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CANADA TABBING ITS SALMON SALMONAn An interesting experiment is being conducted by the Canadian Department of Fisheries the United States Bureau of Fisheries and local fisheries au ¬ thorities on the Pacific coast Adult sockeye sal ¬ mon on their way from the sea to fresh waters are being marked with a metal button attached to the upper part of the tall fin The purpose of the experiment is to secure information regarding the time required for the sockeye salmon to pass from the Straifcht of Fuca into the Fraser River and on the spawning grounds at the headwaters of that river A reward of twenty five cents has been offered for the return of each button with an accompanying statement of the place date and hour of capture The fish from which the button is removed may be disposed of as usual The success of the experi ¬ ment of course depends upon the cooperation of all fishermen cannery employees and others interested in the fishing industry on Puget Sound and Fraser Uivcr The tests will continue throughout the fish ¬ ing season approximately between the dates of July i0 and August 15 or 20 20It It is expected by this method which is an old and well proven one to determine how long the fish must be protected so as to permit them to escape to the spawning beds on the Fraser and its tributaries The outer traps on salmon banks are the first in Washington waters to get the sockeyes and the point where they will be recaptured on the Fraser is the last that British Columbia fishermen can fish There is a serious controversy between Washing ¬ ton and British Columbia fishermen over the length of time that is required for this run and this years experiments may be used as a basis for fixing a closed season in the fisheries treaty now being drafted by the two governments Washington fish ¬ ermen proposed that a halfclosed season beginning July 10 and extending to August 1 be established in Washington and that a closed season from July 25 to August 6 be fixed for British Columbia The Britishers contend the closed season dates should be identical on both sides of the line but it is be ¬ lieved American and Canadian authorities have re ¬ jected this idea
