XXXII REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 
FUR-SEAL SKINS TAKEN BY NATIVES 
By the provisions of the North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 
7, 1911, natives of the Pacific coast may, under certain restricted 
conditions, take fur seals at sea. Before sealskins secured under these 
conditions can enter into commerce, they must be authenticated as 
having been taken lawfully. One thousand and seventy-five seal- 
skins taken in the sealing season of 1926 have been authenticated by 
the Government, 40 of which were taken in the offshore waters of 
southeast Alaska and 1,035 from waters off the coast of Washington. 
Through the courtesy of the Interior Department, the latter skins 
were authenticated by the superintendent of the Neah Bay Indian 
Agency. 
FUR-SEAL PATROL 
An adequate patrol of the waters frequented by the Pribilof 
Islands fur-seal herd was maintained by vessels of the United States 
Coast Guard, supplemented in southeast Alaska by one of the 
bureau’s fishery patrol vessels. 
PROTECTION OF SEA OTTERS, WALRUSES, AND SEA LIONS 
The protection of sea otters, walruses, and sea lions was along the 
usual lines. The killing of sea ottersis prohibited at all times, both in 
Territorial and extraterritorial waters. The extreme scarcity of this 
valuable and formerly numerous animal will necessitate years of 
thorough protection to enable its reestablishment in even limited 
numbers as compared with its abundance of former times. The 
present regulations prohibit the killing of walruses and sea lions in 
Alaskan waters until April 30, 1928, except for purposes of securing 
food or clothing; and in the case of sea lions, except as may be neces- 
sary for the protection of property or while such animals are actually 
engaged in the devastation of runs of salmon. | 
VESSEL NOTES 
The investigation of the fisheries of the Gulf of Maine, in which the 
Halcyon has been employed, was undertaken this year by the Adba- 
tross IT, the former vessel having been laid up. The reconditioning 
of the latter steamer was sufficiently advanced to permit of her going 
to sea early in August, and the investigation was carried on as con- 
tinuously as available funds would allow. The steamer cruised 4,291 
miles and made 69 oceanographic stations, and 7,785 fish were caught, 
tagged, and liberated. Some faults have developed in the ventilating 
system, but these will be corrected during the coming year. 
The Gannet and the Halcyon were not operated, but the other twe 
steamers and motor vessels carried on the usual fish-cultural and bio- 
logical work on the Atlantic coast and interior waters. 
In the fiscal year 1927, 11 vessels of the Alaska service cruised 
more than 67,000 nautical miles. Of these, the Brant made over 
17,000 miles and the #%der about 11,000 miles. 
