ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1925 133 



HALIBUT 



The closed season designated in the North Pacific halibut treaty, 

 and which extends from November 16 to February 15, became effec- 

 tive for the first time in the fall of 1924; hence 1925 was the first year 

 in which there was no halibut fishing for three full months. The 

 shortness of the fishing season in 1925 probably was responsible in 

 part for the small catch. The market was rather dull at the beginning 

 of the season because there were on hand large quantities of halibut 

 from the preceding year. Prices improved later, but the total catch 

 was considerably less than that of 1924. 



Halibut taken in the vicinity of Kodiak Island and the Sanak and 

 Shumagin Islands were landed at Seattle in 1925. The trips to 

 these islands were in the nature of prospecting expeditions, as the 

 distance involved may preclude profitable operations except by vessels 

 capable of cruising far and having large capacity. In time, however, 

 these western banks undoubtedly will be fished more and more. 



In 1925 L. T. Hopkinson, fishery expert of the Tariff Commission, 

 conducted an economic survey of the halibut industry of the Pacific 

 coast and Alaska. Hearings were held at Seattle on August 10 and 

 11 to consider the possibility of reducing the import duty on halibut, 

 but the findings of the commission had not been made public by the 

 end of 1925. 



A matter of great importance to the halibut industry is the compre- 

 hensive investigation begun by the International Fisheries Commis- 

 sion under the direction of William F. Thompson, who for years has 

 been identified with studies of the Pacific halibut question for the 

 United States and Canada. Work began in June with the tagging of 

 halibut in Dixon Entrance, and later was extended to other banks. 

 Halibut will be tagged for the purpose of obtaining information as to 

 their migrations; and biological, statistical, and economic studies will 

 be carried on. The information derived from such studies will be 

 used as the basis for future regulation and conservation of this 

 valuable fishery. 



Only landings at Alaskan ports are shown in the statistics for the 

 Alaska halibut industry, and hence do not represent the entire catch 

 from the banks off the coast of Alaska, as large quantities are landed 

 at ports in British Columbia as well as at Seattle. The landings in 

 Alaska totaled 10,971,651 pounds, valued at $884,383, a decrease of 

 4,065,965 pounds and $735,060 from 1924, or about 27 per cent in 

 quantity and 45 per cent in value. The total investment in the 

 halibut industry in 1925 was $3,503,921, as compared with $2,316,084 

 in 1924. Persons engaged in this fishery in 1925 numbered 861, as 

 compared with 633 in the preceding year. 



