ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1922. 3 



and 29 white fox skins were taken in the trapping season of 1922-23, 

 in addition to which 12 live foxes for breeding purposes were sold 

 to fox farmers in Alaska. 



Two sales at public auction of sealskins taken on the Pribilof 

 Islands were held at St. Louis in 1922 by the selling agents of the 

 department. The fox skins taken in the preceding season were also 

 disposed of at one of these sales. 



Acknowledgment is made of the assistance rendered by Assistant 

 Agent Edward M. Ball in the compilation of statistics and text in 

 the fisheries section of this report and by H. D. Aller and Edward 

 C. Johnston in the preparation of data regarding the fur-seal and 

 fox industries of the Pribilof Islands. 



A special party headed by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce, 

 and of which the author of this report was a member, made an ex- 

 tensive trip for the study of conditions of the fisheries and fur seals 

 of Alaska, also the seal herds of Russia and Japan, and returned by 

 way of Asia and Europe. The latter part of the trip w^as more par- 

 ticularly devoted to trade promotion and a study of economic condi- 

 tions in the various countries visited. 



SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COM- 

 MERCE AND PARTY. 



"With a view to making certain essential inquiries regarding the 

 fisheries of Alaska and the fur-seal industry of the north Pacific, also 

 to devote attention to other important governmental matters, a party 

 sailed from Seattle June 20, 1922, on the Coast Guard cutter 3Iojave, 

 Avhich had been specially detailed for this purpose. The party was 

 headed by C. H. Huston, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, other 

 members officially attached being Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, of the 

 United States Xational Museum; Dr. Alfred H. Brooks, United 

 States Geological Survey; Lieut. Col. H. M. Evans, United States 

 Public Health Service; Lieut. John M. Creighton, United States 

 Xavy; Ward T. Bower, Bureau of Fisheries; D. J, Davis, Depart- 

 ment of Labor; and J. L. Baker and C. E. Lindquist, special assist- 

 ants. Col. James G. Steese, president of the Alaska Road Commis- 

 sion, joined the party at Juneau and continued as far as Petro- 

 paulski, Siberia. In Alaska tlie more important places visited were 

 Ketchikan. Yes Bay, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Cordova, Se- 

 ward, Karluk, Chignik, False Pass, Akutan, Unalaska, the Pribilof 

 Islands, and Xome. En route from Seattle a brief stop was also 

 made at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. At Cordova the party 

 left the Mojave and proceeded by railroad and automobile to Fair- 

 banks, thence by Government railway to Anchorage and Seward, 

 where the Mojave was rejoined. 



Consideration was given to important fishery questions in the Ter- 

 ritory, particularly in regard to measures for perpetuating the sup- 

 ply of salmon so seriously threatened in a number of places. The 

 Government hatchery at Yes Bay was visited, as was also the Terri- 

 torial hatcher}' at Juneau. Important conferences were had with the 

 Governor of Alaska and other officials. Note was made of the salmon- 

 counting experiments conducted at Karluk. Important action was 

 taken in regard to administering the fisheries of the Alaska Penin- 

 sula Fisheries Reservation. 



