Class Book- / o jection to this bill. After careful stud}', it is my opinion that if this l)ill should become a law it will do more to perpetuate and increase the .salmon than anything else that we can do at this time. I sa\' further, this bill gives no exckisive rights, no monopoly to anyone. It is a fair, just, and conservative bill, and ought to pass. If any member can suggest amendments that will improve it in any way I shall be glad to accept them. Another thing, this ])il] provides that nothing contained in it shall in any way prevent line or Hv fishing by tourists, sportsmen, or persons who go to Alaska, or anyone in Alaska. It also provides that the Indians, or natives of Alaska, can catch the salmon for food, or for drying for Avinter use as food for themselves and their families. Hence, taking it all in all. I believe this bill is a very fair and a very just bill in the interest of one of our great industries, which, if not protected l)v a law similar to this ])ill, will ere long be destroyed, the greatest tish in the world exterminated, and one of the great staple diets of civilization eliminated. Mr. Powers. Another question. Under the lirst section of this 1)111 it evidently creates no monopoly and says: "'x^ny person who may here- after" do it, but when you read section seven in connection with that section it says: That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to grant leases iu accordance with the foregoing sections of this act, for a period not to exceed twenty years, etc. What do 3'ou sa}- to the Secretary of the Treasury after he grants a lease to a company having the right to grant another lease to another company on the same ground and territory ( Mr. SuLZER. Well, sir, the bill provides that can be done provided the stream produces a certain numl)er of tish. I think it says 10,t»(»0. Mr. Powers. Yes; but — before any lease shall be granted the party or parties making application therefor they shall accompany such application with i^roof sutiicient to estaljlish the normal product of such streams; and no person shall be entitled to more than one hatchery lease with the privilege of stocking more than three barren lakes or streams and being protected in the product thereof. And it says further on, ""On streams producing not more than ten thousand." That is not exactly my point. A man goes on and estab- lishes a hatcher}' under the lirst section of the bill and proves to the Secretar\' of the Treasury that the stream in its normal condition does not produce 10,0()() salmon per annum. The Secretary of the Treas- ur}' grants a lease for about thirty years. Now, another man desires to go and estaljlish a hatchery. Can he do it and get a lease after the first one? Mr. SuLZER. Certainly he can. Mr. Powers. The first section says so,- but I am not sure about that. Mr. SuLZER. He certainly can get a lease, but he can not catch lish unless the stream will produce more than 1<),()0(>. This 10,(JO0 refers to a stream which in its normal condition does not produce lO.oOO. In other words, it refers to barren streams. Take a stream where the fish grow, where they propagate themselves, there the Secretary of the • SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 5 Treasury can o-raut leases to as many people as desire to establish hatcheries. Mr. Powers. The only reason I am asking the question is that I ' have g'ot a little old Democratic prejudice against monopolies. Mr. SuLZER. So have I; we will never disagree concerning that proposition. Mr. Powers. That is what 1 am looking out for. Mr. SuxzER. So am 1: and I want to say this, that if this V)ill in any wav could be construed" in establishing a monopoly 1 would not have introduced it, and I would be absolutely opposed to it if anybody else had introduced it. ]Mr. Powers, That is why I made the mere suggestion, that all rights and privileges gi'anted b}' this bill should be subject to the super- vision, regulation, and repeal by Congress, so if it was construed to add any kind of monopoly— — Mr. SuLZER. I am willing to accept that amendment. Gentlemen, I have occupied more time than I intended. Of course, I can discuss this matter at any time with you. V)ut these other gentlemen here can not. and Mr. Powers. I heard you upon this bill before, and 1 confess frankly I could not see any objections to the l^ill except the question of allow- ing Congress to retain the right of handling the whole thing. Mr. SuLZER. As I said. I have no objection to that. Gentlemen, I take pleasm-e in introducing to the committee Mr. John C. Callbreath, of Fort Wrangell, Alaska, who is perhaps more familiar with the subject-matter than any other man in the country. STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN C. CALLBREATH, OF FORT WRANGELL, ALASKA. Mr. Callbreath. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, my friend Mr. Sulzer has left ver^' little for me to say, I have jotted down some items here rather explanatory of the haltits of the salmon of Alaska, and the reason why this bill is necessary to preserve the salmon of Alaska. The proposed law simph^ gives to parties a legal right to property thev create from the wastes of nature at their own cost and without taking anything of value from the public domain. If thev produce ten where nature has produced but one, they surely should have the right to the increase. They also enrich the waters outside the protected zone b}^ thousands of fish that will be public property. Noav the propagator will not get all the tish — probably not more than one -half of the tish — outside of this protected zone. Others are there to take the tish, and everyone is free to take them, and inside the protected zone the normal quota of the stream is free toeverybod}^ until that amount is taken, ^^'hen the salmon commence to run, under the provision of this law, the public would have free access to catch those salmon up to the normal quota of the stream, and that quota must be established to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treas- ury before he will grant a lease by proof that can not be disputed. Mr. Lloyd. You mean the normal product must be 10,000? Mr. Callbreath. Manv streams are less than 10,000. If it is 10,000, it shall be at 10,000. If it is less than 10,000, it shall be estab- lished at what it is. No title in fee simple is asked, merelv a lease that need not be renewed unless the continuation should seem just and 6 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. proper. No person or corporation will have a monopoly of any stream. All have equal rights as provided in section 5. And no individual can have more than one franchise, or corporation more than one for each cannery actuallv operated. The rights of Indians are more than pro- tected, as he has free access for food purposes to the artificial product, and in common with others to the normal product. Fishing with hook and line is free to all. Limiting hatcherv fran- chises to small producing streams will prevent clashing of interests, as streams producing ten thousand or less of the valuable redfish are considered of small value and are seldom fished by more than one party, while the large producers, running as high as two and a half million, are fished by several persons and corporations. The normal product might even be reduced to 5,000, which would still further limit the liabilit}* of conflict of interests. My own stream produces even less whei'e I am hatching, it is less than five thousand, and I think all parties should have the right to a stream running as high as ten thousand. Those who have already maintained hatcheries on streams producing large iuiml)ers should be protected in all fairness. Now, there are three diflerent parties that have been maintaining hatcheries for a number of years in Alaska on large producing streams. For instance, take the stream of Karluk. I presume the normal product would run close to 2.000.000. These 2,000.000 are the normal quota of the stream. Those 2.000.000 would be free for the public until they are all taken, and the propagator will never get any benefit of his propagation. Until the normal product are all taken parties who have started hatcheries on these large producing streams should in all fair- ness have the protection. Mr. Lloyd. Do I understand that a man who establishes a hatchery under this l)ill is to have no benefit at all until the fish return and thci^. shall have no benefit from their return except that which is in addition to what would be the normal product of the stream i Mr. Callbreath. That is right, sir. We do not ask for anything except that which we produce. The normal quota we leave free, and theA' should be f i-ee. Of course we would have the same rights as others to the normal product. Mr. Powers. There is another thing. I understand this bill does not establish any hatchei'v on any stream that now produces 10.000 salmon a year;! Mr. Lloyd. J understand that, but I wanted to be clear about the other point. Mr. Callbreath. There are thousands of streams and lakes that are barren. That is something I must explain. These barren streams — I am sorr}' some of the gentlemen have not been in Alaska. ]\Ir. Sulzer has been there and can describe better than I can what barren streams mean — as you go along in Alaska you see falls on quite good- sized streams^ and back you will see a hollow where the contour of the mountains will show you there is a great lake there. Those lakes are entirely barren because nothing can get into them. I propose to stock those lakes, and those lakes would be included although a man has no hatcheiT on those lakes, and you could not have one there because there are no fish; but if he stocks it, although there is no hatchery, he shall be entitled to the fish when they come back. Mr. Lloyd. They would not come back. Mr. Powers. We do that in Maine, in a good many places we do SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. ( that identical thinf,. There is a ti.shway where the water comes over y^ry rapidly, and you will find the salmon going- up to spawn. I tell you we catch salmon i n my town coming up that way. We do it by fixing •up a fishway. I understand that thing fully. We are doing it in m}^ State and have done it for years. Mr. Callbreath. I consider that one of the greatest nurseries; it is greater than the natural hatchery ground, because there is a proportion of three of these barren lakes to five that the lish can get into, Mr. Powers. You wotild ho surprised at the swiftness of the water as it comes along a sort of a race way that these salmon will go up. Mr. Callbreath. They will actually climb it like a dog on a ladder. They hang on with their mouth, gefr hold with their tails, and wriggle and climb up like a dog. Mr. Powers. And where the water is coming over very rapidly. 1 can show you that where there are fish ways. Mr. Callbreath. There are thousands of streams and lakes that are barren liecause of falls near tidewater which no fish can pass on the upward passage. B3" stocking these streams with young fry you reclaim a desert, vet this can be accomplished, the commercial results of which would be enormous. To accomplish this, however, entails a considerable expense. Ko policy will advance the settlement of Alaska more than or as much as that provided for in this bill. Everv indus- trious fisherman can and many will emljark in salmon culture, and in connection with his hatchery will develop Avhat there may be of agri- cultural resources that will never be utilized except in connection with some auxiliary industry. Nearly all the lands suitable for agricultural purposes are situated lit the mouths of streams. The 1-mile resei've to the propagator in many cases will not be suflicient protection, 1)ut a further reserve of •i miles as set forth in section 2 of the l)ill, from which all parties are excluded from taking fish of the kind propagated, will leave those which might be in transit free to pass on to their native stream unhin- dered; and if they are the product of the protected hatcher3% they will go there also unhindered. Now. the object of that is, in many cases there is a little nari'ow salt-water '"gut," 3"ou ma}' call it, running up in the mouth of the hatchery stream, and to give a man a mile of that would not be giving him a ])roper protection. Then again, his hatchery might be situated down close to the salt water, where, if you gave him more than a mile, you would give him a chance to get fish he did not produce, which we do not want to do. Now, if the additional 4 miles is closed to all parties — the hatchery as well as anybody else — if the fish are in transit to another stream the}" will go unhindered, and if they belong to him they will come there. That is the reason why that clause is put in. Fishing for all kinds of salmon of the difierent species from those propagated, as well as those of other species of fish, is free and open to all. All parties are allowed to catch fish in this protected zone that are not of the kind the hatchery produces, and the propagator is simply given exclusive right to take the fish he produces. All others are free for everyl)ody. Mr. KuTCHiN. Other kinds of salmon, I will say. Mr. Callbreath. Now I will read 3'ou something about the habits of the salmon. Mr. SuLZER. Regarding the habits of the salmon, your type-written statement can go in the record. Mr. Kutchin, of the Treasury Depart- 8 SALMON FISHEKIES OF ALASKA. ment, is here and desires to sa}' a few words. We only have a few moments left and I w ish the committee to hear him. Mr. Callbreath. 1 would like to explain one reason why the law as it at present stands is no protection to the salmon of Alaska. Con- gressman Knox made some remarks in opposition to this bill, and he stated that if the laws that were now in existence in Alaska A\ere enforced there would be all the protection of the salmon that was required. That is a mistake. The law is tolerably well observed now. Now, the law only provides three-fourteenths of the lish shall be allowed to go up and spawn, but we wdll give them better than that — we will say a stream produces 50,000, and one-half would be allowed to go up; that would be 25,000. That 25,000 is subject to all the marauders that prey on the 50,000 salmon and prevent them from being so numerous that they would block up the Pacific Ocean. They keep them down to the normal quota. They only reproduce themselves in the natural state; they do not increase. If they increase one-half of 1 per cent you would readily see in the lapse of ages that have passed the Pacific Ocean would not hold the salmon. They simplv in a state of nature repro- duce themselves. Say 25,000 go up that stream. They have to con- tend with all the marauders that formerly had 50,000 to feed upon. You can not reasonably expect there will be more than 25,000 come back. In fact, there will not be as many as 25,000. \Yhen they come back you cut them in two again, and how long before there will not be a salmon left in Alaska, or a mere nothing^ That is what denuded the salmon of the Eastern seaboard. Their appliances were so inferior seventy or seventy-iiv^e or a hundred years ago that they took but a small percentage. Now they sweep the bays completely. 1 thank you, gentlemen, for your indulgence. Mr. SuLZER. I will say, genttemen, that ^Nlr. Callbreath has a type- written statement regarding the habits of the salmon. I request it go in the record as a part of his remarks. I now take pleasure in introducing Mr. Kutchin of the Treasury Department. There was no objection. A peculiarity of the valuable red salmon is that they will not fre- quent a stream unless it has a lake that thev can reach, where they may lay and ripen before ascending the small streams that put into the lake for spawning. Fullv one-half of the small streams that produce a large percentage of the salmon of southeastern Alaska have no lakes on them, and fully three-fifths of those that have lakes are barred b}^ falls between the lake and tidewater, over which fish can not pass; hence the scarcit}^ of this valuable species of fish. The cohoe. dog, and humpback salmon, all inferior fish, take any stream on which there are spawning grounds. As a consequence they are very numerous and the valuable red salmon correspondingly scarce. These valuable red salmon are fast l^ecoming extinct, and. unless the Government institutes an extensive system of hatcheries and private parties are protected in the output of their hatcheries, will in the near future be numbered with the buffalo. No private party, unless pro- tected in the results of his industry, can withstand the enormous pres- sure of the great com])ines. In my own case I have expended a small competency in the enterprise of salmon culture that will in the end be of incalculable benefit to the country; but unless I am protected in what I produce others will reap where I have sown. It is of record in SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 9 Holy Writ, "That he who ])uildeth a house shall dwell therein, and he who planteth a vineyard .shall gather the fruit thereof/' The claim of the salmon propagator is even stronger than that of the vinyardi.st, as •a vineyard implies the occupation of good land,- which can only be occupied by the vineyardist. and there is a limitation to good land, but the fruits of our hatcheries take no land for their growth; the broad Pacitic is their range, and streams and lakes that are practically value- less — and tis to the barren lakes and streams absolutely so — are their nurseries. There are several things in connection with salmon propagating that are not generally understood except by those engaged in the business, prominent among which is the necessity of protecting the young fr}" while in fresh water from their great enemy, the sea trout, who also devour over one-half the eggs before they can be buried in the gravel by the parent salmon. Where they breed naturally this protection is next to impossi1)le and entirely impracticable, but the propagator makes this his tirst step. In a normal state, where even no onslaught by fishermen at all is made upon them, the salmon merely reproduce their normal numbers, for if the}' increased one-half of 1 percent each year in the thousands of past decades the ocean to-day would not contain them. A single female red salmon contains an average of 3,500 eggs. In a state of nature probably 100 young frv would dig their way out of the gravel and begin life, which from the start is a light for existence. Everything that swims, walks, crawls, or tlies is their enemy, seeking to devour them: even their year older brothers who are still in the fresh water go for them ravenously, so that in the end but one of each sex will return at the end of ten or eleven years to plant their spawn and die as their parents did ten or eleven years before them. With artiticial propagation, out of the 3,500 eggs that one female produces the propagator gets 3,000, the remaining 500 being diiE- cult to extract. From these 3,000 eggs the propagator will bring out an average of 90 per cent. The past winter my own hatchery brought out 97i per cent, but the eggs the past year were unusually good. Like everything else in nature, no two years are exactly alike. This 97i per cent were iirst turned out in preserves, where they are com- pletely protected from all enemies until they have consumed the egg sack and Ijecome swimmers — a period of about six weeks — when they are gathered up by means of a tine dip net and placed in their native waters, where they would have been had their parents been allowed to spawn naturallv. These waters have already been swept clean of the sea trout, the young salmon's greatest enemy, by means of a dam at the mouth of the stream over which no fish unaided can pass. The sea trout follow the salmon for plunder; the eggs and the young fry are their tidbits. Below my dam is a barricade and trap where everything is gathered in that is trying to ascend the stream. The red salmon from which I am propagating are picked up with a dip net and carefully passed over the dam to the pond above; all else are consigned to a pen on shore, where death soon ends their marauding career, when they are chucked back into the creek and swept away. This is the protection that the propagator gives his weaklings. No protection at all do the}^ have under natural conditions. This system, as will appear from my statements, makes the propa- 10 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. gator turn out from the same number of salmon and in a place of com- parative safety 30 to 1 more than the normal turn out that would be open to the destruction of their numerous enemies. Let us now discuss the protection that the present law afiords the salmon. To do this in an intellio-ible manner I must first describe the habits of the salmon when the}' come to the stream for spawning. The valuable red salmon come into the ])ays and inlets in the early summer months, at which time of year the creeks are low. and lie around, sporting- and jumping from seven to ten days and longer, unless a rain occurs to swell the creeks, which is quite unusual at that time of year, but always, rain or no rain, they lie around five or six days. The law suspends hshing from 6 p. m. Friday till 6 p. m. Sunday, thirty-six hours, which as a rule is well observed. The fisherman plies his work assiduously all day Friday, and when 6 o'clock comes around not a salmon is left in the ]my. He then lays off till Sunday morning when a fresh supply will have come in, but not one will ha\^e gone up the stream. Of course he takes them in if there are compet- ing seins in the baj", if not he will prol)ably wait a day or two until there is a good school in the bay and he can make a fat hauh he is not afraid of losing them, they will wait his pleasure. By this you will see, gentlemen, that the fishermen can take all that come and still be within the law. But suppose of a stream that had a normal run of 50,000 one-half were allowed to go up, the same number of marauders to prey on their spawn and young fry would be on hand as though the whole 50,<)00 had gone up. Now, if the oO, sahiion. Mr. KuTCHiN. They have a story about pulling in 125,000 salmon this season in a single haul at Karluk. There is one of the eccentrici- ties of salmon theories. The Karluli production was one of the largest and it has gone steadily down, every year smaller than the year before, and this year there were so many tish there that it was impossible to handle them and they were sent ofi' 150 miles to replenish the meager supplj^ of other canneries. Mr. Lloyd. That would carry out the theory that they come back to the same point where the spawn hi Mr. KuTCHiN. They do there. The tish at Karluk is distinctive in character. They are almost the smallest salmon in Alaska, and 150 miles away the}^ get one of the largest fish. But in contradiction of that statement, I was down at one place last summer where tish were commonly scarce. The stream is said to have been fenced for many vears, as it is inaccessible and had never been visited by an official. But that season there were swarms of salmon, and packers at a distance came to profit from the unusual run. It is as certain as anything can be that those fish were never hatched in that river. Where had they come from? They were unlike those ordinarily taken at adjacent fisheries. At Chignik they have the most odious fishing system in the whole business, the traps. Traps starting out from the shore line and run- ning to here [indicating] and then over here [indicating], half a mile long. Those traps are planted in the river so close together that \'ou can not shoot a rifle without hitting a pile, and still the lake is full of fish. How they ever got up there no man knows. They have no business to use those traps, the}^ are illegal under the spirit of the law. There is no such thing with them as a closed season. The law provides that the closed season shall be from 12 p. m. Friday until 6 p. m. Sunday. These infernal traps take everything that comes, all kinds of fish, even seals. There is a regulation that they should open those traps during the closed season, but it is not fully eftective. Curiously enough in one section of the existing law traps are forbid- den, and in another section it provides that they may he used if they do not extend more than one-third across the width of the river, and it has been decided that the traps are permitted under that provision. Mr. Powers. I understand you distinctly to state that you believe the existing law furnishes no adequate protection, for the reason that without violating the law ])arties can go farther out to sea and can catch nearly all the fish i Mr. Kltchin. I do not think the existing law att'ords any protection; not in the small streams, except in so far as it provides for a closed season and forbids barricades. Mr. Callbreath. In the small streams the existing law afl'ords no protection whatever. 16 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. Mr. SuLZER. Gentlemen, we have here Mr. H. B. Martin, who represents the American Anti-Trust League, and who is interested in this bill in the interest of the consumers of the country. 1 would like to have the committee listen to Mr. Martin a few moments. Mr. Martin. I will not ask to make an}- argument. I want to leave with the conmiittee the report of Commander Moser, of the United States Nav3% giving- extracts from his report on the Alaska salmon investigations in 1900, and the report of operations of the United States Fish Commission steamer Allxitross^ of which he was the com- mander; and in his report for 1900 he devotes pages 221 to 227. inclusive, al)out eight pages, to the methods used by Mr. Callbreath to propagate the salmon and increase the supply of young tish. In closing that report, which is very interesting and which will }w instruc- tive to the committee, I will leave it here as a part of the hearing. He says, in the last paragraph: Mr. Callbreath is positive that his fish will return, Vjut he now lielieves the time has not yet arrived for the first output to mature. It is earnestly hoped he may realize all he anticipates, for the zeal and enthusiasm which he dis]>lays should meet with ample reward. In the meantime he is earrying on a very interesting experiment: If his fish retuin he will have demonstrated that salmon do return tn the parent stream, he will have thrown much light on the age of fish, and he will have proved that a stream running a few fish can be made to yield a))normally. If this is demon- strated a law should be passed permitting the leasing of small streams for hatchery purposes and recognizing ownership in fish thus hatched. This would mean a great deal to southeastern Alaska, as it would draw settlers who could make a very good living by operating a hatchery and cultivating the little patches of land that are favor- ably located. That is on page 227 of Captain Mosers report, which has just l^een placed in the hands of the Government Printing Office; this is from the advance sheets. Mr. SuLZER. I desire to say that the Secretar}^ of the Treasury informed me that Captain Moser had made this report on the salmon industry of Alaska, and that the report had been sent to the Government Printing Office, but had not yet been printed, but that if I would send to the Government Printing Office they would give me advance sheets, and these are the advance sheets, a part of this report, relating to this very matter. I do not think this part of the report will take up more than a few pages, and I desire to ask the Committee to have it printed herewith. Mr. Martin. The only other word I desire to say is very brief, and is that the interest 1 take in this matter of the preservation of the salmon fisheries is as a student of economics, and as one who desires to see the food supph' of the world preserved and increased in every way possible. We know that the human race is increasing very rapidly in numbers, and we want to provide as good and altundant a food supply as is possil)le, and we want to prevent the creating of a monopoly, such as the recent beef trust, and so we favor anything that will increase the supplv. From the reports of Captain Moser. who is an expert, and from the reports of Mr. Kutchin, the special agent, and from the statements of other gentlemen who are experts and authorities on this question, and from the testimony of Captain Callbreath, it is very evident beyond any question that it is necessary to do something to pre- serve the salmon fisheries from extinction, and as they are of enormous value as food supplies, and as this 1)111 does not give any monopoly, but simply provides that the men who have worked and labored to increase SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 17 the supply shall bo protected; in other words, that they may reap where the}' have sown, we believe that it would l)e proper and desira- ble legislation, and we hope that your committee will report the bill. . Mr. Lloyd. I would like to ask Mr. Callbreath whether he has made experiments in this line for some time? Mr. Callbreath. Yes, sir; for ten years. I have been looking- into the matter for some forty years, but this is the tenth year I have had this thing under my personal observation. Mr. Lloyd. You mark the lish for return 'i Mr. Callbreath. 1 never marked any tish. Mr. Lloyd. When did you begin to mark any? Mr. Callbreath. 1 never marked any tish. I have a check on them, w^hich is far better than the mark, because the marked lish counts for nothing. Other people mark them just as you do. I have picked up in m}' place many lish that have the marks on them that you would suppose they came from Puget Sound, but they were all local fish. They cut oli' a fin, or they cut ofi* part of the tail. My plan is the simplest thing in the world. I have a dam at the mouth of my stream over which no fish can pass unaided. AVhen the fish come up to the dam, going to the spawning ground, I pick up the valuable fish with a dip net, and they go on up to the lake. The humpback, an inferior fish, comes to this stream, probably from fifteen to twenty-five thousand, and I kill them all. I have killed them ever since 18t>2. There is no spawning ground below my ground, and I have killed that whole mess of fish since 1892, and they came back as plentiful last year as ever. When we progress further, these inferior fish will become extinct, and there will be an increase in the fish that 1 am producing there. The normal product has not been altered a particle: the smallest year was 2,500 and the largest year 5,000. Here [exhibiting] I have some specimens of fish that are 2 years old. They show you that these fish take a long time to grow. These specimens are just about to leave the fresh water and go to sea. As Colonel Kutchin has said, it is an experiment, and it is a very expensive experiment, one in which I have alread}^ spent 120,000 and have not received 1 cent yet, but I expect to get something from it. I know the whole world is wrong as to the salmon's age. I do not know how near 1 am right, but I will know before many years; but I do know that the whole world is wrong; I know that absolutely. Mr. Lloyd. You know that because you have been killing this par- ticular class of fish? Mr. Callbreath. Yes, sir. Mr. Lloyd. And you have been doing that for ten years? Mr. Callbreath. Yes, sir; I keep a strict account of every red salmon that passes over my dam, male and female, and I know just how man}^ start up the little streams, and all that. There is a pecu- liarity about the red salmon; he will not take a stream that has not a lake on it, and 3'et he does not spawn the lake. There may be two streams, one of which has fine spawning grounds, but the red salmon will not go up that stream unless there is a lake; he wants to lay in the lake in the deep water and ripen. The other fish take any stream on which there are good spawning grounds, but the red salmon will not. Mr. Kutchin. I want to amplify my statement as to the enlarge- ment of the force and the effect. You asked me if more men would improve the situation and make the law more operative. As to those sal 2 18 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. places where l)arrifades are forbidden at the mouths of streams and where the closed season is observed, of course close observance of the regulations would be beneficial; but that would not prevent the stead}' extermination of the salmon. Mr. SuLZER. We are very much obliged to the committee for its attention, and I trust the bill will be favorably reported. Thereupon the subcommittee adjourned. The report submitted ]\v Mr. Martin follows: ALASKA SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN 1900 — REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1900. [By Jefferson F. Moser, Commander, United States Navy, commander.] [Pages 221 to 227, inclusive.] C.iLLBREATH HATCHERY. Mr. John C. Callbreath has been a resident of Alaska for man}' years; he was the manager of the Point Ellis cannery until it was destroyed by lire in 1892, and has lately been engaged in the transpor- tation business on the Stikine River and in trading, making his home at Wrangell. He is a representative citizen, enterprising, and devoted to salmon culture. In 1892, in connection with the Point Ellis cannery, he started the hatchery referred to under that stream heading. Having seen the rise of the salmon industry, and knowing, as all must know who are familiar with the question, that the abusive and excessive fishing and total dis- regard of the law ];»y the fisheries must slowly but surely exterminate the salmon for couunercial purposes, he determined to take a salmon stream that under normal conditions carried a few thousand redfish, and by artificial propagation increase the production to hundreds of thousands. He hoped that, if successful, a law would be framed mak- ing the increase his OAvn property. The hatchery is a private enterprise, unconnected with any cannery or fishery, and based upon the widely prevailing belief that the salmon retui'n to the parent stream in four years after they are hatched. As this time has passed, however, without any apparent return, Mr. Call- breath has extended his period to ten years. In establishing the hatchery a stream was sought satisfying the con- ditions imposed, and one was found at the head of McHenry Inlet. It is small, about one-half mile in length, and flows over a rocky and bowldery bed between heavily wooded shelving banks. At its head is a small lake 12 feet above tide water, slightly L-shaped, al)out three- fourths mile long by one-fourth wide, and bordered by low wooded banks. The stream was never known to supply more than from 3,0()0 to 5,000 redfish. a number too small to attract the attention of the commercial fisheries. In fact, it was known as a " cultus chuck" or worthless stream. After making satisfactory arrangements with the Indians claiming the stream, a hatchery was built in 1892 on the right bank about 200 yards from the mouth, and suitable dams were thrown across the stream to impound the fish. The hatchery water was taken from the stream, conveying it hy a flume from a point near the lake, where a SALMON FISHERIJZS OF ALASKA. 19 20 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. dam wa.s built. After operating- the hatchery during- the latter part of the season in 1892 and turning- out about 600,000 fry, it was seen that the breeding tish could not be impounded properly in the stream, many djdng, probably from exhaustion in attempting to pass the barrier. It was also found that the stream water used in the hatcher}" was unsuitable, not onl}' on account of the wide range in temperature, but the organic matter it contained smothered the eggs and caused fungus. An excel- lent site having been found on the lake in the vicinity of the streams forming the natural spawning-beds, with a spring giving an abundant supply of pure water of very equable temperature, the hatchery was moved in the spring of 1893 to its present site. It was operated that year and every year until 190O, when the projector decided that his means would not permit him to continue the work unless some return was made. From its first inception it was determined that, in order to obtain the best results, onl}' the most desirable species should be admitted to the lake, and that all enemies must be removed and excluded. In order to carry this into effect dams were built across the stream with racks below them, as shown in the sketch, at a point about 100 yards from salt water, where an islet divides the stream into two parts. The dam and fence on the western side of the islet allow nothing to pass. The fence on the eastern side has a trap opening, admitting tish to the foot of the dam. Here the redlish and cohoes are lifted by dip nets to the pool above, from which point they can ascend quickly to the lake. Nothing can enter the lake which is not passed over the dam by hand. The humpbacks, dog salmon, Dolly Varden trout, and all enemies are carefully excluded, and the lake is therefore free of undesirable and predatory species. The lake has been carefully fished, and all enemies to the fry, such as cut-throats and other trout, sticklebacks, bullheads, sculpins, etc., have been removed, so that it is comparatively clear of enemies. The hatchery is located on the northern side of the lake, about three- eighths mile from the head of the outlet, and midway between a series of 11 springs and feeders, the extreme distance being less than one- fourth mile from the main building. The hatching-house stands on the border of the lake, partly over a small feeder, and back of it is a sub- stantial and comfortable log dwelling-, 20 feet bv 36 feet. Strung along the lake are two houses for the hatchery hands, each 12 feet by 16 feet, a smokehouse for smoking the stripped lish, and a tool house. The original cost of the plant, and all expenses connected with it to date (September, 1900), amount to $16,000. The hatchery usually opens July 1, when preparations are begun for the season; stripping generalh^ commences September 1; the place is closed about March 1. The hatchery building is 75 feet long, east and west, b}^ 11 feet in width; south wall 11 feet high, north wall 6 feet high; shed roof, with windows on the south side only; on the east end is an open-shed annex, 18 feet by 11 feet. The troughs are 16 feet by 13^ inches by .oi inches, inside measure- ment, made of planed lumber, 1^-inch l)o"ttom, li-inch sides, covered with asphalt varnish. In the main building are 2 lines of troughs arranged in pairs, with 8 troughs in a line, making a total of 16, arranged with a passage around the lines as shown in the sketch. Each pair of troughs has a drop of 1 inch in its length, with a fall of -i inches SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 21 to the next. The lir.st compartment in each trou^^h is S inches in leng'th, a'nd receives and aerates the water; then come 7 basket divisions, each 24 inches long-, separated ])v the Williamson system of division plates, 2 inches apart; the last space is 4 inches. The annex will accommodate 4 troughs, but it has seldom ])een used. The baskets are of the usual wire webbing, tive-eighths inch by one- sixth inch for redtish eggs, and tive-eighths inch by one-tifth inch for cohoes, and are 23^ inches by 12f inches 1)v 4f inches, and have no wooden rims. They afe supported an inch from the liottom of the trough by broad-headed nails and tin clips. All are well lacquered. A full basket contains 00,000 redtish eggs, or 30,000 to 35,000 coho eggs. The capacity of the hatchery is therefore 6,720,000 redtish eggs, and the annex 1,680,000 of the same species, but it is doubted if the latter can be regarded as a reliable factor in estimating the capacity. The hatchery water is received from a pool about 150 yards north of the hatchery, which is supplied by three springs (see Sketch G) in the immediate vicinity, augmented by an additional spring, which is connected with the j^ool l)y a ditch. From the pool the water is con- veyed b}^ a covered Hume to the west end of the hatchery ])uilding and is then distributed, as shown in the drawing. The flow is regulated at the closed end of the Hume in the pool by means of holes in the bot- tom plank, in which plugs may be inserted, increasing or decreasing the supply as ma}' be necessary. The main flume, midway in its length, is joined by a flume running from a reserve pool to the east- ward, which may be used if necessary. The water is very clear and evidently quite pure, as no trouble has ever been experienced from fungoid growth. It is not tiltered, but there are screens in the upper end of the flume to strain out foreign particles which may fall into the pool. The water is very equable in temperature and is said never to freeze. The lowest temperature observed in midwinter is recorded as 38° F., and the highest in midsummer 46° F. These are the extremes, the average range running from 39° to 45° F. During moderate win- ter weather the temperature of the water runs from 40° to 43° F. — never above the latter. While the temperature of the water is fre- quenth^ taken during the season, there is no daily record from which curves mav be drawn. The following mav be noted as fair averages: July 25, 1898, 45° F.; September 14, 1898, 43" F.; lowest during the winter of 1898-99, 39° F.; April 15, 1899, 41° F. The lake water ranges from the freezing point in winter to 60° F. in midsummer. It is claimed that the present hatchery supply is sufficient for 15,000,000 eggs and that there are additional springs in the vicinity which, at small expense, can be utilized. In the hatchery the same water is used through four troughs, and if the annex is used, through five. It then passes by a sluice to the small creek under the hatchery. The arrangements seem crude, and all fittings and appliances are constructed at the least expense, yet it all indicates an intelligent endeavor in a direction where there was but little previous experience in the work. Judging from the output, however, the hatchery has been very successful, and is a striking example of what may be done in this line of work if undertaken in an intelligent manner. Mr. Callbreath certainly deserves great credit, not only for the work he has accomplished, but for the proof he has given that a hatchery ma}^ be operated successfuU}' for very little money. Feeders, ripen huj pool x^ and ymn^erie-s. — The redfishand cohoes after 22 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASAA. 23 entering- the lake lemain in its waters until ripe, a period varying from two to six weeks, sometimes longer, depending upon the condition of the tish as they enter from the sea; and when ripe they seek the feeders to spawn. In the immediate vicinity of the hatchery there are six feeders and springs which form natural spawning-beds and are arranged for taking ripe tish, and also several nursery ponds. (See sketch.) The mouths of these feeders are fenced and hav^e trap openings,' which admit the lish, but do not permit them to leave. Feeders A, B, and K*are tighth' fenced to prevent adult tish from entering, as they are full of obstructions on which the tish might injure themselves. C, D, E, and F are spring pools, which have been cleared and improved, opening on the lake.' The pool C is separated by a dam into two ponds, the inner one forming an excellent nursery. D is not considered very good. E is the best pond, and secures the largest number of breeders except J. F is a nursery pond; an inclined fence of brush surmounts the dam and partly shades the pool, which is believed to beneht the fry. G is the outlet for the overflow from the hatchery reservoir pool; it has several s7i»all pools, formed by widen- ings in the stream, where fry were one year planted but did not do very well. The lower of these pools, shown on the sketch, was also used as a nursery, but was unsatisfactory. H is the overtlow from the auxiliary pool for hatchery supply, and receives the hatching- house waste; at times a few lish are permitted to enter and are spawned as needed to till up baskets. J is the chief feeder entering the lake, and is about 100 yards east from the hatchery; the mouth is fenced with the usual trap opening, and from this point for about TO feet upstream the banks are walled up with vertical slabs. At J the stream has been dammed to make an upper pool in which, and in the upper reaches, fr}^ are released. The ripe fish are stripped on the west bank of the lower reach. Sjxiicning. — The ripe fish enter the pens through the traps and are secured by dip nets; they average about 7 pounds in weight. Spawn- ing begins about September 1, and continues activelv tor about six weeks; a few ripe fish keep running until late in the winter, the latest arrivals having the most perfect eggs. In spawning the wet process is used; a pan is half filled with water, into which the ova are stripped and the milt added; these are mixed with the fingers, and then set aside for one hour, after which the eggs are thoroughly washed, transferred to buckets, and carried to the hatchery where they are placed in the baskets. It is found that impregnation will take place up to 3 minutes after the ova have been ejected, and that the best results are obtained by adding the milt between i and 1\ minutes after ejection. Size of njgs. — The number of eggs of both redfish and cohoes has been frequently counted, and it has been found that a full healthy female of each species contains 3,500 eggs, but it is rare that the full numlier is obtained. As frequently some are left in the fish, and others are not in good condition, the count is made on 3,000 eggs to the full fish, or 20 redfish, or 10 to 12 cohoes, to the basket, the eggs of the latter being about twice the size of the former. When a large number of fish mature at the same time it is frequently found that some eggs have been voided, and in such cases it will take two and sometimes three fish to make one "count" fish. In counting the eggs a condensed-milk can is used as a measure. 24 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. This measure, l)v repeated counting, has been found to contain 1,9U4 redtish or 848 coho eggs. A quantity of eggs from a healthy, normal,, ripe female redtish was secured and measured with the following results: Fort}' covered 2 square inches and 20 in a line against a straight edge occupied a length of exactly 4^ inches, giving a single ef!;g a diameter of 0,225 inch. It has been observed that brilliantly colored or unusually large or small eggs are apt to prove failures. Several hundred cohoes are usually stripped each year and the eggs hatched. The}' run about six weeks later than the redtish. The picking of eggs is done with ordinar}- tin forceps and is com- menced six to eight weeks after the eggf< are placed in the baskets. It is claimed that the percentage of bad eggs is very small, and that very little, if any, fungus appears. The delicate period is unknown here. It is probably covered during the time the eggs remain undisturbed. Period of incuhation.- — The temperature records are not at all com- plete, and no attempt has been made to determine the thermal hatching unit. Generally it may be said that with a temperature of 45- F., the average highest, to 39^, the average lowest, the e3'e spots appear in from 30 to 38 days. A few are earlier, and a few are 45 days before they are well eyed out. In 90 days they are hatching rapidly; in 100 days t\vo-thirds are hatched; in 110 days four-fifths are out, and the remainder straggle along for several months. As the hatchery closes March 1 the unhatched eggs are buried in the gravel, simulating the natural conditions. The cohoes hatch about 10 days earlier, and an experiment made with a basket of humpl)ack eggs showed that the}' hatched in 70 days under conditions in which the redtish hatched in 90 days. Eggs which hatch out well in advance of the mass ("prematures") and those equally late, produce usually very weak fish, or "freaks." It has been the experience here that it is useless to waste time on these fish, as they invarial^ly die. It has been found that the fry just hatched collect in the lower end of the troughs, and to prevent loss they are removed as early as possible, within a day or two after hatching, and placed in the nursery, the upper ponds of the feeders, and sometimes in the lake, where the bottom is grassy or covered with pond lilies. The yolk sac is al)sorbed in from forty-five to fifty days, but shows plainly at sixty days, though skiimed over and in the belly. After this has taken place they are taken from the nursery and some are placed in the feeders and others in the lake, where the natural condi- tions are most favorable for their protection. The loss varies from 8 to 12 per cent, depending upon the season; if there is an abundance of rain, permitting the fish to ascend without injury, the eggs are found in good condition and the loss is small. During a dry season the fish are kept from ascending until the fall rains, and as they partially ripen in the salt or brackish water the eggs are more easily injured. Realizing the advantage in having the fish arrive in the lake in a healthy, vigorous state, considerable work has been done at the outlet to remove obstructions and to improve the natural conditions. Barren Jal'es. — Mr. Callbreath lays considerable stress upon the use of what he terms barren lakes in connection with hatchery work. These lakes have in their sea connections high falls or cascades pre- venting the passage of fish from the sea and usually are quite clear of the enemies of salmon fry. Mr. Callbreath has planted redfish fry in SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 25 two of these barren lakes, both discharging- their water into Bui'nctt Inlet. In 1894 and 1896, 1,000,000 redtish fry were planted each year in Burnett Lake, about 13 miles from the hatchery, and in 189.5, ' 2,000,000 redtish fry were planted in Francis Lake, al)out 11 miles from the hatchery. The following coho fry haye been planted in Falls Creek, prey iously referred to: 1893,66,000; 1891,50,000; 1896, 135,000; 1899, 60,00o' The rest of the hatchery output has been planted in the home lake and feeders. The fry are transported as soon after hatching as the weather permits and before the egg sac is absorbed, as the\' then require fewer changes of water. Coal-oil cans are used for transportation cans; a screw-top mouthpiece, l^-inch opening, is soldered to the top of the can and the fry are poured in through a funnel haying a large opening. A 5-gaIlon can will hold 30,000 redtish fry, or about 15,000 coho fry, and two such cans placed in the original case make a load for one man carried on the back with pack straps, and if the weather is cold, wu'apped in l)lankets. The following data, representing the output from this hatchery from July, 1892, to September, 1900, was furnished by Mr. Callbreath: REDFISH. Year. Number adults passed over dam. Total num- ber of fry hatched. Number of fry planted and locality. Males. Females. Hatchery lake. other lakes. 1892 1 3, 000 13,010 2, 438 2,799 1,617 1,817 1,189 1,058 (-) (-) 2, 016 2,497 2, 008 1, 572 821 1,175 600, 000 1, 888, 000 4, 928, 000 4, 960, 000 3, 888, 000 2,000,000 1, 800. 000 1,385,000 600, 000 1,888,000 3, 928, 000 2,960,000 2, 780, 000 2, 000, 000 1,800,000 1,385,000 1893 1894 ^1,000,000 1895 * 2, 000, 000 ai, 100,000 1896 1897 1898 1899 10, 918 10, 089 21, 441, 000 17,341,000 4, 100, 000 1900 1,991 1,863 None stripped: fish allowed to seek natural spawning beds. COHOES. Year. Number adults passed over dam. Total num- ber of fry hatched. Number of fry planted and locality. Males. Females. Home lake. ^S. 1892 1893 1894 1895 1 1, 151 2.56 134 374 590 158 991 230 204 338 500 142 963 416, 000 363,000 515,000 510, 000 526, 000 250, 000 950, 000 350, 666 313,000 515,000 375, 000 526, 000 2.50, 000 850, 000 66,000 50, 000 1896 1897 135, 000 1898 1899 60, 000 2, .503 2, 377 3, 530, 000 3,219,000 [ 311,000 1900 ,526 4S9 natur al spawning beds. 1 Both sexes; not included in total. sjsfQt tnown. ^ To Burnett Lake. -i To Francis Lake. In this record it should be remembered that the number of tish passed oyer the dam is not the number stripped. The number recoyered for spawning purposes yaries so much that no pei'centage 26 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. can be stated, and what becomes of those not stripped is a mystery to the hatchery people. For instance, in 1899 there were passed over the dam, between July 16 and October 26, 1,175 female and 1,058 male redtish, making- a total of 2,233; and from August 29 to November 14, 963 female and 991 male cohoes, making* a total of 1,951; of this num- ber 1,367 redfish and 1,231 cohoes were recovered; this includes not onlj" all spawned tish, but all found dead along the shores after diligent and repeated search. The following experience at the hatchery may be of interest and worthy of record: On September 23, 1898, about 20 spawners were allowed to enter one of the hatchery ponds and spawn. On April 13, 1899, nearly seven months later, these spawning beds were turned over and a number of the voung tish found with the egg sac not yet absorl)ed. The same run of tish stripped and hatched in the troughs had the egg sacs absorbed two months prior to that time. It is the opinion at the hatchery that the young go to sea in from ten to fifteen months after the}' are hatched, though some remain in the lake until they are from 20 to 21 months old, Mr. Callbreath is positive that his fish will return, but he now believes the time has not 3'et arrived for the first output to mature. It is earnestly hoped he may realize all he anticipates, for the zeal and enthusiasm which hedispla3^s should meet with ample reward. In the meantime he is carr3"ing on a very interesting experiment; if his fish return he will have demonstrated that salmon do return to the parent stream, he will have thrown much light on the age of fish, and he will have proved that a stream running a few fish can be made to j^ield abnormally. If this is demonstrated a law should be passed permitting the leasing of small streams for hatcher^' purposes and recognizing ownership in fish thus hatched. This would mean a great deal to south- eastern Alaska, as it would draw settlers who could make a very good living b\" operating a hatchery and cultivating the little patches of land that are favorably located. o LB S "Ob '^