32 FISHEKIES OF ALASKA IN 1907. 



In addition, a number of salmon packers expressed their views in 

 letters, which were filed as a part of the evidence submitted. 



As a result of this hearing the Secretary of Commerce and Labor 

 issued, on December 19, 1907, the following order: 



To whom it may concern: 



A hearing having been given at the Department of Commerce and Labor, beginning 

 December 16, 1907, at which all persons interested in the closing or nonclosing of Wood 

 and Nushagak rivers, Alaska, for fishing purposes were fully heard, due notice of which 

 was given according to law, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 6 of 

 ' ' An act for the protection and regulation of the fisheries of Alaska , ' ' approved June 

 26, 1906, it is hereby ordered that until further notice Wood River, a tributary of 

 Nushagak Bay, in the district of Alaska, and the region within 500 yards of the mouth 

 of said Wood River be closed to all commercial fishing, and that all commercial fishing 

 be prohibited in Nushagak River propei'. 



This order becomes effective January 1, 1908. 



Oscar S. Straus, 

 _ Secretary. 



OFFENSES. 



On July 25, 1907, a crew of 7 Japanese fishermen were seining 

 salmon above the mouth of Ketchikan creek, violating section 4 of 

 the fisheries law, which forbids laying nets across or above the tide 

 waters of a creek for a distance greater than one-third the width of 

 the creek. This crew completely closed the stream with their seine 

 and with their oars drove the fish from above into the net and then 

 made the haul. The facts were reported and information filed with 

 the assistant United States district attorney at Ketchikan. The 

 fishermen were apprehended, and, on examination by the United 

 States court commissioner, w^ere committed and given opportunity 

 to secure counsel. On July 29 they were arraigned and by advice 

 of counsel refused to plead. After the hearing, 6 of them were bound 

 over to the fall term of the grand jury and released on bail. The 

 seventh was discharged, the identification being unsatisfactory. 



The grand jury returned an indictment October 19. On arraign- 

 ment the foreman pleaded guilty, whereupon the cases against his 

 companions were dismissed. A fine of $100 was imposed and paid. 



On August 1, 1907, a crew of 6 white fishermen at Ketchikan com- 

 mitted substantially the same offense as that described above. 

 Information was filed August 6 and some of the offenders were arrest- 

 ed, but at the request of the salmon agent the cases against all but 

 the foreman were dismissed. The latter was arraigned by the 

 United States court commissioner August 16, pleaded guilt}^ was 

 bound over to the grand jury and released on his own recognizance. 

 October 19 he was indicted by the grand jury, pleaded guilty before 

 the district court, and paid a fine of $300. 



An information was filed at Ketcliikan October 8 by the salmon 

 agent against a native fisherman, foreman of a fisliing crew, for viola- 

 tion of the weekly close season. The act was committed near Dolomi 



