IV REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 



tho largo mature fish of the Alaskan banks is caught annually. These 

 migrate along the coast of the Alaskan Peninsula, averaging about 

 200 miles between tagging and recovery. These studies demonstrate 

 the inilependence of the stocks of market fish on the Alaskan banks 

 from the Canadian banks and support the previous recommendations 

 of the commission. . 



To ascertain the spawning grounds, the abundance and direction 

 of drift of eggs and larvae, and the source of supph^ of fish populating 

 the various banks and their interdependence, it has become necessary 

 to make a series of tow-net hauls. During the early part of 1929 a 

 large series of such hauls were made in the Gulf of Alaska and between 

 Cape Flattery and Dixon Entrance, especially on the Goose Island 

 grounds. In 1930 other series of hauls w^ere made in Hecate Strait 

 and Dixon Entrance and off the coast of Queen Charlotte Islands. 

 A study of the first series in the Gulf of Alaska indicates the presence 

 of larvae well out in the gulf, although they were much less abundant 

 than they were along the edge of the continental slope of the Alaskan 

 coast. Hauls made in May along the Canadian waters were much 

 too early to reveal the possible influx of larval fish from Alaskan waters 

 and later more extensive collections became a necessity. 



Because of the inadequacy of the existing convention as revealed 

 by the commission's investigations and the urgent need for putting 

 the commission's recommendations into effect, negotiations for a new 

 convention were initiated, and on May 9, 1930, a revised convention 

 was signed at Ottawa. When ratified by the United States Senate 

 this will supplant the convention concluded March 2, 1923. 



SOCKEYE SALMON CONVENTION 



For many years efforts have been made to work out arrangements 

 for the rehabilitation of the sockeye salmon run of the Fraser River 

 system, British Columbia, through the medium of an international 

 convention wath Canada. The convention signed on March 27, 1929, 

 referred to in the last annual report, was subsequently withdrawn and 

 another convention, which has for its purposes the protection, pres- 

 ervation, and the extension of this fishery, was signed on May 26, 

 1930. The convention covers the sockeye-salmon fishery in the waters 

 contiguous to the State of Washington and the Province of British 

 Columbia, the territorial waters off the coasts of Washington and 

 British Columbia, and the high seas adjacent thereto — the waters 

 covered being defined in the convention. The International Fisheries 

 Commission of six members, provided for in the convention, is charged 

 with the duty of making a thorough investigation into the natural 

 history of the sockeye salmon. It is authorized to construct and 

 maintain hatcheries, and is empow^ered to prescribe the size of mesh 

 of the gear used. The convention is concluded for a period of 16 

 3^ears, after which it is subject to termination on notice of 1 year 

 given by either Government. 



In 1913 the pack of sockeye salmon in Puget Sound was 1,673,099 

 cases and in the Fraser River area the pack of Canada was 684,596 

 cases, making a total of 2,357,695 cases. In 1929 the pack was only 

 111,898 and 60,393 cases, respectively, makirig a total of 172,291 cases. 

 The prompt ratification of this convention is important to permit of 

 international cooperation in the rehabilitation of this very important 

 fishery. 



