DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

234
salmon was 250,400 pounds. This increase I entertain some doubts about, feeling
aatisfied that some of the fish dealers must have returned more fresh fish than they
actually handled.
Owing to a break in the periodical run of fish in the Fraser River during the
aeason of 1886-87, packers were undecided as to what course to pursue. Although
past experience taught them that biennial failures had occurred regularly since 1886,.
it was not sufficient to prevent them making preparations for a large packing.
As the run in 1887 proved better than they expected, they thought that perhaps this
acason would be equally as good.
The proportionate pack by the canneries on the Fraser River and the coast was
as follows:—
0acø.
Fraser River, 12 canneries 76,616
Coast 9 do 107,424k
Total l84,040
In comparing this season's operations with last year, it will be noticed that
there is a falling off on the Fraser River of 52,290 cases, while the coast pack
increased by 32,147k cases. Notwithstanding the large falling off on the Fraser, the
average pack per cannery will be nearly the same as in the seasons of 1876, 1880 and
1884. But, it should at the same time be remembered that, while the average pack
was about the same as in previous poor years, the outfit used in the capture of the fish
as much incieased, and that "cohoes" and "white salmon" were canned, which
assisted iii making up the average. It must also be borne in mind that the total
rack on the Fraser exceeded the best previous corresponding poor year by 34,461
iases
Ṁuch correspondence has been going on from time to time in the press regarding
the modes of fiahing on the Fraser River, and some writers went so far as to assert
that gill net fishing on the sand, heads, and at the river's mouth, had driven away
the fish and forced them to seek new spawning grounds. It was also stated that the
"Sawquai" salmon which inhabit the Fraser and its tributaries, were seeking spawn.
ing grounds in the small streams on the coast near by. Upon making strict enquiry
arid sending reliable parties to investigate the matter, I found these reports to be with.
out foundation.
]Elerewith is a table showing the salmon pack of this Province during the last
£hirteen years,