ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1925 87 



COMPLAINTS AND PROSECUTIONS 



During the season of 1925 four salmon traps were seized in south- 

 eastern Alaska for illegal fishing. In the cases against Mahoney & 

 Kettles and the Auk Bay Salmon Canning Co. the traps were con- 

 demned and sold under court order. The watchman on the Auk Bay 

 Salmon Canning Co.'s trap was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined 

 $100. The trap of the Nakat Packing Corporation was not seized 

 at the time the violation was detected, and the United States attorney 

 felt it was doubtful whether confiscation proceedings could be had. 

 The trap was permitted to operate under $3,000 bond, and on trial 

 the company was fined $250 and the trap was released. A trap of the 

 Pacific American Fisheries was seized for illegal fishing during the 

 weekly closed period, but on a showing that it was the result of an 

 honest mistake of the watchman, the trap was released and a fine of 

 $25 and costs of $3.80 were imposed on the watchman. 



Traps installed in Icy Strait by the Deep Sea Salmon Co. and the 

 Astoria & Puget Sound Canning Co. were found to be less than the 

 required 1^ miles apart. An injunction was issued by the court 

 against the operation of both traps, and the case was settled by the 

 Deep Sea Salmon Co. removing its trap the required distance from 

 the other. 



A case against the Alaska Pacific Fisheries on the seizure of a trap 

 in 1924 was still pending at the end of 1925. 



Seven Indians were arrested for fishing in a creek at Excursion 

 Inlet and were fined $75 and costs of $25.80 each. 



George John, an Indian operating the gas boat Fox Trot, was fined 

 $100 for fishing in a creek in the vicinity of Dundas Bay. 



Lewis Stockley, a fox farmer near Ketchikan, was prosecuted for 

 illegal fishing for salmon, and when tried (December 23) pleaded 

 guilty and was fined $100 and costs of $13. 



Two Canadian vessels were seized by United States Coast Guard 

 cutters Smith and Cygan in July, 1924, for fishing in Alaskan waters. 

 A fine of $100 was imposed in each case and the vessels were released. 



A careful investigation of the alleged waste of herring and illegal 

 practices of herring fishermen in southeastern Alaska was made by 

 representatives of the bureau, agents of the Department of Justice, 

 and the grand jury at Juneau in the summer and fall of 1925. Al- 

 though there were rumors of waste of herring, definite evidence that 

 would support prosecutions could not be obtained. The basis of the 

 allegations seemed to be the use of large quantities of herring for the 

 manufacture of fertilizer and the occasional dumping of dead 

 herring or of a small surplus that could not be handled by the curers. 



Considerable opposition has been voiced in southeastern Alaska 

 against the use of herring in large quantities by reduction plants, 

 but there is no authority of law by which this use can be curtailed 

 or the companies forced to utilize any portion of the catch for food 

 products. A number of investigations were made in southeastern 

 Alaska on complaint of various companies and individuals, but no 

 legal action resulted. One cannery was reported to be packing fish 

 illegally taken during the closed season, but evidence to warrant a 

 prosecution could not be secured. It was also alleged that white men 

 were fishing in the Annette Island Fishery Reserve; that a number of 

 seine boats in the Ketchikan district were using seines of greater 



