Factors influencing production of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in lakes of southwestern Alaska

Summary

1.	The lake chains of southwestern Alaska are important primarily as spawning and nursery areas for anadromous sockeye salmon.
2.	Salmon population level per unit area of lake varies greatly among the producing lake chains. However, among the lakes of the Wood River chain, average population level is currently proportional to lake area.
3.	Limnological conditions for growth of young salmon are shown to be quite uniform among the Wood River Lakes, but growth is retarded when population density increases. It is suggested that the level of sockeye salmon populations in individual lakes is limited primarily by the rearing capacity of the lake nursery areas.