturity to the same tributary in which they were hatched. This distinctness of tributary races has been demonstrated as yet in comparatively few watersheds, but the present instance is a clear-cut one and is worthy of being placed on record. It is very difficult to procure from spawning fish the data required for racial discrimination. The differences between the races of sockeyes are found largely in habits of growth and development, including differing percentages of the various year-classes present, and the average sizes of these classes. But data of this kind can be procured only in connection with the microscopic examination of the scales, as used in the determination of age. Unfortunately, in the spawning fish, the scales have suffered such extensive erosion about the margins that age-determination is impossible, and the segregation of the year-classes cannot be made. In the Meziadin and Bowser Lake material the age could not be ascertained in a single specimen. The only data which these imperfect scales can furnish are those derived from an examination of the central or nuclear area of the scales, which records growth as fry and fingerling during their life in fresh water. Outside this nuclear area was found a portion of the scale still preserved sufficiently to fwrnish a record of the first and sometimes the second year's growth in the ocean, but in no case was the margin of the scale left intact at any point, and it was thus impossible to ascertain how much of the total record had been destroyed. The record of the growth in fresh water is, however, of high value for our purpose, and is not infrequently sufficient in itself to establish the complete differentiation of races. The nuclear area of the scale enables us to determine the length of time the individual remained as a resident of its native lake, whether one, two, or three years, or whether it belonged to the sea-type, which descends to the ocean as soon as free-swimming. The proportions in which individuals of these different classes are found in a colony constitute racial peculiarities which are relatively constant from year to year, as is abundantly shown in this series of reports in our analyses of the runs to the four principal sockeye-streams of British Columbia, from 1912 to 1923. From the nuclear area of the scale we can also ascertain the relative size attained by the fingerlings at the time they reach the sea. This may vary widely in the different sockeye strains, and is frequently so diagnostic that members of two races can be distinguished at a glance on inspection of the centres of the scales. The Bowser and Meziadin Lake colonies exhibit differences belonging to both of these categories. They differ with regard to the average number of years they spend in fresh water before descent to the sea, and they differ in the size the young attain during their fresh-water sojourn. As has been shown in previous reports in this series, the relative size attained by fingerlings can be reliably inferred from the number of nuclear rings in the central area of the scales. No specimen in our material belonged to the sea-type. All had spent as fingerlings either one, two, or three years in the native lake before seeking the sea. We give below in Table XXXIV. the percentage of individuals belonging to these two colonies which had spent either one, two, or three years in fresh water :— Table XXXIV.—Percentages of Meziadin and Bowser Lake Runs, showing Different Number of Years in Fresh Water. Years in Lake. One Year. Two Years. Three Years. No. of Specimens. Meziadin, 1922 ... .. . 13 40 33 80 84 60 64 20 3 3 10 63 Bowser, 1922 15 Bowser, 1923 41 H 40 Keport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Considering the limited amount of material available, the correspondence in the two years is remarkably close and displays well the differing constitution of the runs to the two tributaries. A very large majority of the Meziadin fish belong to the two-years-in-lake type, while the Bowser race contains also a liberal percentage of one-year-in-lake fish. As regards the size attained by the fingerlings of the two races, and the picture of the nucleus of the scale presented by the two, the difference was sufficiently striking to attract immediate attention. A cursory examination of the scales was sufficient to convince of the complete distinctness of the two colonies. As the two-years-in-lake type is the only one possessing in our samples from the two colonies sufficient material for comparison, we confine our attention to that type. In the Meziadin specimens we find in the nuclear area of the scale a remarkable uniformity, as though all individuals were made in close conformity to the same pattern. The young made a uniform vigorous growth in each of the two years in the lake, there are no subsidiary checks during the growing season, testifying to the occurrence of unfavourable conditions, and the annuli, or normal winter-checks, are unusually well defined. The Bowser Lake nuclei are much less regular in appearance, by no means giving the impression of being constructed after the same pattern, but suggesting rather the possibility of representing the progeny from a number of spawning-streams. The growth was less constant, there are more subsidiary checks, and the total growth attained is distinctly less. These differences are brought out in the following table, which gives the number of concentric rings or circuli in the nuclear region of the scale. The number of rings in the Meziadin nuclei in the two years average 8.3+13.9; in Bowser nuclei, 6.7+10.1. Table XXXV.—Frequency Distribution of Nuclear Rings in Scales of Meziadin and Bowser River Races, Two-years-in-lake Type, 1923. Number of Nuclear Rings. Number of Individuals. First Year in Lake. Second Year in Lake. Meziadin. Bowser. Meziadin Bowser. 4 1 1 7 7 15 10 * 4 2 3 1 2 2 6 7 4 3 1 3 3 12 15 12 3 4 5- 6 1 8 .... : 4 9 5 10 5 11 12 2 13 1 14 2 15 16 17 51 2 3 51 23 Average number of rings 8.3 6.7 13.9 10.1 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Fraser River. H 41 THE SPAWNING-BEDS OF THE FRASER RIVER. Hon. William Sloan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—I have the honour to submit the following report of an inspection of the salmon- fishing and salmon-spawning areas of the Fraser River system during the season of 1923:— The catch of all species of salmon from Provincial waters of the Fraser River system in 1923 produced a total pack of 226,869 cases, as against 140,570 cases in 1922. It was the largest pack from our waters since 1917. The gain is due to a great increase in the pack of chums and pinks. The pack consisted of 31,655 cases of sockeye, S,133 cases of springs, 20,173 cases of cohoe, 63,645 cases of pinks, 103,248 cases of chums, and 15 cases of steelhead trout. The catch of sockeye in Provincial waters of the Fraser was the smallest since 1918, the previous low record, and was 20,177 cases less than in 1922. The catch of sockeye made by the traps in Juan de Fuca Strait, Vancouver Island, which in this Department's reports is credited to the Fraser, was the smallest ever made there. The season's catch of sockeye in the State of Washington waters of the Fraser River system was the smallest ever made and produced a pack of 47,402 cases, as against 48,566 in 1922 and 102,967 in 1921. The total catch of sockeye in all the waters of the Fraser River system in 1923 produced a pack of 79,057 cases. For the first time the catch produced a pack of less than 100,000 cases. The Fraser, which formerly produced more sockeye than any other watershed in the world and outranked all our other sockeye-producing waters combined, now ranks a poor third even in Provincial waters. I made my twenty-first annual inspection of the principal salmon-spawning area of the Fraser River basin in August, September, and October, and am again indebted to Chief Inspector of Fisheries Major J. A. Motherwell and to local residents, both white and Indian, scattered over the watershed, for much information of value. As a result of the season's investigations I am of the opinion that the number of sockeye that spawned in the waters above Hell's Gate Canyon was less than in any previous year. In no section above that canyon were sockeye found in sufficient numbers to be worthy of notice. In many of the northern sections, where in earlier years large numbers spawned annually, not a sockeye was seen this year. The number of sockeye observed at Hell's Gate throughout the season was less than in any former year. Water conditions in the canyon were unusually favourable for the passage of all the fish that reached there. None were delayed there this year even for a day or two, as has commonly been the case. Indians resident in the Fraser basin were again permitted to catch salmon for their own use, but the combined catch of those that fished at Hell's Gate, Bridge River Canyon, the Chilcotin River, and all the other stations did not equal in number 1 per cent, of those caught at any one# of them ten or twelve years ago. The Chilcotin Indians' catch did not exceed 200 sockeye this year, as against 30,000 to 50,000 a decade ago. No Indians fished at Chimney Creek or at Soda Creek this season. I did not see a single sockeye in the Bowron Lake District, or in Quesnel Lake or its principal tributary, the Horsefly River, and could not find a resident on the banks of that river, from its mouth to the wood-jam, some miles above Harpers Camp, who had seen one. Dominion Fisheries Officers report that a few hundred sockeye reached tributaries of Shuswap Lake. None were seen at Seton or Anderson Lakes. The number of sockeye which now reach the waters of the Fraser above Yale is so insignificant as to make a hunt for them fruitless. It is again a pleasure to record that the number of sockeye which this year reached the spawning-beds of the Birkenhead River, at the head of the Harrison-Lillooet Lakes section, equalled those seen there in any one of the last twenty-one years with which I am familiar. The run to this section shows no decrease. It is the only section in the Fraser basin to which the run has not very materially decreased. As already stated, the run to all sections above Hell's Gate Canyon has been virtually destroyed, and the run to all the waters below Hell's Gate, with the notable exception of the Birkenhead, has been greatly diminished. H 42 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 The family of sockeye in the Birkenhead apparently enter the Fraser in August and have to run the same gauntlet of traps, gill and purse nets employed by fishermen as all other salmon have to do. Why the escapement of the Birkenhead sockeye is so much greater than the run to any other section is not therefore manifest. One cannot study present conditions in the Fraser without being impressed with the fact that the present run of sockeye largely consists of fish spawned in the Birkenhead. t> Over 30,000,000 sockeye-eggs were collected for the hatchery on the Birkenhead, known as the Pemberton Hatchery, and the natural spawning-beds of that section were abundantly seeded. The collection of eggs from the Harrison Lake section, including Cultus and Pitt Lakes, totalled 25,895,000. It is of interest to note than 4,000,000 sockeye-eggs were collected from adult fish which sought entrance to the retaining-pond on the lake-side, close to the hatchery. These fish manifestly were from fry liberated from the h*tchery-ponds. For the first time since the fatal blockade of 1913 a few pink salmon were noted at Hell's Gate; several were found in Lake Creek at the outlet of Seton Lake, and others in tributaries of the Thompson. Respectfully submitted. John Pease Babcock, Assistant to the Commissioner. 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Skeena River. H 43 THE SPAWNING-BEDS OF THE SKEENA RIVER. Hon. William Sloan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Victoria, B.C. Sik,—In obedience to your instructions, I beg to submit the following report on the spawning- beds of the Skeena Kiver for the year 1923 :— I left Prince Rupert on September 3rd and arrived at Donald's Landing on Babine Lake on September 6th. The following day I visited 15-Mile Creek, which is approximately 100 miles from the mouth of the lake. Five Indian families from Stuart Lake were fishing in the lake near the mouth of the creek and were apparently satisfied with their catch of sockeye, their smoke-houses and racks being well filled. The Dominion authorities have a guardian stationed here during the sockeye run to prevent the Indians molesting the fish in the creek. This creek has only about half a mile of spawning-grounds; beyond that it is of a rocky nature and unsuitable for spawning. The spawning area was, however, in excellent condition, being full of sockeye of a good average size, the males and females being about equal in number. A deep pool at the head of the spawning area was literally swarming with sockeye, some fine specimens being noticed. In former years this creek had the largest percentage of " runts " or undersized sockeye, for the size of the creek, of any creek on the Skeena watershed, but this year there were few to be seen. This creek will be well seeded and from all reports easily up to the average of any good year. This is the second year that the Stuart Lake Hatchery did not collect sockeye-eggs from 15-Mile Creek and Pierre Creek, Babine Lake. Considering that between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000 sockeye-eggs were taken annually from these two creeks for Stuart Lake Hatchery and the fry liberated in the Fraser River basin, and also the fact that these creeks do not show any noticeable deficiency, one cannot but wonder whether the yearlings, when liberated on the Fraser, did not return four or five years later to their place of origin—the Skeena watershed. I returned to Donald's Landing that night and the following morning set out for Babine River at the mouth of the lake, but owing to stormy weather did not reach there till the night of the 10th. On the morning of the 11th I proceeded down Babine River a distance of about 12 miles, as far as one can safely go with a boat. It is on this stretch of water that the Babine Indians, approximately 100 families, catch their winter supply of fish, those on the upper stretch catching mostly sockeye and those on the lower mostly humpbacks and springs. There are thirty smoke-houses on either side of the river, with from two to five families using each smoke-house. All the smoke-houses were w7ell filled with fish, and although the younger Indians were not satisfied with their catch, the older ones were contented. On the trip down the river, and for a distance of about 3 miles where the water was shallow, large numbers of sockeye were seen darting away at the approach of the boat. The Babine River will be well seeded this year, comparing favourably with former years. In the Babine River proper, 12 miles from the outlet of the lake, there was an exceptional run of humpbacks, and quite a few sockeye were to be seen among them. Next morning I set out on horseback for the head of Salmon River, a distance of 8 miles from Babine Village and about 17 miles from the hatchery. This is a good-sized creek about 5 miles in length, which flows into the head of Morrison Lake, 12 miles from the hatchery. The creek was in good condition, there being no log obstructions or falls to impede the sockeye. I went down this creek some distance and saw a great many sockeye in the numerous shallow gravelly patches and in the pools. They were large on an average, the males, if anything, predominating. This was my first visit to Salmon Creek. Each year there appears to be some fresh point of interest, and any one who has not been there could scarcely imagine the extent of the country and the difficulties to contend with in getting from place to place. Returning to Babine Village again, I arrived at Hatchery Creek on the 13th. One Indian family from Babine Village were fishing near the mouth of the creek and had their smokehouse full of sockeye. Hatchery Creek, which is about 3 miles in length, was in splendid shape, being free from all obstructions. There were not many sockeye to be seen at the lower end, but at about a third of the way up the creek they began to make an appearance, and all the H 44 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 rest of the way they increased in numbers. At the mouth of the lake where the hatchery is situated there are fences and pens erected for corralling the fish for spawning purposes, and these were simply teeming with sockeye. I met Mr. Hearne, the Superintendent of the hatchery, who was supervising the digging of several new retaining-ponds. He informed me that the first sockeye were not noticed until July 29th, as the water was very high. He began erecting the fences and pens on July 24th, but they were not complete until August Sth. Up to that date the water was very high and a large number of sockeye went into Morrison Lake and right through to Salmon Creek. Mr. Hearne intended to commence spawning the following day, and, judging by the pens at his disposal, which were full of fish, he should not have much difficulty in obtaining his quota—S,000,000 eggs. Hatchery Creek is the most important and best all-round sockeye-creek of the Skeena watershed, the fish being of a higher average in size than in any other creek. Leaving early the following morning, I called in at Tachek or Fulton River, and was agreeably surprised at the large number of sockeye seen. The entrance to the creek resembles a slough for some distance, the water being deep and muddy. It is a large creek with about 3 miles of spawning area, falls 4 miles from the mouth of the creek, preventing the sockeye going farther. Going 2 miles up the creek I found it well seeded, being much better than former average years. It is one of the latest spawning-creeks in Babine, and at the time of my visit there were still large schools of sockeye in the lake at the mouth of the creek. Calling in at Pierre Creek that afternoon, I found it much similar to Tachek, only on a smaller scale. There were no obstructions in the creek, which was in good condition. This is an early-spawning creek and a number of dead sockeye could be seen on the bars all along the creek. There were many sockeye spawning on the gravelly patches, the fish being of a good size, the males and females being about equal in number. Returning to Donald's Landing, I visited Beaver Creek on the 15th. This is the earliest sockeye-spawning creek on Babine and also the farthest, being approximately 120 miles from the entrance to the lake. The creek for the first 3 miles is a slough, the water being very dark and muddy. It is a slow-running creek with many log-jams, but not sufficient to retard the sockeye. There were not many live sockeye to be seen, but the number of dead fish made an unbearable stench. The sockeye were of an average size, the males and females being in proportion. This creek was well seeded and up to the average of former years. The following day, by making a detour of 9 miles, I visited Grizzly Creek, which runs into Beaver Creek about 7 miles from the lake. This is a small creek, having about half a mile of spawning-ground, but is an exceptionally good place for sockeye. Very few live sockeye were seen here, the majority having spawned. This creek was as well seeded this year as last year and on a par with any previous year. On the way back to Donald's Landing I called in at 4-Mile Creek and 6-Mile Creek, two small creeks, 4 and 5 miles respectively from the head of the lake. These creeks were well seeded, judging by the number of dead sockeye in the pools and on the bars. This being the last point of interest on Babine, I returned to Burns Lake on the ISth. Summing up the Babine area, I found the spawning-grounds as well seeded as last year and on a par with any previous average year, Fulton River surpassing any recent year. I arrived at Hazelton on the 20th and visited Awillgate Canyon on the Bulkley River. For many years the Hazelton and neighbouring Indians have gathered at this canyon during the sockeye run to catch their winter supply of fish. In late years, however, this practice has been gradually decreasing, as these Indians, unlike the Babine Indians, do not now consider fish their chief food-supply. Six or eight decrepit structures bear testimony to former years of activity when these same structures were good-sized smoke-houses. There are still a few Indians, however, who visit the canyon each year during the run and catch around 2,000 fish with dip-net and spear. I was informed that the run of sockeye up the Bulkley was exceptionally good and compared favourably with 1918. Kispiox River, which enters the Skeena above Hazelton and is noted as a never-failing humpback-creek, was again up to expectations, the creek being one teeming mass of this variety. I arrived at Terrace on the 21st and proceeded to Lakelse the following day. Lakelse Lake is 12 miles from Terrace. The hatchery-men were busy at the time, spawning in Williams Creek. This is the most important sockeye-creek on Lakelse, being a swift-running creek over 20 miles in length and flowing into the head of the lake. The sockeye were first noticed here 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Skeena River. H 45 about June 16th, which is earlier than last year. Spawning operations for the hatchery commenced on August 5th, the same as last year, and 8,000,000 eggs had been collected by September 1st. All fences and pens were removed on September 1st, but were replaced on September 15th, as an order had been given to collect 2,000,000 eggs for planting. Williams Creek will be well seeded this year, as a great many sockeye passed up the creek before the fences were put in and after they were taken out. The sockeye were of a good size, scarcely any runts being noticed among them, the males and females being about equal in number. Schullabuchan was the next creek visited, but there were only a few live sockeye to be seen. Many dead fish were in the creek, which should be well seeded, comparing favourably with former years. Two small branches of Granite Creek will be well seeded, as quite a number of sockeye had worked their way up both creeks. Lakelse River, another important humpback-river, will be well seeded this year, as the river was full of this species. As this was the last point of interest, I returned to Terrace and arrived in Port Essington on September 23rd. I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to the Hatchery Superintendents and men, also the Dominion Guardians, for the information supplied and hospitality shown. I have, etc., Robebt Gibson, Fishery Overseer. THE SPAWNING-BEDS OF THE MEZIADIN LAKE AND BOWSER LAKE WATERSHEDS OF THE NASS RIVER. Hon. William Sloan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—In compliance with instructions from the Department to inspect the salmon-spawning areas of the Meziadin and Bowser Lake watersheds of the Nass River, I beg to submit the following report:— On my arrival at the town of Stewart I met Mr. Young, who accompanied me on the trip in the interests of the Dominion Fisheries Department. We were all prepared to make a start from Stewart on September 4th, but owing to excessive rains, which had flooded the valleys, we had to delay starting until the 7th instant. We left Stewart with two saddle and three pack horses, and experienced great difficulty in travelling up the Bear River and over the Bear River Glacier owing to several wash-outs and slides. We had to practically make a new trail on the far side of the glacier to enable us to get the horses over safely. We arrived on the far side of the glacier on Sunday evening, September 9th, and there met two men, T. Williams and D. McPhee, with whom it had been previously arranged would make the trip with us. On the 10th we continued down the Beaver River, and upon our arrival at Surprise River found that the bridge had been washed out. This bridge was built a year ago, and was raised another 3 feet this summer, in an effort to make it safe in case of freshet, but the torrents were too strong. When we arrived in the interior beyond the Coast range of mountains the weather greatly improved. Upon our arrival at the cabin at the head of Meziadin Lake we used one of the Dominion Fisheries Department's canvas canoes for the inspection of Meziadin Lake and the falls. The waters of the lake were very high, considerably over the average.- We took the northerly shore going down the lake, and in visiting places on the lake-shore where usually numbers of spawning sockeye are to be seen, very few were in evidence. There were no sockeye to be seen disporting themselves around the mouths of the Hanna River and McLeod Creek. On leaving the lake and entering the Meziadin River, we come to the MrBride Rapids. At the foot of these rapids there is a fine spring-salmon-spawning ground, and while it was possible to observe many spawning spring salmon, they were not as plentiful as I have seen them in the past. On reachcing the fishway we made an inspection of the upper and lower fall. There were very few sockeye at the upper fall and hardly any passing through the fishway. There were more congregated at the lower fall, but in no great numbers. Conditions improved a little at the lower fall before we left, as there appeared to be a fresh run of sockeye coming in. We experienced quite a lot of trouble in obtaining sockeye-scales for examination owing to there being so few of them, but succeeded in getting specimens from over sixty, and were fortunate in being able to take the majority of the scales without injury to the fish. The Dominion Fisheries Department has made extensive repairs to the fishway this summer, having torn out all of the old crib-work and replaced it with a new one. The new crib is drift- bolted to the rock, is a complete crib, being 8 feet in width, and is protecting the whole of the bank in the form of a straight crib for the length of the basins, with wings at each end. The Department also sloped the bank at the back of the fishway for a considerable distance and cleaned out all of the basins. This has greatly improved conditions and has restored the fishway to its original form. The work done appears to be of a high class as to durability and neatness, and should stand up for a considerable number of years without further repairs. I am submitting some photos of the new work which will explain more fully. After finishing our inspection of the fishway and falls we returned to the cabin at the head of the lake, taking the southerly shore-line. From a point about 4 miles down from the head of the lake we saw a few spawning sockeye at several likely places, the best location being near the head of the lake, where a small spring-water stream comes in. There were not as many sockeye to be seen at these places as in the past and very few were leaping in the lake. After completing the work of inspection of the Meziadin Lake watershed we re-outfitted at the cabin and started ill for Bowser Lake. We packed two horses with our outfit and one with 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Nass River. H 47 the folding canvas canoe owned by the Dominion Fisheries Department. This made rather an unwieldy pack over a crude trail, but we were successful in landing it safely at our destination. We were the first parties to take a pack-train through this country, and owing to the short time that the men had to brush it out we had many difficult places to overcome, and at one place we had a hard time in saving a horse from breaking his leg. On our arrival at the junction of the Cottonwood and Bowser Rivers w7e made camp, and then had to cut a trail to pasture the horses. We then went down the river below the junction towards the Nass River. The distance to the Nass from this point is about 2Ya miles, the river being swift, with rapids in places, but no falls or other obstacles until it reaches the Nass. 1 was informed by Indians that there is a canyon in the Nass River below the Cottonwood, but was not able to get there. We launched the canoe at the junction and started up the river towards Bowser Lake. The distance from the junction to the outlet of the lake is about 3V2 miles, with only a short distance of swift water to navigate. The canvas canoe, which is 16 feet long, was very adaptable for our work. The water in Bowser Lake was high and very dirty, making it impossible to observe any fish-life. We made a thorough inspection of the lake-shore for its whole distance, and in trying to obtain scales from sockeye salmon we placed a net in several likely places, but were not successful in taking one salmon. At a place w7here I caught fifteen sockeye last year we met with no results. There are no creeks emptying into Bowser Lake where sockeye ascend for spawning purposes. We found the canoe of great benefit on the lake, as we were able to get a thorough idea of the whole of its shore-line, its bays and indentations. After making an examination of the lake, and fishing the net in numerous places without results, we returned to the camp at the junction. Immediately above the rapids here we fished the net for three days, and were fortunate in taking over forty sockeye for scale-collecting. Some Indians arrived here for the winter trapping on the day we were breaking camp, and they informed us that no sockeye came into this lake, stating that they thought the water was too cold, but that later on large numbers of cohoe came in. We did not inform them that we had taken sockeye, as they would have commenced fishing for them without delay. It is possible that had we remained a few days longer we could have taken some more sockeye, but as the weather was bad, and the snow nearly down on the bottoms, we decided to return. After finishing our work here we packed up the canoe and cached it for future use. On the return journey we experienced very wet weather, which made travelling slow. The rivers were all high, nearly taking the horses off their feet when crossing them. We arrived back in Stewart on October 3rd, having been twenty-seven days out on the trip. Summary. Meziadin Lake.—In comparing the run of sockeye to the Meziadin Lake watershed for 1923 with former years, I have to submit, that the run was far less than that of 1922, and with very little improvement over that of 1921. There was not much activity at the falls and fishway, but some improvement was noticeable at the lower fall the day we left. Owing to our having to make the long trip into Bowser Lake, the time of our inspection at the falls was about one week earlier than is usual. No cohoe salmon had arrived at the falls at the time we left there. I was informed by men who were working at the fishway that the first sockeye made their appearance at the falls on July 17th. After cleaning out the basins of the fishway they reopened it on August 1st. While the fishway had been closed a large number of sockeye had collected below, and when it was opened they passed up freely. The fishway is now in splendid condition and is a credit to those who did the work. The crib is 8 feet in width, drift-bolted to the solid rock, and filled with ballast. It should now hold for at least twenty years without further repairs unless some unforeseen occurrence takes place. Bowser Iiake.—In considering this watershed as an important sockeye-spawniug ground we have very little more information to present than we have submitted in past. The water of the lake was high and, being glacier-fed, was greatly discoloured. It has been in this condition on each of the times that I have been here. In our efforts to obtain data with a net in the lake we were not successful, but we still demonstrated that sockeye do enter this watershed as proved by our taking sockeye in the river below the outlet of the lake. If there were any great number of sockeye here I am sure we would have had better results in our endeavour to get them. The Indians informed me that cohoe salmon frequent these waters in considerable numbers at a later date than the time of our inspection. While we cannot overlook the fact that it is difficult to make observations owing to the dirty state of the water, and there being no place in this watershed where salmon are held back by falls or rapids so that you can see them, I am of the opinion that the Bowser Lake watershed is not an important sockeye-spawning area. It is possible that more light may be given us by the examination of the scales taken there and comparing them with scales taken at other places in the Nass system. Respectfully submitted. C. P. Hickman, Inspector of Fisheries. New Westminster, B.C., October nth, 1923. 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Smith Inlet. H 49 THE SPAWNING-BEDS OF SMITH INLET. Hon. William Sloan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—I have the honour to submit the following report on the inspection of the spawning- grounds at Smith Inlet for the year 1923:— Following the exceptionally big run of sockeye salmon to the inlet during the fishing season,, it was with a feeling of optimism that the inspection was made this year. Leaving Rivers Inlet Cannery for Smith Inlet on October 9th, and arriving at our destination next day, I engaged Indians and departed for the spawning-beds at Long Lake, which is situated about 4% miles from salt water. The Docee River (the overflow to the lake) engaged my attention first; it is swift-flowing and very difficult to surmount, and it was necessary to pack our outfit over the trail to the lake. Making camp here, I examined the river, and am able to report that the run of spring salmon was equal in numbers to any recorded in past years. In the clear water they could be seen in very large numbers making their way up, and many were observed schooled up along the gravel shore at the mouth of the lake. Cohoe salmon were also to be seen, although in not very large numbers. We were again delayed in proceeding up the lake owing to the extremely rough weather; eventually reaching Quay Creek, camp was made and an inspection conducted at this point. The spawning-beds both outside and inside the creek contained a. run of sockeye closely resembling the conditions recorded in 1919. They were about evenly distributed between males and females and a fair average in size. On arrival at the Geluch River, camp was made and the inspection continued. It is situated at the head of the lake and extends for about 3% miles, where falls preclude further advance of the fish up-stream; tributary to it are a number of small mountain streams, all of which contribute their quota of spawning sockeye. In making our way up through the rapids spawning sockeye in dense masses were encountered, while at the head the spawning-beds contained a run equal in proportion to any recorded since 1914. It was interesting to watch their efforts to surmount the falls, only to be hurled back beaten and broken. Indians camped at the entrance to the river were busy cutting up fish preparatory to smoking them, and expressed the opinion that no such run had been experienced since 1914. From my own personal observation of the run that year I believe they are correct. The small mountain streams, all of which contained an exceptional run of spawning sockeye, were a favourite resort of the Indian children, who were having a great time hooking them out. Even the vast numbers already encountered did not represent the full extent of the run, as schools of fish were seen at the entrance and ini the clear waters of the lake close inshore. No log-jams or other obstructions prevented the; salmon making full use of the spawning-beds; the male sockeye outnumbered the females ini the proportion of three to one, while in size they represented a fair average. The Delebah River, situated about 2 miles from the head of the lake, although restricted in size, again showed up remarkably well. The spawning-beds, which extend for about 1% miles, were literally covered with a seething mass of spawning fish, while dense masses schooled up at the entrance and outside in the lake revealed conditions similar to those recorded in 1914. The Indians, not content with catching fish at the Geluch, were busy filling their canoes from this stream, using a spear in preference to hauling them out by means of a net. Returning down the lake, cohoe salmon were seen breaking water in all directions, and on arrival at the mouth schools of these fish were observed going up the Docee River, bearing out reports that the run of this species of salmon to the inlet this year was exceptionally big. Summing up the results of my inspection of the spawning-beds of the Smith Inlet salmon run, I am of the opinion that the escapement this year was even greater than that I recorded in 1919 and equalled in numbers the great run of 1914. The run to Smith Inlet this year was the result of the spawnings of 1918 and 1919. As the beds were poorly seeded in 1918 and abundantly seeded in 1919, it is concluded that the bulk of the run this year consisted of fish hatched from the seeding of 1919. The abundant seeding of 1923 should eventually give a big return. I have, etc., A. W. Stone, » Rivers Inlet, B.C., November lltth, 1923. Fisheries Overseer. 4 H 50 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 THE SPAWNING-BEDS OF RIVERS INLET. Hon. William Sloan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—In pursuance of instructions from the Department to make an inspection of the spawning-beds at Rivers Inlet, I have the honour to submit my report for 1923. With a view of ascertaining the extent of the runs at different periods of the spawning season, I varied the time of inspection by examining the early-running salmon-streams situated at the head of Owikeno Lake first. Leaving the cannery at Rivers Inlet on September 18th, the first indication of a big run of fish to the lake was noted by the exceptional numbers breaking water at the entrance to the lake and in the river below. Staying overnight at the hatchery, I departed for the head next day and made camp. The three rivers comprising the Indian, Cheo, and Washwash in the year 1918 all failed to show productive seeding, but in 1919 contained a big run of sockeye; it was therefore interesting to see if the spawning-beds would fulfil expectations following the exceptionally big run of sockeye salmon to Rivers Inlet during the fishing season. The Wash- wash, situated on the extreme right of the lake, was examined first and again showed signs of the havoc wrought by the freshets. The channel which formerly passed to the left had been forced over to the right, opening up spawning-beds in which the sockeye were not slow to take advantage. The Dominion Department of Fisheries had at one time contemplated building a cribbing to effect just such a purpose, but will not have to do so, provided the channel remains as it is now. It was feared that further inroads into the left bank would eventually result in the river overflowing into the Cheo. The spawning-beds were literally covered with sockeye, in great contrast to the poor runs experienced in the past two years. The run is a fair average in size, the males outnumbering the females in the proportion of three to one; small grilse in exceptional numbers were also to be seen. The run corresponds closely to that of 1919 and is very much greater than that recorded in 1918, two years responsible for the conditions noted here. The Indian River, situated directly opposite, although restricted in size, contains some of the finest spawning-beds on the lake. Unhindered by log-jams or other obstructions, the fish are permitted full use of the beds. The run of sockeye was exceptionally early and few spawning fish were seen, but countless numbers of dead bodies covered the bars. Bodies of spring salmon were also noted, showing that this species of fish travel to the head streams to spawn. In estimating the extent of the run, I find that it compares very favourably with 1919. The Cheo River, situated between the Washwash and the Indian, extends for about 20 miles, but only that portion below the falls can be utilized for spawning purposes. If the falls, which extend for about 500 yards, could be surmounted, the extra mileage, comprising as it does some of the finest spawning-beds, would be opened up to the salmon. At certain stages of the river cohoe salmon have been known to pass through, but only on rare occasions. Tt was again satisfactory to note so many fish on the spawning-beds. In the clear water near the entrance and above each riffle sockeye in very large numbers were encountered, while the spawhing-beds situated between the log-jam and the falls contained a run of sockeye equal in numbers to the run in 1920, the year of the big run to Rivers Inlet; such a condition warrants the opinion that a big run of fish will return from this season's spawning. With the exception of the log-jam referred to, no obstruction interfered with the free movement of the salmon up-stream. Seagulls must be considered an element of destruction to the salmon spawn, as a .great number were observed eagerly pouncing upon the eggs as they floated down-stream. The satisfactory conditions at the head of the lake were not sustained on arrival at Sunday Creek, a small stream situated just north of the narrows; few sockeye were to be seen, hut this may have been accounted for by my early visit. At the narrows and close to the Indian house a big run of both cohoe and sockeye salmon was encountered, the spawning-beds showing up remarkably well. Indians located here were able to catch all they required for present use. The inspection of the Sheemahant River is a difficult matter at any time, extending for IS miles through a succession of rapids to the falls. On this occasion, however, it was favourable to canoe-work. Passing up the river, a few sockeye were observed hugging the shore on each side, 14 Geo. 5 Spawning-beds of Rivers Inlet. H 51 but the water was too discoloured to estimate the full extent of the run. Judging from the absence of fish in the small tributary 12 miles from the entrance, which usually contains its full quota when a big run enters the Sheemahant, and from the evidence of Indians who had been unsuccessful in catching many sockeye from this river, it is apparent that the spawning-beds will be indifferently seeded unless a big run enters later on; such a condition did not take place, so I am given to understand by the Indians, who were compelled to get their supply of salmon for winter's use from Jeneesee Creek. Learning that the run of sockeye salmon to the lower tributaries of the lake had not yet commenced, I deemed it advisable to postpone the inspection until after my return from the spawning beds at Smith Inlet. On my return four weeks later, I made camp at Jeneesee and inspected the tributaries at this section of the lake. The Markwell, or Machmell, as it is generally termed, again frustrated all efforts to determine the extent of the run owing to the discoloration of the water. It has been the cause of great anxiety to the Dominion Fisheries Department, because during extreme high water it sometimes overflows the banks and, pouring into Jeneesee Creek, does considerable damage to the spawning-beds. In an effort to divert the channel the Department is considering the advisability of constructing a cribbing, but in the meantime is trying out the experiment of felling trees to force the direction of the water into a channel which at great expense was cut some years ago. If it succeeds further danger to Jeneesee Creek will be eliminated. The Nookins River, a tributary to the Machmell, was next examined. In making our way up through the rapids to the rough water numerous sockeye in an advanced stage of spawning were seen, but the extent of the run could not be determined, as I arrived too late. From the evidence of Indians and others who had been up earlier, it is not considered that the run was an exceptionally large one. In the side-streams schools of sockeye could be discerned in the clear water, evidently belonging to a later run, as they appeared to be in no hurry to commence spawning. Dead bodies of the fish littered the bars and could also be seen lying on the bed of the river at the entrance. No log-jams interfered with the movement of the fish up-stream. In 1918 a very small run of sockeye was recorded at Jeneesee Creek, and it was feared that if steps were not taken to counteract the diminution in the runs year by year serious conditions would result. To prevent such an occurrence the Department in the spring of 1919 cleared the creek from all obstructions, supplementing this by planting 2,062,000 young fry by means of a fry-float. The result of its efforts is clearly demonstrated by the remarkable numbers which returned to spawn this year. The creek wyas swarming with sockeye salmon, reminding me of the big runs recorded in 1913 and 1914. The hatchery-men failed to make an early collection owing to a freshet which damaged the fence, permitting the first big run of fish to pass through, but the prolific numbers both inside and outside the creek below the fence were more than sufficient to fulfil the requirements of the hatchery. Retainlng-ponds which were constructed last year had been washed out during high water, but having been restored contained a large number of small fry, all in a healthy state. It is hoped that by the introduction of this system, not only Jeneesee creek, but other tributaries that have shown signs of depletion, may be restored to fertility. A collection of 2,75S,000 eggs was taken from Jeneesee this year from only a small portion of the entire run, while in 1919, although the collection for that year amounted to 2,457,000 eggs, the entire run of fish had to be utilized for that purpose. It is a striking illustration of the size of the run this year. Ten miles farther down lies the Asklum River, considered to be one of the most productive salmon-streams of the lake. In 1918, it will be recalled, very unsatisfactory conditions prevailed, but in 1919 the spawning-beds were full of sockeye. With a view of still augmenting the supply for that year, the hatchery liberated about 687,000 young fry into the river, the result of which is shown this year. The spaw7ning-beds right up to the rough water contained a vast number of sockeye, while out in the lake and close to the entrance schools of sockeye were waiting. The Indians describe the conditions as the best they had encountered in years. Quap River, from which the Dominion Hatchery collects the greater proportion of eggs, was again a scene of activity. A big run of sockeye had congregated below the fence and, finding their way into the pen, were quickly spawned. The low stage of the lake was the cause of the main run hanging back, but with the advent of rain and consequent rise of the lake, a mad rush was made for the river, which soon presented a picture similar in all respects to that noted in the past two years. For some unaccountable reason the run in 1918 was a failure, H 52 Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 but in 1919 proved productive. The Department of Dominion Fisheries, not satisfied with the fine showing of fish in the latter year, supplemented the supply by planting no less than 7,116.000 young fry. In addition, it turned its attention to the obstructions in the river, clearing them out and opening up the spawning-beds. This action, combined with its efforts to restock the beds, is now reflected in the magnitude of the run which returned this year. A total collection of 10,360,000 was taken from the Quap. Crossing to the Dalley River, the spawning-beds right up to the falls, A% miles distant, were covered with sockeye all in an advanced stage of spawning, while the bars contained dead and putrid bodies in thousands. The run in my opinion exceeded even the fine showing of fish in 1919. No log-jams or other obstructions interfered with the sockeye as they made their way up-stream. The small creek in close proximity to the hatchery contained one of the largest runs known in years, and permitted the hatchery-men to collect no less than 2,261,000 eggs, a condition that is highly significant when it is learned that at the time of the construction of the hatchery no sockeye had been known to come into the creek. Four years later they commenced to arrive, and have done so in increased numbers year after year until now it is recognized as one of the best egg-collecting streams. The spawning-beds situated at the head of the Owikeno River (the overflow to the lake) and encircling the old town rancherie contained the biggest run of sockeye known in many years. Some of the Indians, in preference to collecting their winter's supply of salmon from other tributaries of, the lake, remained here. They stated that it was only necessary to throw out a small piece of net and commence hauling immediately to fill it right up, showing in a striking manner the magnitude of the run. Spring and other species of salmon were seen breaking water in all directions as we made our way down through the rapids to the cannery. In summarizing the results of the inspection of the spawning-grounds of Rivers Inlet run of salmon, I am able to record a highly satisfactory run of sockeye to all tributaries. With the possible exception of Sunday Creek, the Sheemahant and Nookins Rivers, all of them contained a run of fish which in my opinion exceeded the run in 1919. Since the spawning-beds in 191S were found to be in such an unsatisfactory state, it must be assumed that the return of adult sockeye this year is due in a great measure to the spawn deposited in 1919, or composed mainly of four-year fish. Whether such is the case can only be determined when the results are published of tests made of the sockeye-scales collected throughout the fishing season, which data are now in the hands of the Department. Other factors responsible for the big run are due in a great measure to the clearance of obstructions in the rivers, which in past years badly needed attention; to the extension of the weekly close season; and to the extension of the closed fishing area at the head of Rivers Inlet. In conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation for the courtesy received from G. C. Johnston, Manager of Rivers Inlet Cannery; Weldon R. Reid, Superintendent of the Dominion Hatchery; and the men at the various spawning camps. I have, etc., Al W. Stone, Fisheries Overseer. Rivers Inlet, B.C., November llfth, 1923. 14 G EO. 5 Pack of British Columbia Salmon, Season 1923. H 53 Ot-MOOOINL-TfN OS ClCOCiCOr-flOOOOO©© CO CNC0LO©©t-<M©©rH ■HH Q J^S TPMCDHlfflHOOW CO MHr-COt-t-t-Mrtl- © OOb-MCOriHtxit-OW fc- 5 s * ft < cu -hh^cncoiohh©©^ CO OOOOCO^cCCiHt-H 00 ■HHCT>Ci"*©LOCN©lO-* Cl ■aj Eh SQ N fl M -^ IO O H IO N CO Ht^lOCJOoOOCOO CC ©ClrHClCS©©rH-HH^ CN Ci O cj ■* rH CO t- ri t-I M CI COCOCOCOrHCOCOCMCO'rH CO. 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P ■ d Ph —i O . h H 5 9 ^ sj s s | a ErH^d^^^^TS^^ -~h o cu bj d^.a^ CJ d ■;■- H 54 Beport of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 1924 Ul i g o n s 0 (.1 ou 1 •4 to ifi 3 -M ca !fi T— (5 ft < c ac < a T-r\ H Ul w r^ ft CJ C PQ s H Kl ffl < X n < h-1 R fr £ | fr H fr m o Q CJ H w S h^ M H H — M M K M M 3 fr In O a M H a U o "4 fr rt a w 3 Fh a 0 (J 5 s « ■fl H to M O 03 OHO t- 00 rH IO © ■HH © LO "HH CD CM "* CO_ CM t- -tf -tf j^ (£ cd rH rH CN rH Cl © IO CO ri © ri © © HH |> lO "■* l> LO -tf co" ci cc*' d T3 O ^ fl-fl Ph m set 5 CD © © CO © ri © CS HH t-I CO CN CO CO "^ t- CM © CS © CS © © © © •HH t- ri © X Cl LO © t- ri LO CO CO •* LO H O CO CO N CO LO C* "tf* rH 3 P M O CJ d be TJ TJ 0J o « <i • w _ o d b * fe d 2 d • ^ o •jh " o rH is £ .1 a M 5 P E £ W CDCOcDt-COtNHHCD-vf HHHHWHCOHCOO COC"C-HHCO_CNrH©©HHCO 00 © oo" © ci ©" io" ©" b- ■* rH Cl Cl rH Cl rH Cl Ol tH © 00 00 rH CO O CO CO ri Ci 01IO©©©0©COCO-HH HNt-OCOCOOHO (O H H ■* . tH Cl Cl ri © © t- © t-" 00* 00 Ci •HH © ri Cl © tJ< LO fe- LO CO »0 t- CM CS CS LO IO CM CO ci Co" rH © rH © LO © CO "tf rH CS © CO CO Cl Cl Cl CO 00 CO rH -tf 00 rH ■hh" ci bCd d % tn ^ a -a 3 *o H3 60 - d 2 far * fl 2 s « i 13 ^0 s d cu 3 G TJ " CM d M ... O M fa a f/3 —H B h" CJ EC d Ph ^ _, a S <i> p & si 3 * i d t. o gn o s ~ a » a 1 o d rt CO rH © -HH CO © Cl © LO CO LO rH Cl O CM Cl © CS © t- h CC 00 H co" CO*' CO* CO ■*" co" CO" i COOlCOfe-rHGOrHrH LOfe-LOlO©"^COt- COlO00-*CDCOt-© CSCO-HH-HHLO©©t- © rH IO ri -tf LO © Cl ^HiOt-UOGOCCCO 'tfCrHCCrHLOCOCO ^ H H LO H Ol LO 00 Cl © CO CO -tf CO © IO co ■* ©_ CO © CO* LO* "tf" CO" rH ri LO" CO © Cl t- © LO b- CO LO LO © T-H "tf © ©3 ©_ Cl LO_ © 00_ O OO" Cl" CO" CO* rH Cl" Cl* B 6 cj d be _ ^»ph 8 ■ tj • CQ fa M S M § • .2 J =g a o 3 .2 * 3 3 a f*i fl O f^ EH O yaoo=oj|?Q 14 Geo. 5 Statement Showing Salmon-pack op the Province. H 55 STATEMENT SHOWING THE SALMON-PACK OP THE PROVINCE, BY DISTRICTS AND SPECIES, FROM 1908 TO 1923, INCLUSIVE. Feaseb Rivee. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. 31,655 3,854 4,279 103,248 63,645 20,173 15 51,832 10,561 6,300 17,895 29,578 23,587 817 39,631 11,360 5,949 11,233 8,178 29,978 1,331 48,399 10,691 4,432 23,884 12,839 22,934 4,522 38,854 14,519 4,296 15,718 39,363 39,253 15,941 19,697 15,192 24,853 86,215 18,388 40,111 4,395 148,164 10,197 18,916 59,973 134,442 25,895 4,951 32,146 Springs, Red 17,673 11,430 30,934 840 31*330 Bluebaeks and Steelheads.... 3,129 Totals 226,869 140,570 107,650 136,661 167,944 208,857 402,538 127,472 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. Sockeyes Springs, Red 91,130 23,228 5,392 18,919 138,305 43,514 31 198,183 11,209 15,300 74,826 6,272 43,504 719,796 3,573 49 22,220 20,773 16,018 123,879 15,856 9,826 12,997 574 36,190 58,487 7,028 6,751 47,237 142,101 39,740 150,432 1,018 8,925 52,460 128 35,031 585,435 1,428 74,574 1,903 2,263 \ 8,687 27,919 415 33,270 Totals 320,519 349,294 782,429 199,322 301,344 247,994 623,469 112.425 Skeena Rivee. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. 131,731 12,247 16,527 145,973 31,967 418 96,277 14,176 39,758 301,655 24,699 1,050 41,018 21,766 1,993 124,457 45,033 498 89,364 37,403 3,834 177,679 18,068 1,218 184,945 25,941 31,457 117,303 36,559 2,672 123,322 22,931 22,573 161,727 38,759 4,994 65,760 16,285 21,516 148,319 38,456 1,883 60,293 20,933 17,121 73,029 47,409 Steelhead Trout 3,743 Totals 338,863 477,915 234,765 332,887 398,877 374,306 292,219 223,158 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. Sockeyes 116,533 15,273 5,769 107,578 32.190 1,798 130,166 11,740 8,329 71,021 16,378 52,927 26,436 92,498 23,833 504 97,588 39,835 131,066 17,942 70 81,056 23,376 187,246 9,785 87,901 12,469 j 28,120 12,249 139,846 13,842 66,045 18,647 13,473 11,531 45,404 10,085 Totals 279,161 237,634 164,055 254,258 254,410 222,035 140,739 209,177 H 5C Report of the Commissioner op Fisheries. 1924 STATEMENT SHOWING THE SALMON-PACK OP THE PROVINCE, BY DISTRICTS AND SPECIES, FROM 1908 TO 1923, INCLUSIVE—Continued. Rivees Inlet. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. Sockeyes 116,850 599 3,242 10,057 1,526 53,584 323 311 24,292 1,120 82 48,615 364 173 5,303 4,718 97 125,742 1,793 1,226 25,647 2,908 56,258 1,442 7,089 6,538 9,038 53,401 1,409 6,729 29,542 12,074 61,195 817 16,101 8,065 9,124 44,936 1,422 20,144 3.567 15,314 Steelhead Trout Totals 132,274 79,712 59,272 133,248 80,367 103,155 95,302 85 383 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. Sockeyes 130,355 1,022 5,387 2,964 7,115 89,890 566 5,023 5,784 7.7S9 61,745 594 112,884 1,149 3,845 8,809 11,010 88,763 317 288 5,411 6,287 126,921 383 89,027 587 64,652 454 Pinks 2,097 3,660 19 2',075 479 1,400 9,505 Steelhead Trout Totals 146,838 109,052 68,096 137,097 101,066 129,398 91,014 75 090 Xass Rivee. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1910. 1918. 1917. 1916. 17,821 3,314 25,791 44,165 7,894 595 31,277 2,062 11,277 75,687 3,533 235 9,364 2,088 2,176 29,488 8,236 413 16,740 4,857 12,145 43,151 3,700 560 28,259 3,574 24,041 29,949 10,900 789 21,816 4,152 40,368 59,206 17,061 1,305 22,188 4,496 24,938 44,568 22,180 1,125 31,411 3,845 11,200 59.593 19,139 1,498 Totals 99,580 124,071 51,765 81,153 97,512 143,908 119,495 126,686 1915. 1014. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. 39,349 3,701 11,076 34,879 15,171 113 31,327 3,385 25,569 25,333 9,276 23,574 3,151 2,987 20,539 3,172 36,037 6,936 3,245 12,476 12,468 37,327 3,759 5,189 11,467 7,942 30,810 1,239 351 895 6,285 140 28,246 2,337 3,589 27,584 3.263 6,612 6,818 8,348 1,101 Totals 104,289 94,890 53,423 71,162 65,684 39,720 40,990 46,908 14 Geo. 5 Statement Showing Salmon-pack op the Province. H 57 STATEMENT SHOWING THE SALMON-PACK OF THE PROVINCE, BY DISTRICTS AND SPECIES, FROM 1908 TO 1923, INCLUSIVE—Continued. Vancouveb Island Disteicts.* 1923. 1022. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. Sockeyes Springs - 12,006 138 120,520 30,149 21,342 7,097 15,147 886 108,478 36,943 18,575 5,495 6,936 3,230 34,431 10,660 11,120 3,151 6,987 29,211 12,591 14,391 20,555 6,452 36,013 128,013 43,180 53,629 6,143 29,324 251,266 57,035 40,752 Totals 191,252 185,524 69,528 74,170 267,293 389,815 Otheb Disteicts. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. 24,584 2,711 148,727 146,943 29,142 732 47,107 4,988 80,485 113,824 31,331 409 18,350 4,995 21,412 14,818 18,203 2,790 64,473 15,633 30,946 247,149 33,807 3,721 54,677 14,766 165,717 110,300 35,011 702 51,980 8,582 90,464 201,847 42,331 1,009 32,902 6,056 112,364 112,200 30,201 865 45.373 11.423 160.812 143,615 70,431 712 Steelheads and Bluebacks... Totals 352,839 278,144 80,568 395.728 381,163 404,703 294,597 432 306 1915. 1 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1010. 1909. 190S. S'ockeves 98,600 9,488 40,849 83,626 48,966 985 87,130 7,108 70,727 111,930 43,254 149,336 7,249 52,758 83,430 28,328 ._ 79,464 22,837 ■ 37,734 128,296 65,806 67,866 12,650 39,167 64,312 42,457 70,506 7,439 5,551 20,098 19,460 49,832 2,196 48,367 6,439 6,148 13,532 23,538 20,709 36 Totals 313,894 320,168 285,898 334,187 226,461 123,054 71,708 99,089 Total packed by Disteicts in 1908 to 1923, inclusive. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1923. 1 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1 1918. 1917. ' 1010. 1 1 1 1 1 f 1 226,869 [ 140,570 | 107,650 338,863 | 477,915 | 234,765 132,274 | 79,712 59,272 99,580 | 124,071 | 51,765 191,252 1 185,524 | 69.528 352,839 1 278,144 | 80,568 136,661 332,787 157,522 81,153 84,170 395,223 167,944 398,877 80,367 97,512 267,293 381,163 210,851 374,216 103,155 143,908 389,815 404,793 402.538 292,219 95,302 119,495 325,723 294,597 127,472 223,158 85,383 126,686 Rivers Inlet Nass River Other Districts 432.366 Grand totals.... 1,341,677 11,285,946 | 603,548 11,187,616 1 1,393,156 I 1,626,738 1,557,485 995,065 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1 1908. Fraser 320,519 279,161 146,838 104,289 349,294 237,634 109,052 94,890 782,429 164,055 68,096 53,423 199,322 254,258 137,697"! 71,162 301,344 254,410 101,066 65,684 247,994 222,035 129,398 39,720 623,469 140,739 91,014 40,990 112,425 209,177 75,090 46,908 * Vancouver Island 313,894 320,169 285,898 334,187 226,461 123,054 71,708 99 089 Grand totals.— 1,164,701 _J 1,111,039 I 1,353,901 996,626 948,965 762,201 967,920 542,689 t Previously the Vancouver Island pack was shown in Outlying Districts pack. 5 H 58 Report op the Commissioner op Fisheries. 1924 STATEMENT SHOWING THE SOCKEYE-PACK OF THE FRASER RIVER SYSTEM FROM 1908 TO 1923, INCLUSIVE. 1923. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. Fraser River, B.C. State of Washington 31,655 47,402 51,832 48,566 39,631 102,967 48,399 62,654 38,854 64,346 19,697 50,723 148,164 411,538 32,146 84,637 Totals 79,057 100,398 142,598 111,053 103,200 70,420 559,702 116,783 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. Fraser River, B.C State of Washington 91,130 64,584 198,183 335,230 719,796 1,673,099 123,879 184,680 58,487 127,761 150,432 248,014 585,435 1,097,904 74,574 170,951 Totals 155,714 533,413 _| 2,392,895 308,559 186,248 398,446 1,683,339 245.525 STATEMENT SHOWING THE SOCKEYE-PACK OF THE PROVINCE, BY DISTRICTS, 1908 TO 1923, INCLUSIVE. 1923. 1922. 1 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1910. 31,655 131,731 116,850 17,821 12,006 24,584 51,832 96,277* 53,584 31,277 15,147 47,107 39,631 41,018 48,615 9,364 6,936 18,350 48,399 89,064 125,742 16,740 6,987 64,473 38,854 184,945 56,258 28,259 6,452 54,677 19,697 123,322 53,401 21,816 6,243 51,980 148,164 65,760 61,195 22,188 9,639 32,902 32.146 60,923 44,936 31.411 Vancouver Islandf... 9.223 36,150 Totals 334,647 295,224 163,914 351,405 369,445 276,459 339,848 214.789 1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. 91,130 116,553 130,350 39,349 98,660 198,183 130,166 89,890 31,327 87,130 719,796 52,927 61,745 23,574 149,336 123,879 92,498 112,884 36,037 79,464 58,487 131,066 88,763 37,327 67,866 150,432 187,246 126,921 30,810 70,506 585,435 87,901 89,027 28,246 49,832 74,574 Skeena River Rivers Inlet Nass River 139,840 64,052 27,584 48.367 Totals- 476.042 536,606 972,178 444,762 383,509 565.915 840,441 335,023 * 4,390 cases deducted from Skeena for 1922, Alaska sockeye. t Vancouver Island's pack not previously segregated. VICTORIA, B.C. : Printed by Charles F. Banfield, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 1924.
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PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31ST,… British Columbia. Legislative Assembly [1924]
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Title | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31ST, 1923 WITH APPENDICES |
Alternate Title | REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. |
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British Columbia. Legislative Assembly |
Publisher | Victoria, BC : Government Printer |
Date Issued | [1924] |
Genre |
Legislative proceedings |
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FileFormat | application/pdf |
Language | English |
Identifier | J110.L5 S7 1924_V01_09_H1_H58 |
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Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia |
Source | Original Format: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia |
Date Available | 2016-02-22 |
Provider | Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library |
Rights | Images provided for research and reference use only. For permission to publish, copy or otherwise distribute these images please contact the Legislative Library of British Columbia |
CatalogueRecord | http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1198198 |
DOI | 10.14288/1.0225850 |
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