The Ketchikan miner., 1915-01-28

n muitltudeS at the foot cf these rapidse very year. If the water happens to be low. none can get up. and they fall an easy prey to the seines. With an expenditure of about S250 these falls could be lowered in such a way as to insure the ascent of humpbacks and sockeyes to waters where tho conditions cannot be i'm proved upon for breeding grounds.
 This creek is the outlet of Virginia Lake, and its headwaters are ideal spawning grounds for sockeye samon
 Hofstad Crcck.-This creek empites into Vixen Bay, and found many humpbacks and chums present. At a point one mile from it's mouth are step falls that present an obstruction to many salmon that start to ascend rhe stream, which extends a number of miles above. Blowing out these falls with dynamite is impracticable. but fish ladder could no doubt be erected here at cost of about $500.
 Sweet Lake tributaries.-Th lake lies on the north side of Prince of Wales Island, and the two upper trib- utarics are Lyman Creek and Lester River, the first sockcye stream and the second humpback and silver salmon stream. On each of these streams. miles from their mouths, there are almost impossible falls known as Soekeye Salmon and Silver Salmon Falls, which could be re. moved at cost of about $250 each. Ih the early part of September. 1914 ! stood at Silver Salmon Falls and watched the salmon try to ascend at the rate of about 50 minute but very few of them ever worked III tho stream, AS was clearly shown by observation below the falls and a. long the still waters, where hundred. of these fish lay dend. bruised. and cut from their efforts. The invest mona of a. few thousand dollars or all of these streams would mean 2 great return in tho future, as the result of opening up additional natural spawning grounds as yet al most wholly untouched.
 Natural Enemies of Salmon
 It is necessary to study carefully all agencies both natural and other wise tending to deplete the supply of salmon and other food fishes ir the waters of Alaska, and to apply as far as possible proper remedial measures. Thase engaged in the great fishing industry say the blame for the diminished numbers of sal mon is due largely to natural en emies. which include bears, wolves eagles. gulls. terms, mergansers hair seals. trout. and sculpins These enemies undoubtly destroy en ormous numbers of salmon and thei. eggs. But this condition has gone on for years, and would continu, without serious detriment to the sup ply if it were not for the added lrain resulting from heavy fishin now carried on in Alaska waters It is evident from close observatio, that man has had much to d. with the waning supply of salmon now apparent in some sections. o course. this great natural resource was made for mans use, and w must recgonize, in every way DOE sible. the fact that he has frs. 'laim and that the fish are there to be taken, but properly and witt discretion, so that the future sur ply will not be jepardized. Unde he present head. however, it is th' purpose to discuss chiefly the mort important natural enemies of the sal non.
 Bears.-We will consider first tn
 ears which do their greatest dam :ce during the spawning seasson When the salmon are up in shallov treams seeking suitable places to de
 osit their eggs. these animals haun
 he shores, andwith their huge paw lap the fish out of the water. frs
 ftcn playing with them. and late
 erhaps eating portion of them This condition is worse in some see ions of Alaska than in others, dn. ,artly to lack of other foods am md partly to thcconditions of tn waters. Also bears are much nor 'lentiful in some parts of flask than in others. I should like lite few instances of actual cor litions as I saw them. concernln the destruction of salmon where the lad not yet spawned.
 At Union Bay, Clcvland Peninsula spent over day in aud aroun, the region of Black Bear Creek. | walked the middle of the stream