254 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



In addition to the forcgoino; the Highway, through the courtesy 

 of the Bureau of Pubhc Roads, was used in the patrol service in south- 

 east Alaska for a part of the month of July, when the Widgeon was 

 out of commission awaiting the arrival of new engine parts. 



The Widgeon sustained some minor injuries to propeller and rudder 

 on October 12, 1929, when she ran on the south end of Russian Reef, 

 off AVhitewatcr Bay, where she remained stranded for about an hour, 

 until the receding tide caused the bow to become sufficiently lowered 

 to permit the boat to slide from the sloping ledge. Two power boats 

 came to the vessel's assistance, and subsequently their owners entered 

 salvage claims against the Government. The matter was referred 

 to the Department of Justice for attention. 



AERIAL PATROL 



The use of aircraft as an auxiUary patrol for the protection of the 

 fisheries of Alaska was introduced in 1929, a contract having been 

 entered into with a commercial company for the service of a seaplane 

 for a limited number of flj'ing hours. Although but few flights were 

 made, they served to demonstrate the efficiency of this method of 

 patrol on the long, irregular coast of Alaska, with its numerous 

 channels, ba3's, and inlets, where journeys by boat are necessarily 

 slow and circuitous. Air transportation not only makes possible the 

 survey of a number of streams in a very short time but serves as a 

 deterrent to illegal fishing operations for the reason that operators 

 so engaged have not sufficient warning of the approach of the plane 

 to permit removal or adjustment of their fishing gear in time to 

 escape detection. The patrol in 1929 was confined to the southeastern 

 district, where several trips were made from Juneau and Ketchikan 

 by agents of the bureau, the flights occurring chiefly during weekly 

 closed periods between Saturday afternoon and the following Monday 

 forenoon. 



COMPLAINTS AND PROSECUTIONS 



Twelve traps in southeastern Alaska were seized in 1929 for illegal 

 fishing. In every case the defendants pleaded guilty before the local 

 commissioners and fines were imposed, upon payment of which the 

 traps were released. Two traps of the Far North Fisheries (Inc.) 

 had the tunnel from heart to pot constructed of wire instead of web 

 as required by the regulations, and five traps of the Demmert Packing 

 Co. were similarly constructed, having also an apron of seine web 

 that did not entirely prevent entrance of fish into the trap during the 

 weekly closed period. The former company was fined $100 for each 

 trap and the latter $200 each. A trap of the Fidalgo Island Pack- 

 ing Co. on the west coast of Revillagigedo Island and one at Narrow 

 Point owned by Jenkins & Coulter were foimd fishing during a weekly 

 closed period, and fines of $750 and $500, respectively, were imposed. 

 Fines of $350 each were assessed in the case of two traps operated 

 by the Nakat Packing Corporation and one by the Petersburg Pack- 

 ing Co. for having the tunnel open during a weekly closed period in 

 violation of section 5 of the act of June 6, 1924. 



In southeastern Alaska, also, 15 boats were seized for fishing in 

 closed areas. On trial before the local commissioners the defendants 

 pleaded guilty and were sentenced to fine or imprisonment. Fines 



