XVI REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 



In the season of 1929-30, 193 blue and 31 white fox skins were 

 taken on St. Paul Island and 5o2 blues and 1 white on St. George 

 Island, a total of 777 skins. Seventy-two foxes on St. Paul Island 

 and o4G on St. George Island were trapped, marked, and released 

 for breeding purposes. Additional foxes, not caught in the traps, 

 were also included in the breeding reserve. 



FUR-SEAL SKINS TAKEN BY NATIVES 



The privilege of taking fur seals at sea under specified limitations 

 is granted to natives of the Pacific coast by the provisions of the 

 North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 7, 1911. Before the seal- 

 skins can enter into commerce they must be authenticated as having 

 been kAX'fully taken. One thousand five hundred and eighty-six 

 fur-seal skins taken in 1929 have been authenticated by the Govern- 

 ment, 995 of which were taken in the offshore waters of southeastern 

 Alaska and 591 in waters off the coast of Washington. Through the 

 courtesy of the Department of the Interior, the latter skins were 

 authenticated by the superintendent of the Neah Bay Indian Agency. 

 xVn official report stated that 3,383 fur-seal skins were taken by 

 natives of British Columbia in 1929. 



FUR-SEAL PATROL 



As in previous years, a patrol for the protection of the fur seals 

 and sea otters in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering 

 Sea was maintained by vessels of the United States Coast Guard. 

 Two of the bureau's vessels w^ere likewise engaged in the fur-seal 

 patrol during the spring migration of the herd. 



Under date of September 24, 1929, there was issued a revised 

 (second) edition of the circular containing the laws and regulations 

 for the protection of fur seals and sea otters, which embodied the 

 Executive order of January 14, 1929, naming each of the bureau's 

 vessels in the Alaska service as authorized to take part in the fur- 

 seal patrol. 



PROTECTION OF SEA OTTERS, WALRUSES, AND SEA LIONS 



Revised regulations for the protection of walruses and sea lions 

 were issued as of May 1, 1930, extending the closed season on these 

 animals for another 2-year period. Permission to kill the animals 

 under certain restricted conditions previously set forth was con- 

 tinued. The killing of sea otters is prohibited at all times. 



BIOLOGICAL FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS 



The division of scientific inquiry during the fiscal year 1930 con- 

 tinued biological investigations of the fisheries intended to promote the 

 conservation activities of the various States, to foster and encourage 

 aquiculture, and to aid industry in the proper utilization of aquatic 

 food resources. The division's most important function is the accjuir- 

 ing of fvmdamental know^ledge of the fisheries — marine, commercial, 

 fresh-water, or sports — to serve as the basis for so regulating the take 

 that an adecjuate breeding stock wall be maintained, assuring con- 

 tinued productivity of the supply. In addition to prohibitory or 



