ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 119 



10 days between trips, which period was lengthened if trip quotas were 

 exceeded, and shortened if the trip Hmit was not reached. 



Operations were governed also by regulations of the International 

 Fisheries Commission. These regulations were modified somewhat 

 under the provisions of the new halibut treaty between the United 

 States and Canada which became effective on July 28, 1937. For 

 the first time fishermen were permitted to retain halibut taken inci- 

 dentally in fishing for other species in a closed halibut area. The 

 retention of such halibut, however, was restricted to vessels using set 

 lines and operating under specific permit, and the proportion of halibut 

 in the catch taken and sold was limited to 1 pound of halibut to 7 

 pounds of other species, exclusive of salmon. Another modification 

 of the regulations involved prescribing the final date on which vessels 

 could leave j^ort for the fishing banks, instead of specifying the closing 

 date of the season. Catch quotas, which were the same in 1937 as 

 in the previous year, were reached earlier than ever before, and the 

 fishing season closed on July 28 in area 2 and on October 19 in area 3. 

 The final date of departure from port for fishing in the latter area was 

 September 29. Closing dates in areas 1 and 4 were the same as in 

 areas 2 and 3, respectively. 



The sale of fish livers for pharmaceutical purposes has become well 

 established as an important source of revenue in the halibut industry. 

 Halibut livers brought a price of 50 cents a pound in 1937, or more 

 than four times the price paid in 1932 when this product was begin- 

 ning to find a profitable market. 



Biological studies of the halibut and the collection and analysis of 

 statistical data of the fishery were continued by the International 

 Fisheries Commission under the direction of Dr. W. F. Thompson. 



STATISTICAL SUMMARY 



Six hundred and ninety-seven persons were employed in the Alaska 

 halibut fishery in 1937 — an increase of 103 over the number reported 

 for the preceding year; and products, exclusive of livers, amounted 

 to 13,281,681 pounds, valued at $931,629. This production repre- 

 sents the total fares of the Alaska halibut fleet, M'hich comprises all 

 American vessels landing more than one-half of their catch in Alaska or 

 British Columbia ports rather than in the States. Landings of hali- 

 but, exclusive of livers, in Alaska totaled 8,705,204 pounds valued at 

 $557,911, which include 3,000 pounds, valued at $190, landed by 

 Canadian vessels. In 1936 the landings of the Alaska fleet were 

 13,566,340 pounds, valued at $889,454, and landings in Alaska 

 amounted to 8,658,774 pounds, valued at $507,484. Fares of the 

 Alaska fleet in 1937, therefore, decreased 2 percent in quantity but 

 increased about 5 percent in value over 1936. The landings in Alaska 

 ports in 1937 increased about 1 percent in quantity and 10 percent 

 in value over the preceding year. 



The amount of halibut livers landed by the Alaska fleet was not 

 reported, but it was stated that there Mere altogether about 953,000 

 pounds of halibut, sablefish, "lingcod," androckfish livers, valued at 

 about $449,000, landed at Alaska and Pacific coast ports during 1937 

 by American vessels, as compared with 997,000 pounds, valued at 

 $448,000, landed by American vessels in 1936. The estimated amount 

 of halibut livers landed in Alaska was 146,000 pounds, valued at 

 $73,000. 



