BUREAU OF FISHERIES 95 



tUaormen was approximately $9,081>,000, or about $-J. 118,000 more 

 than in the precetlinn: y»'ar/ There were 21,01)5 persons employed 

 in the various branches of the industry, as against 20.122 in r,):'>2. 



ALASKA FUR-SEAL SERVICE 



GENERAL ACllVITIES 



The Pribilof Islands fur-seal herd has increased steadily under 

 Government management, and in 1983 the killing of surplus males 

 was the largest for any year since 1889. About 80 percent of the 

 skins obtained on St. Paul Island were taken by the stripping 

 process, which necessitates removal of the blubber before curing. 



Sealing operations were tinder the direction of a staff of regular 

 employees and were performed by Pribilof Islands natives and by 

 approximately 60 natives brought from the Aleutian Islands for the 

 active sealing season. The work of blubbering the sealskins was 

 done by employees of the Fouke Fur Co., in accordance with the 

 provisions of the fur-seal contract. 



In addition to the general repairs and upkeep of buildings and 

 eqtiipment, three new houses for natives were erected on St. Paul 

 Island, and the boat ways at East Landing were completed. There 

 was also some extension of improved roads to facilitate the hatding 

 of sealskins from the killing grounds to the curing plant. 



Cooperative assistance was rendered b}^ the Navy Department in 

 detailing the U. S. S. Vega to transport the animal supplies to the 

 Pribilof Islands and to bring out the season's take of sealskins, 

 and by the United States Coast Guard in inainrainiiig a patrol for 

 the protection of the fur seals. 



For the first time since the fur-seal treaty of 1911 became effec- 

 tive, the Government of the Dominion of Canada in 1933 elected 

 to take delivery of its share of the sealskins taken at the Pribilof 

 Islands, instead of 15 percent of the net proceeds of sale. The 

 skins accordingly were delivered to a representative of that Govern- 

 ment at Seattle in August 1933. 



SEAL HERD 



The computed number of animals in the Pribilof Islands fur- 

 seal herd on August 10, 1933, was 1,313,568, an increase of 98,607, 

 or 8.08 percent over the corresponding figure for the previous year, 



TAKE or SEALSKINS 



In the calendar year 1933 there were taken on the Pribilof Islands 

 54.550 fur-seal skins, of which 44.448 were from St. Paul Island 

 and 10,102 from St. George Island. This was aix increase of 5,214 

 over the total take in 1932. 



SALE OF SEALSKINS 



Two public auction sales of fur-seal skins taken on the Pribilof 

 Islands were held at St. Louis. Mo., in the fiscal vear 1934. On 

 August 28. 1933. there were sold 18.047 black dved." 6.192 lonrwood- 



