52 KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



The remedy lies in more adequate legislation, and there is urgent 

 need for revision of the salmon laws now operative. The laws were 

 good enough when passed 14 years ago, the industry then being com- 

 paratively undeveloped, but the laws fail to meet the present situa- 

 tion. Last winter much time and effort were devoted to the drafting 

 of a new fishery bill by a committee representing the Bureau, the 

 Governor of Alaska, and the commercial interests. The bill as 

 drafted was not submitted to Congress for the reason that there were 

 certain fundamental differences of opinion as to several important 

 features. The Governor of Alaska desired that practically all money 

 derived from taxation of the fisheries should revert to Territorial uses 

 not connected with the fisheries. There was disagreement also as to 

 rates of taxation and other features. The difficulty in securing 

 proper legislation for the fisheries of Alaska arises chiefly from the 

 divergent views among different interests and the apparent inability 

 to appreciate the seriousness of the situation. This lack of harmony 

 seems to have impressed Congress, which has for many years refused 

 to pass bills that have received approval of committees. Not only 

 is a new fishery law demanded, but there is grave need for increased 

 appropriations, added personnel, more vessels, more hatcheries to 

 enable the Bureau to do its part in safeguarding the fisheries of 

 Alaska. 



General statistics collected by the Bureau show that in the calendar 

 year 1919 the total investment in the Alaska fisheries was $74,181,560, 

 an increase of $430,771 over 1918. The salmon industry absorbed 

 approximately 92 per cent of this amount. Employment was given 

 to 28,534 persons, or 2,679 less than in 1918. The total value of the 

 products in 1919 was $50,282,067, a decrease of $8,872,792 from 1918, 

 or approximately 15 per cent. The reduction in the pack of salmon 

 caused nearly the whole of this decrease. 



The salmon-canning industry gave employment to 25,499 persons 

 and produced 4,583,688 cases, valued at $43,265,349. There were 

 134 canneries in operation. The salmon mild-cure industry gave 

 emj)loyment to 133 persons and produced 4,490,600 pounds, valued 

 at $916,800. The Iresh-salmon trade employed 34 persons and 

 handled a product of 5,208,327 pounds, valued at $356,688. Other 

 products of the salmon industry were pickled salmon, 1,622,000 

 pounds, valued at $195,447; frozen salmon, 1,552,480 pounds, valued 

 at $130,355 ; dry-salted salmon, 212,244 pounds, valued at $17,601 ; 

 dried and smoked salmon, 415,000 pounds, valued at $43,000 ; oil, 966 

 gallons, valued at $966; and fertilizer, 724,000 pounds, valued at 

 $18,680. 



The halibut industry produced 7,783,179 pounds of fresh halibut, 

 valued at $880,433 ; 6,495,372 pounds of frozen halibut, valued at 

 $670,147; and 240 pounds of canned halibut, valued at $25. The 

 herring industry yielded 6,357 cases of one-half pound cans and 

 95,448 cases of one-pound cans, valued at $40,395 and $811,366, re- 

 spectively ; 7,718,985 pounds of pickled herring, Scotch cure, valued 

 at $451,240; 2,216,120 pounds of pickled herring, Norw^egian cure, 

 valued at $147,634; 169,374 gallons of oil, valued at $110,800; and 

 miscellaneous products, valued at $114,735. The cod industry had 

 products valued at $825,990, the chief output- being 9,829,343 pounds 

 of dry-salted cod, valued at $773,297. The whaling industry yielded 



