The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-15
ROYAL CHINOOK IN DANGER.
Threatened determination of the
Finest Pacific Coast Salmon.

Threatened determination of the
Finest Pacific Coast Salmon.
New York SUM
Astoria, Ore.-It is declared that the
royal Chinook, the king of the salmon
tribe, is in danger of being extermi-
mated unless the supply can be kept up
by artlncial propagation There are a
half dozen or more species of salmon
recognized as food fishes and they are
I found in all streams along the Pacific
coast from the Sacramento river in
California 10 the nOrthernmost parts Of
explored Alaska; but the royal Chinook.
the finest of them all, is taken only in
the Columbia river, and a few minor
streams emptying into the Pacific along
the Oregon coast.
Here in the quaint little city of As
tOria is the center Of the salmon fishing
industry of the coast, and the disap-
pearance of the Chinook is a danger
not lightly viewed. In earlier years the
river teemed with fish. More were
caught than could be handled. With
the adoption Of improved appliances
for handling them and with the intro
duction of frozen salmon into the mar
kets Of Europe, the supply has seldom
equaled the demand in late years. and
the river has practically been fished
out. In former days the run in April
May and June was the best of the sea
quality. Now canneries are working
on short time, fishermen are discour-
aged and the industry seems seriously
affected.
a species Of the Chinook is found as
far south as the Sacramento, but its
flesh is not so firm and it's flavor not so
dainty as in the salmon that leave the
ocean along the Oregon coast. The Iat-
fer alone are bOn0roG with he mas =
royal" The Oncorhynchus tschawyt-
Scha, the name given the royal Chinook
by fchthyologists, has an average
weight of twenty-five pounds. but indi-
viduals weighing from seventy to 100
pounds are occasionally taken. In the
spring the body is siIvery, the back
dOrsal fin and the caudaI fin having
more or less round black spots, and the
sides of the head having a peculiar tin
colored metallic luster. Its flesh is Of
deep pink color and the oil is extra
rich.
1t is to the persistent use of fixed
appliances and stationary gear for TAX
ing the salmon that the present stu
alton is due. Fish wheels and traps
that can catch tons daily during the
heavy rains have resulted in the
threatened determination Particularly
are the fish wheels dangerous to the
spawning of the fish. 1t is. we'll known
that the salmon in ascending a stream
select the channels where the swiftsst
currents are found. The fish wheel
which is cOntrivance built somewhat
on the plan Of an ordinary water wheel
with a series of nets, is placed directly
in the current, and as a rule not 2 fish
escapes while the wheel is in opera
ton. The result is that the salmon
cannot ascend TO the spawning grounds
and the natural propagation is defeat
ed. At the last session of the Oregon
legislature several bills We're intro
duced to prohibit the fixed appliances
but they failed TO pass.
g q %
A similar condition of affairs existed
on the Sacramento river in California
some years ago and the wheels were
legislated out of the river. Extensive
artificial propagation was carried on
by the state and the result was seen
during the season just over The Co
lumbia has been practically barren Of
salmon, while on the Sacramento more
were caught than could be handled, and
hundreds of tons We're shipped to As
toria to be handled hv the cold storage
plants and later to &c shipped to Eu-
rOpean markets as Columbia river Chi
hooks. The salvation of the industry
apparently lies in artificial propagation
and the states Of Oregon and Washing
ton maintain fish commissions and an
propriate large sums annually for this
purpose.
Last year nearly 90 OO0. 600 Chinook
salmon eggs were taken on the Column
bia river, and these fish viii be turned
out this fall In addition millions Of the
eggs of inferior varieties were taken at
the hatcheries.
Some idea. of the extent Of the indus
try may be gained from the statement
that in 1900 the value Of the salmon
packed on the Columbia river alone was
nearly SS Gee Geo