66 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



On October 15, 1934, there were sold at public auction at St. Louis 

 457 blue and 25 white fox skins taken on the Pribilof Islands in the 

 1933-34 season. The blue pelts brought $9,345, an average of $20.45 

 each; and the wliite pelts brought $333, an average of $13.32 each. 

 The maximum price was $69, obtained for a single blue pelt. 



SEA-OTTER SKIN 



The skin of a sea-otter pup, said to have been found dead on the 

 beach of Caton Island, Alaska, in June 1934, was surrendered to the 

 Bureau. This skin was sold for Government account at public auc- 

 tion at St. Louis, Mo., on October 15, 1934, for $3. 



FUR-SEAL PATROL 



UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 



Seven Coast Guard cutters and two 125-foot patrol boats were 

 assigned by the Secretary of the Treasury to the patrol for the pro- 

 tection of fur seals of the North Pacific wliich have their breeding 

 grounds at the Pribilof Islands. 



Beginning April 5 the Redwing patrolled from the southern bound- 

 ary of Wasliington to Dixon Entrance until the fur-seal herd had 

 passed. The Tallapoosa covered the waters from Dixon Entrance to 

 Kodiak Island in the last half of April and from Kodiak Island to 

 Unimak Pass during the first half of May. The Haida sailed from 

 Seattle on April 16 and the patrol boats Bonham and Ewing on April 

 18 for Unalaska, the base for the patrol boats during the remainder of 

 the season and for the Haida until July 17, when it was relieved by the 

 Chelan. The cutters Tahoe and Shoshone likewise took turns in the 

 patrol from Unalaska as base, the former having sailed from San 

 Francisco on April 10 and the latter on June 20. The Northland left 

 Oakland on May 5 for its usual cruise to the Arctic Ocean and patrolled 

 in Bering Sea and adjacent waters en route. The patrol by Coast 

 Guard vessels extended as far westward as Attn, the westernmost of 

 the Aleutian chain, and was carried on in each locality as long as 

 circumstances required. 



BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



On April 4 the Eider sailed from Seattle for Neah Bay, Wash., to 

 patrol waters in that vicinity during the northward migration of the 

 fur-seal herd. The vessel remained on this patrol duty for about 3 

 weeks, and after its return to Seattle the work was continued by the 

 Brant from April 28 to May 18. 



A representative of the Bureau was again stationed at La Push to 

 secure compliance with the regulations prohibiting the use of fire- 

 arms and motor boats in the taking of fur-seal skins by the Indians 

 there. Very little sealing was done during the season, which was 

 attributed not so much to poor weather conditions as to the low prices 

 for skins. An additional factor was the employment of needy Indians 

 on the C. W. A. road-building project, which proved a more attractive 

 and profitable occupation than the uncertain sealing activities. 



