Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
AIAsKA's PIscAroRIAL WEALTH.
The Salmon That Grow to Enormous Sine
Other Food Fishes In Plenty.

The Salmon That Grow to Enormous sise-
Other Food Fishes in Plenty.
The report made by Tarleton II. Bean,
icthyologist of the United States fish commits
sion, Of his investigations Of the salmon and
salmon rivers of Alaska has just been issued.
'In Alaska" the report says, ''the salmon
family includes numerous species, most Of
which are represented by vast numbers Of in
dividuals The sea teens with salmon, trout
and smelt, and the rivers and lakes are full Of
whitefsh, CRAWLING and inconnu.
THE largest salmon Of the world are credited
to this territory and there is no doubt that in
Cooks inlet king salmon weighing over 100
pounds are occasionally taken. but this is far
above the average weight of the species. The
most abundant salmon in Alaska are the red
salmon and the little humpback, and it is these
species which figure in the wonderful tales con-
corning rivers which contain more fish than
water, tales which sound incredible to those
who have never visited Alaska, but which, how
ever in many cases are strictly true. The sal
mon have been traced as far north as HOtham
inlet and one species is found well to the east
ward of Point Barrow. 1t il quite probable
that this species, the little humpback, extends
its migration to the Mackenzie.
FIVE VARIETIES OF wHIrEFIsH.
''There are five species of whiteish in Alaska,
one of which reaches a weight of over thirty
pounds This whitefsh has formerly been
COMPOUNDED with the common one of the great
lakes. 1t is the species known as kennicott's
whitefsh, now proved to be identical with Rich
ardsons.
The round whitefish, or the shad waiter Of
New England and the upper great lakes, ex-
tends through the northwest territory and
other parts of British Columbia into Alaska,
rhar Hoy IN fha nrfh ard SrNAnt
mems have been obtained in the Putnam or
Kuwuk river, tributary of Holman inlet.
This is q small fish. seldom exceeding two
pounds in weight, but it is valuable as food and
farther north is the coregonus laurertta, which
has been obtained from the Bristol bay region
to Point Barrow. This is a little larger than
the round whitefish but does not much exceed
three pounds in weight 1t resembles our
called lake herring. The other two species are
less valuable than the three already mentioned,
but the natives use them rs food in great num-
beers and feed their dogs upon them also.
"A fish resembling the whitetish but very
much larger. more elongate and with II very
strongly projecting lower jaw. which has given
origin to the name shovel jawed whitefish, is
of the best food fishes Of the territory and grows
very large. 1t is said to reach a weight of fifty
pounds and length Of five feet This is the in
cOnnu OF the yOyageurs or nelma OF the
Russians. The Nelms is found in the Macken-
kuwuk. Doubtless the species occurs also in
the kuskoquim and the Nushagak.
FISHES OF OTHER KINDS
''The grayling, or blanket fish, is very album
dant in the territory, especially nOr.hward. rs
range southwark is not clearly known, bpt in
the northern part of British AnIeri"a and from
the Yukon north to the Kuguk 1t is very album
dant
The smelt of Alaska are large and very plenti-
fr1l NH inn
pearance. The range of the sp >ces is from the
Bristol bay region to Point Barrow, and they
are most abundant from the early part of Sep
TENDER until November. They abound in shell
tered bays and tide creeks. Still another smelt
occurs around the shores Of the Gulf of Alaska,
which is identical with one Of the California
species and a very excellent food fish. The
capelin is found along all parts of the coast and
Is one of the most important food species of
the cod and salmon. Eulachon are very COM
mon in the Gulf of Alaska, particularly at Kat
mai, on the peninsula of Alaska. where they
have been sailed and meet with ready sale. The
foregoing representatives of the salmon family
have been reviewed simply to call attention to
the wealth of the territory in superior food
fishes. Their commercial importance up to the
present time is small, but they will figure event
ually and very prominently among the re-
sources of Alaska. There is no doubt that
many Of the small marine species play a very
important part in attracting the larger COM
mercial species of the salmon family to certain
localities.
The herring Of Alaska is one Of the finest spe-
cies Of Its genus (clupea), and is universally
known as one of the fishes upon which the sal
mon subsist. The herring visits all parts of the
coast Of Alaska, running up into the bays in
schools, sometimes covering an area of many
square miles. 1t comes into the shallow waters
Of the bays to deposit its eggs, reaching Cooks
inlet for this purpose early in July, that its
appearance in force comedies with the height
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