PROGRESS REPORT ON ALASKA FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH, 1957 



INTRODUCTTON 



nie Bureau of Commercial Fisheries of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service operates 

 in Alaska under the general authority provided in the Congressional Act of June l8, 1926, 

 commonly called the White Act. liils Act states very clearly that its purpose is to pro- 

 tect and conserve the fisheries of /JLaska. For these purposes the Secretary of the 

 Interior may set apart and reserve fishing areas in Maska and within such areas may 

 establish closed seasons during T*iich fishing may "be eliminated or prohibited as he may 

 prescribe. This authority to limit fishing in any area so set apart and reserved aJlows 

 the Secretary to (a) fix the size and character of nets, boats, traps, or other gear and 

 appliances to be used therein; (b) limit the catch of fish to be taken from any area; and 

 (c) make such regulations as to time, means, methods, and extent of fishing that he may 

 deem advisable. 



In accordance with the purposes outlined in the White Act, the administration of 

 the commercial fisheries of AJ.aska has three principal functions: (l) To Investigate the 

 status of the fisheries resources and determine by scientific means vrtiether they are 

 yielding the maximum harvest and, if they are not, how this might be done; (2) to trans- 

 late the scientific findings into management measiores and regulations in order to achieve 

 the maximum sustained yield; and (3) to enforce the fishery laws and regulations which 

 apply in Alaskan waters. 



During 1957 the conservation policies of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries con- 

 tinued to feature: (l) Even distribution of spawning escapements throughout the r\ms; 

 (2) preventive enforcement of regulations through extensive use of streamguards as funds 

 permitted; (3) area registration to prevent shifting of gear and fishermen frcm district 

 to district during the peaks of the run; and (U) control of fishing effort locally to 

 secure satisfactory escapements. 



In Ftebruary 1957 funds became available under the Saltonstall- Kennedy Act for a 

 greatly expanded research program. This program is applied closely to the problems of 

 managing the fisheries with the principal objectives of: (l) Developing better methods 

 of forecasting the runs to be expected; (2) determining the migratory routes, migratory 

 rates, and the mixing of populations in the several fisheries; (3) developing improved 

 methods of obtaining catch and escapement data; and (k) determining the natural causes 

 of mortality in the life of salmon. Part of these Increased funds are being used directly 

 by the Bureau of Commercieil Fisheries; the balance is contracted with the Fisheries Re- 

 search Institute and the School of Fisheries of the University of Washington, with the 

 Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and with the University of Southern California. 



The summary following provides a brief description of the trends in the major 

 Alaskan fisheries and the preliminary results of the research being done. 



