92 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



The foregoing makes a total of IG statutory employees and 130 

 others, or a grand total of 146 persons identified with fishery protec- 

 tive work in Alaska in 1924. 



VESSEL PATROL 



Ten vessels owned by the bureau were operated in fishery patrol 

 work in Alaska in 1924. The AuMet, Murre, Petrel, and Widgeon 

 were used throughout the season in southeastern Alaska, the Kitti- 

 wake in Cook Inlet, the Ihis at Chignik, the Merganser at Ikatan 

 and vicinity, the Scoter in Bristol Bay, and the Tern on the Yukon. 

 The Blue Wing was in southeastern Alaska during August and part 

 of September, and was used in Cook Inlet during the remainder of 

 the season. This vessel was purchased in July, and is 55 feet in length, 

 12 feet 6 inches beam, and is equipped with a 50-horsepower Union 

 distillate-burning engine. Launch No. 43, assigned to the Afognak 

 hatchery, was used during part of the year for patrol work in the 

 Kodiak-Afognak region. 



The Pribilof Islands tender Eider was assigned to salmon work 

 from July 17 to August 11. Dr. C. H. Gilbert went aboard the 

 Eider at Ikatan on July 20 and visited canneries and salmon streams 

 along the Alaska Peninsula, on Kodiak Island, and in Cook Inlet 

 until August 11. 



The Swan, formerly used on the Yukon River, was condemned and 

 sold. 



The following chartered vessels were used in fisheries patrol: 

 Igloo, Jazz, Murrelet, and Rainbow in southeastern Alaska; Pro- 

 spector and Emma in Prince William Sound; Fog Auger and Blue 

 Ointment in Cook Inlet; and Robin on the lower Yukon. Patrol 

 launches were used by a warden in the Shumagin Islands and the 

 stream guard at Port Moller, and three small launches were hired 

 for brief periods in the Bristol Bay district. Five launches owned 

 by the trade were manned and operated by the bureau for patrol 

 work in Bristol Bay. 



COMPLAINTS AND PROSECUTIONS 



The passage of the act of June 6, 1924, opened a new field of ac- 

 tivities for those of the bureau's employees in Alaska who were 

 designated peace officers with powers to arrest persons and seize 

 jDroperty for violations of the act. In a number of instances both 

 fish and fishing gear, consisting of boats, fixed and floating salmon 

 traps, and nets, were seized and condemnation proceedings instituted. 



The seizure of salmon traps caused considerable difficulty for 

 court officials who were the custodians of the property during the 

 resulting long legal proceedings. In some cases watchmen were em- 

 ployed for months to maintain lights and keep the traps free from 

 drift. In the case of floating traps it was necessary to have the 

 owners remove them. When condemnation proceedings were finally 

 completed, and after considerable expense had been incurred for 

 watching traps, their sale brought only small amounts — in one case 

 only $10. 



In the southeastern district six salmon traps were seized during 

 the season for not having the heart walls open 25 feet on each side of 



