16 MANAGEMENT OF HIGH SEAS FISHERIES 



significant restriction on salmon fishing. After 1950 progress in 

 salmon biological research permitted the development of more effec- 

 tive management based on more adequate information concerning 

 the relationship between the fisheries, the number of spawners, the 

 efficiency of the production of young, and the complex structure of 

 salmon populations in different rivers. 



Regulation of the salmon fisheries has been improved gradually 

 over the years as the knowledge of the nature of the runs and their 

 requireinents for survival have become better understood. A major 

 advance was made in the methodology of the management of salmon 

 with the inauguration, in 1946, of regulations by the International 

 Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission of the sockeye salmon of the 

 Fraser River. These regulations were based upon eight years of in- 

 tensive investigation of the sockeye salmon fisheries and of the biol- 

 ogy of the sockeye salmon of that river system. The requirements 

 for regulation have been further refined as experience has accumu- 

 lated on the effects of different kinds of regulations on salmon stocks 

 in different areas. In Alaska the regulations are based upon research 

 conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service, by the Fisheries Re- 

 search Institute of the University of Washington, and more recently 

 by the state of Alaska. 



Salmon regulations along the coast, which were at first aimed only 

 at restricting the sizes of gear used in the rivers to permit some fish 

 to escape, have increased in complexity with the growing complexity 

 of the fishery. They now prescribe the size of mesh as well as the sizes 

 and types of gear, sizes of vessels from which gear can be run, and 

 the type of auxiliary equipment that can be used on those vessels. 

 Escapement is further assured by closed areas including most streams 

 and rivers, as well as areas aroiuid the mouths of streams. Closed 

 seasons are also used including ^veekly closures along migration 

 routes designed to permit escapement of segments of the runs. These 

 fish are then given protection when they arrive on their spawning 

 grounds (except for fishing by native tribes in Oregon, Washington, 

 and British Columbia). The nature of the regulations reflects the 

 attempts of fisheries management agencies to control escapement as 

 best they can within their restricted powers. Meantime, information 

 is gradually being accumulated toward the establishment of more 

 effective regulations and management aimed at production of the 

 optimum supply of salmon. 



