2 go Alaskan Science Conference 



decline of the fishery and commenced its restoration. The 

 abundance of halibut has increased about 150 percent under 

 the management of the Commission, and the average annual 

 yield of 56 million pounds in recent years is 13 million pounds 

 greater than it was in the unrestricted fishery of 1931. Further- 

 more, these larger catches are being made with 35 percent less 

 fishing effort. 



The Commission's objective is to rebuild the halibut stocks 

 to a level of maximum yield and stabilize them there. Excellent 

 progress has been made toward achieving this objective, and 

 full attainment is in sight. 



The resources of the sea are not inexhaustible and the in- 

 evitable result of unrestrained exploitation is depletion. The 

 hope of the future, therefore, lies in scientific management 

 which will limit the annual take to such quantities and main- 

 tain the resources at such levels that maximum production for 

 all time will be assured. 



REFERENCES 



1. Gregory, H. E. and K. Barnes. North Pacific fisheries. Ameri- 



can Council, Institute of Pacific Relations. New York. 1939. 



2. International Fisheries Commission. Investigations of the Inter- 



national Fisheries Commission to December 1930, and their 

 bearing on regulation of the Pacific halibut fishery. Seattle. 



1930- 



3. . Report of the International Fisheries Commission No. 



1. Seattle. 1931. 



Regulation and investigation of the Pacific halibut 



fishery in 1947. Rept. International Fisheries Comm. No. 13. 

 Seattle. 1948. 



Regulation and investigation of the Pacific halibut 



fishery in 1948. Rept. International Fisheries Comm. No. 14. 

 Seattle. 1949. 



6. National Resources Committee. Alaska — Its resources and de- 



velopment. House of Representatives Doc. No. 485 (75th 

 Cong. 3rd Session) Washington. 1938. 



7. Osgood, W. H., E. A. Preble, and G. H. Parker. The fur seals 



and other life of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, in 1914. Bull. 

 Bureau of Fisheries XXXIV. Washington. 1915. 



