The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-12-01

years been a close observer of
the habits of the various food
fishes of the Sound waters, says
that many bays which have un-
til recent years been numbered
among the choice fishing grounds"
have been practically ruined for fish
ing purposes by the dumping of saw
dust and other mill refuse into the
waters. And he further says that
people generally have little idea of
the rapidity with which number of
good harbors are being filled up in
this manner. Even here in Friday
Harbor, he says, if the practice is
not soon discontinued the docks will
have to be extended to permit the
mail steamers to land at low tide
Most of the large milling plants. bor-
dering on the Sound or it's navigable
tributaries, are now equipped with
refuse burners and this fact encour-
ages the hope OF the fishermen and
others interested in fostering the
fishing industry that an act to pre-
vent the dumping of mill refuse into
the waters of the state may possibly
pass the next legislature. Hereto
fore the potent influence of the big
mill companies has prevented the
passage of such law.
Everything that can possibly be
done to add to the value Of the fish
ing industry and make it permanent
should be done, and n so doing the
interests of the gill-net, set-net and
purse seine fishermen should be well
protected and promoted. They are
large contributors to the big fund
annually derived from licenses and
which is principally used for the
Of hatcheries and to de-
fray the expenses of the fish commits
Office. They are reasonable
in their demands and have shown a
much more commendable disposition
to comply with the fishing law than
has been exhibited by some Of the
big companies by whom the laws
have been more honored in the
breach than in the observance.
The hatcheries have been very
successful in maintaining the supply
of the cheaper grades Of fish. While
the sockeye run Of the past season
was practically failure, the un-
usually heavy run of silvers not only
saved the canning companies from
loss but enabled them to reap q good
ly profit and put many thousands OF
dollars in the pockets of the net fish
ermen. The state hatcheries are
not able to turn ont sockeye fry for
the reason that salmon Of this most
highly priced variety do not run up
anv of the streams flowing into the
Sound, and their eggs are not obtain
able in any large quantities except
il the waters of their native stream,
the Fraser.
A few years ago ''dog salmon"
we're considered practically worth
ess for food and none were packed
n any Of the canneries. Now, how
ever, thousands upon thousands OF
,sses are canned and put upon the
under the name Of "chums.
A considerable portion Of the pack IS
,old in Japan. "Chums" are best
when they first come into the straits
rom the sea and it is said that it
Ehen requires an expert to tell them
rom the silvers, or cohoes. Before
they reach the spawning beds in
resh water they become so poor and
oft as to be unfit for food, and in
act all salmon deteriorate rapidly in
,uality as the spawning season ap-
;roaches. Dog fish are more valu-
bile now than they have ever been
before for their oil, the price Of
vhich IS now nearly double what it
was at this time last year.