FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 13 



ALASKA FISHERY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. 



This service, inaugurated in 1917, whereby the prices paid for 

 fish at Seattle and Ketchikan were supplied by telegraph to a number 

 of towns in Alaska, was continued tlirough the year 1919. Expres- 

 sions of appreciation have been received, and the information is 

 beheved to be of value to the fishermen. It is planned to continue 



the service. 



FISHERY PATROL. 



BUREAU PATROL BOATS. 



A successful patrol of the waters of Alaska in the interest of the 

 fisheries is contingent upon the ability of the officei-s of the law to 

 ronch any region at any time. Suitable boats are the means by 

 which such work can be accom])lished. To meet the situation, the 

 Bureau maintains and o]>cratos a small fleet of vessels hi Alaska, 

 admittedly ina(ie(|_uate for the work, but being enlarged as rapidly 

 as possible with funds available. This fleet is su]>plemented by the 

 charter of privately owned boats for occasional trips and short 

 ]>criods. 



Of the Bureau's vessels, the steamer Osprey has long been the 

 mainstay of patrol work in southeast Alaska. In June, it was 

 transferred to the central district, where the growing needs of the 

 service demanded the presence of such a boat. 



The Murrr and AnJcIet remained in the southeast district and were 

 regularly employed during the active fishing season from June to 

 October. The Puffin, formerly attache;! to the Roosevelt as ship's 

 launch, rendered some serA'icc in the vicinity of Juneau and the Taku 

 Kiver. It was sent north from Seattle under its own power early 

 in July, but owing to engine trouble did not reach Ketchikan until 

 almost a month later and then only by shipment on a freight steamer 

 . from a Canadian port. After certain alterations are made the 

 Puffin can be used to advantage in stream-]>r()tective work. 



Three small launchers were chartered for a few days in central 

 Alaska for patrol work in the Copper Kiver and Cook Inlet sections. 



The Swan was used on th(> Yukon Kiver, ]>articubirly in ])atrolling 

 the waters of th(> delta where Yukon commercial fishing was centered 

 in 1919. Assistant Agent Tow iisend covered about 4,000 miles with 

 the Swan, from Fairl)anks to the mouth and return to Nenana, where 

 the vessel was hauled out for the winter. 



Under authority of Executive order of May 24, 1919, in regard to 

 the disposition of vessels no longer needed by the Navy Department, 

 three ve-ssels which had been used as scout ]iatrols off the New England 

 coast, were transferred to the Bureau for service in Alaskan waters. 

 Two of these ve.ssels, the Cohra (S. P. 626) and the Calypso (S. P. 632), 

 were turned over to the Bureau at (Juincy, Mass., in July. In 

 October the ^Vachusetts (S. P. 548) was also secured at the same place. 

 All of these vessels were towed by the Bureau's steamer PJuifarope 

 to the Woods Hole station. Subsequently the Cobra and Calyjjso, 

 renamed Petrel and Merganser, respectively, were towed by the 

 Phalarope to the Norfolk Navy Yard, where on October 3 they were 

 placed aboard the U. S S. Neptune for transportation to the Pacific 

 coast. The vessels reached the Puget Sound Navy Yard early in 



