ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 321 
more generally adhered to by the various operators. Under this 
control program the fleet was divided so that some of the vessels 
began operations with the opening of the season on March 16, others 
started a week later, and the remainder on March 26. The program 
also involved catch limits per man per trip, depending upon the area 
in which fishing was carried on and the port of landing, and a stay 
in port for 10 days between trips, or longer if trip quotas were exceeded. 
As in previous years, operations were also governed by regulations 
of the International Fisheries Commission, which again established 
catch quotas for areas 2 and 3 and Jimited the fishing season to the 
period from March 16 to November 30, unless quotas were attained 
in a shorter period. Closing dates for areas 1 and 4 coincided with 
those in areas 2 and 3, respectively. The quota in area 2 was reached 
comparatively early, and fishing there was closed on August 10. In 
area 3 fishing was spread over a longer time, and as a result of unusu- 
ally favorable weather conditions in October the catch was consider- 
ably in excess of the quota when the season was closed on November 3. 
For the fifth consecutive season the utilization of the fish livers 
has been a profitable adjunct of the halibut industry. The growing 
importance of this product for pharmaceutical use is indicated by the 
fact that prices paid the fishermen for halibut livers have increased 
in each successive year, the rate in 1936 being 45 cents a pound, as 
compared with 12 cents in 1932. 
Biological studies of the Pacific halibut were continued by the 
International Fisheries Commission under the direction of Dr. W. F. 
Thompson. The schooner Lagle was chartered for research work on 
the spawning banks off Cape St. James in the winter of 1935-36. 
STATISTICAL SUMMARY 
Five hundred and ninety-four persons were employed in the Alaska 
halibut fishery in 1936—an increase of 169 over the number reported 
for the preceding year, and products, exclusive of livers, amounted 
to 13,566,340 pounds, valued at $889,454. This production represents 
the total fares of the Alaska halibut fleet, which comprises all American 
vessels landing more than one-half of their catch in Alaska or British 
Columbia ports rather than in the States. Landings of halibut, ex- 
clusive of livers, in Alaska totaled 8,658,774 pounds valued at $507,484, 
which include 4,000 pounds valued at $240 landed by Canadian ves- 
sels. In 1935 the landings of the Alaska fleet were 9,805,680 pounds, 
valued at $607,845, and landings in Alaska amounted to 6,382,681 
pounds valued at $377,123. Fares of the Alaska fleet in 1936, there- 
fore, increased 38 percent in quantity and 46 percent in value over 
1935. The landings in Alaska ports in 1936 increased about 36 per- 
cent in quantity and 35 percent in value over the preceding year. 
The amount of halibut livers landed by the Alaska fleet was not 
reported, but it was stated that there were altogether about 1,212,000 
pounds of halibut, sablefish, ‘“‘lingeod”’, and rockfish livers, valued 
at about $545,000, landed at Alaska and Pacific coast ports during 
1936 by American vessels. The estimated amount of halibut livers 
landed in Alaska was 153,000 pounds, valued at $68,850. 
These statistics were compiled from data collected by the Inter- 
ational Fisheries Commission and by agents of the Bureau. 
