94 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



render any attempt at regulation useless and abortive. The question presented 

 by the record in this case is, in our opinion, close to the border line, but we are 

 not prepared to say that the Territory has exceeded the limits of its taxing 

 power as heretofore defined by the courts. 



Because of this question the case will, no doubt, ])e carried to the 

 United States Supreme Court for final decision. 



In the Seward-Katalla district of central Alaska prosecutions were 

 instituted against two fishermen for fishing within the protected area 

 on the Copper River Flats. When the case was brought before the 

 United States commissioner both defendants pleaded guilty and 

 paid fines of $75 each. In a case agiinst two natives, who pleaded 

 guilty to fishing on Copper River Flats during the weekly closed 

 period, suspended sentences were imposed and a 200-fathom gill net 

 was seized. This net, together with approximately 175 fathoms of 

 unclaimed net and some miscellaneous salmon seized on the Copper 

 River Flats, will be disposed of as directed by the Department of 

 Justice. 



In the Cook Inlet district of central Alaska two salmon ^^aps owned 

 by Libby, McNeill & Libby, one by the Northwestern Fisheries Co., 

 and three by H. J. Emard were seized and indictments returned by 

 the grand jury for illegal fishing during the weekly closed period. 

 In addition, the vessel North Cape and certain equipment and a quan- 

 tity of canned and dried salmon were seized from H. J. Emard. Two 

 herring purse-seine boats, the Altana and Pennsylvania, owned by 

 the San Juan Fishing & Packing Co., were also seized and the com- 

 pany indicted for wanton waste of herring. W. J. Imlach was in- 

 dicted for wanton waste of herring, and two vessels, the Waterland 

 and the Commander, owned by W. J. Imlach & Co., were seized. A 

 number of trap watchmen were arrested in connection with the fish- 

 ing of traps during the weekly closed period and, following hearings 

 before the United States commissioner at Seldovia, were bound over 

 along with the companies for action by the grand jury. In the case 

 of these individuals, however, true bills were not returned. Informa- 

 tion was filed against a number of other persons for alleged violations 

 of the fishery laws and regulations, but the grand jury failed to 

 return true bills. None of the cases originating in the Cot)k Inlet 

 district had come to trial by the end of the year. 



In the Bristol Bay district there were 14 cases, with two defendants 

 each, for violation of the regulation prohibiting the use of gill nets 

 of less than 5^ inches, stretched measure. Nets totaling 840 fath- 

 oms were seized. Pleas of guilty were entered by all defendants and 

 fines of $40 each, totaling $1,120, were imposed. 



Complaint was lodged against Louis Knaflich for fishing inside the 

 mouth of the Kuskokwim River. On hearing before the United 

 States commissioner he was bound over to the grand jury under 

 $2,500 bond. An indictment was returned later by the grand jury 

 at Fairbanks, and on request of counsel change of venue was granted 

 to Seattle. 



METHOD OF ADJUSTING SALMON TRAPS DURING CLOSED PERIOD 



In a decision rendered in 1923, and following a number of prosecu- 

 tions for failure to observe the weekly closed period in southeastern 

 Alaska, Judge Reed, of the district court, announced that substantial 

 punislunent would thereafter be imposed upon all who might be con- 



