FISHERY INDUSTEIES. 23 



As a result of these investigations, conditions were brought to light 

 which, in the judgment of all interested persons, required careful 

 and serious consideration to insure the permanency of the fishery. 

 That the Copper River was overfished was admitted by all. 



It was shown that approximately 60,000 fathoms of gill nets were 

 used in the Copper River fishery in 1917, as compared with approxi- 

 mately 30,000 fathoms in 1916. The greater part of this gear was 

 operated in the waters of the delta, and th? catch of salmon in that 

 section was correspondingly increased over that of 1916. Consid- 

 erably more gear was employed in Miles Lake in 1917 than in 1916, 

 but in proportion to the total number of fathoms used the catch was 

 much less than in 1916, thus showing conclusively the effect of 

 extended operations about the delta. The Copper River fisheries 

 produced 890,000 salmon of all species in 1917, as compared with 

 869,350 in 1916. Of the catch in 1917, 62 per cent was taken from 

 the waters of the delta, while the remaining 38 per cent came from 

 all sections of the river above the delta. Although the catch was 

 slightly larger than in 1916, the run of salmon in the river was 

 regarded as being less for the reason that an increase of 100 per cent 

 in the amount of gear operated would, under ordinary circumstances, 

 result in a proportionately larger catch. 



The Indians of the Copper River Valley, as for a number of years 

 past, again protested against the extensive fishing operations on the 

 river by the canning companies, and complained that the run of 

 salmon was so fight that they could not secure a sufficient supply of 

 fish for their summer needs, much less those of the winter. The 

 sincerity of the Indians in thus picturing themselves as extremely 

 destitute and reduced to the verge of starvation is open to question. 

 It is not in evidence that they have fared worse than the Indians in 

 many other locafities who may be even less fortunately situated. 



The general condition of the Copper River fisheries was not satis- 

 factory, and the preponderance of evidence weighed against a con- 

 tinuance of unrestricted fishing in any of its waters. It was regarded 

 as a problem of unusual importance and one that merited early atten- 

 tion. After due consideration of aU phases of the matter a hearing 

 was held at Seattle, Wash., December 14, 1917, to consider the advis- 

 abifity of Hmiting or prohibiting fishing in the waters of the Copper 

 River. It was attended by representatives of aU the canning com- 

 panies operating in the Copper River district, and a general discus- 

 sion of the entire subject ensued. Various plans were proposed and 

 discussed, and much information of value was adduced. As a result 

 of this hearing, an order was promulgated on December 29, 1917, 

 restricting in several ways commercial fishing in the Copper River 

 and the waters of its delta. This order became effective January 1, 

 1918. The order appears in full elsewhere in this document. 



SALMON HATCHERIES. 

 EXTENT OF OPERATIONS. 



In 1917 fish-cultural operations were carried on at six hatcheries 

 in Alaska — two operated by the Government and four by private in- 

 terests. At one of the private hatcheries, namely, Klawak, opera- 

 tions were continued only to the extent of releasing the young salmon 



