Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-05-13
THE HARVEST OF THE SEA

To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD:
Talking up our fisheries as "A profitable
industry, it is natural that we should
inquire somewhat into the habits Of the
principal food fish of the waters adja-
ceni to Fairhaven. The salmon lsala0
sdldr) is probably the best known
species here and according To some
authorities there are iifty-two varieties
of SdlHtO in various parts Of the North
ern hemisphere. Mr.. Francis Day, the
recognized authority on ichthyology,
gives it as his opinion that there are
but two great families of the salmon
proper, viz: the SdlHiO Sdldr and SdlmO
trUttd. The former is our regular
salmon while the latter is the salmon
trout, both of which, when prime, are
valued highly as food fish. The names
"sockeye, "hump-back,n y "steel-head,u
and "silvern salmon are local and the
distinguishing appellations for the diff
ferent varieties or ages of the sdlmO
sdldr.
In the waters on the Pacific coast
salmon may be taken at any season Of
the year, but they commence running
upstream in the spring and continue
until as late as the first of December,
though the greater number ascend be-
tween the first of July and the first Of
September. The females 90 to the
upper waters of running streams to de-
posit their eggs in the shallow places,
preferring gravely bottom. The fe-
male plougbs out trough in the gavel
and sand and deposits as high as ten
thousand eggs in "a single season. The
male follows after and distributes the
milt which fertilizes the spawn, then
they both engage i'm buTyiDg the ne
several feet deep with gravel aud quite
large stones. This precaution prevents
the trout and other fresh water fish
from destroying the germs. These
eggs hatch out i'm from seventy 10
ninety days IN some places and i'm
others they require rs long as 100 days.
The young fish may be year in the
fresh water before il descends to the
sea, which 1t usually does from March
TO June. When the young fish reach
the salt water they may vary In size
from one to two pounds, and though
more than year attaining that size it
will grow in three or four months 10
weigh six or seven pounds. Salmon
are not fully grown under two years
and are thought by eminent authority
to be larger still at three years old.
Some of the Indians who have for
years been familiar with salmon fish
ing claim that all salmon die before
they are two years old, but that is "A
mistake which has been proven i'm
modern hatcheries where fish have
been taken, tagged and raurned TO the
water, and taken again, showing that
salmon may attain several years Of age
Because thousands of fish are found
dead after the spawning season may
have caused the Indians TO conclude
that all maturcd salmon die as soon as
they are grown; but observation proves
that the great exertion Of many fish in
trying TO ascend obstructed streams
causes their death. These fish can only
live In pure water and the sewage OF
large cities on streams which they tor
merly frequented for spawning, has
killed them or prevented them from in
habiting such waters.
In nearly every civilized country of
the world valuable food fish are pro-
tected by law. In England salmon
are allowed TO run forty-two hours each
week, during which period taking
them by any wholesale method Is pro-
hibiled. In Washington there Il a
similar law, making the weekly close
season from Saturday night 10 Sunday
night during the spawning season.
Prime salmon, healthy and fat, are
those caught before they ascend the
rivers and the term "clean salmon Is
given them because they are fat and
free from disease. There is no question
that salmon taken In Beliingham bay