158 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1919. 



which have undoubtedly occurred in these runs have boon the result 

 of previous overfishing. 



A partial suspension of the fishiu-]!: operations in this region is 

 recommended to permit a recovery of the run, but there seems to be 

 no way of enforcing more stringent restrictions under the present 

 law. No fishing is conducted in Bear or in Sandy Rivers, nor within 

 the prescribed distance outside the mouths of these streams. But 

 owing to the favorable configuration of the beaches and offshore 

 slopes, and the considerable stretches of coast oft' which these fish 

 school up before entering fresh water, the purse seines are very 

 effective. These, with the two traps located at the legal distance 

 either side of the mouth of Bear River, come perilously near effec- 

 tually blocking the passageway to the river. 



This is another instance of the hopeless insufficiency of the present 

 law, which places beyond the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Com- 

 merce the salt-water approaches to the mouths of the rivers, however 

 seriously the form of fishing there may menace the salmon supply. 



IKATAN AND MORZHOVOI BAYS. 



A brief visit to this district produced certain observations in con- 

 tinuation of those made by one of the authors the preceding season. 



No red-salmon stream exists in Ikatan Bay, or in the immediate 

 vicinity, toward which the red salmon captured in that region are 

 headed. The heavy schools which pass near the Ikatan beaches are 

 bound elsewhere and dip into the bay for unknown reasons. Similar 

 movements of migrating salmon are known elsewhere, as for example, 

 considerable numbers of Karluk fish wliich school off the southern 

 shore of Uyak Bay. At Ikatan their movements may conceivably 

 have some relation to the opening of False Pass into the upper end 

 of Ikatan Bay. False Pass is the only channel east of Unimak Pass, 

 which connects the Pacific with Bering Sea. Tidal currents rush 

 through this pass with great velocity, and a certain admixture of the 

 waters of the two seas undoubtedly occurs. Whether any physical 

 feature is here presented which forms a passing attraction to the 

 migrating fish, can not be stated. 



Although the Ikatan fish are bound elsewhere, they are not bound 

 for Bristol Bay, nor is it believed they traverse False Pass in any 

 numbers. They belong to the southern side of the peninsula and 

 find their spawning grounds principally in Morzhovoi Bay and at 

 Thin Point. So, although not spawning in Ikatan waters, they are 

 local communities of fish destined for small streams which are at no 

 great distance. In all cases of this kind, care must be exercised not 

 to overfish the district and exhaust the runs. The danger of doin^ 

 this is always mamified when local conditions render the schools of 

 salmon particularly susceptible to attack. In many districts, the 

 spawning runs first become evident when they school immediately 

 off the mouth of the river. If fishing conditions are there unfavorable 

 the percentage of escape will probably be large. But the Morzhovoi 

 and Thin Point fish, which school lip off Ikatan, pass before long 

 beaches in which traps can be driven, and in waters where the purse 

 seines are effective. They sustain a double attack, either of which 

 is of great magnitude, flere again, it seems impossible adequately 

 to protect an important school of fish, because no authority to 

 restrict fishing along the salt-water chaimels has been conferred on 

 the Secretary of Commerce. Yet it is believed possible wholly to 



