II REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



Alfiska fur-seal .service — Contiiiue'd. I'sse 



Sales of sealskins xxxvii 



Foxes xxxvii 



Fiir-.seal skius taken by natives xxxvin 



Fur-seal patrol xxxvin 



Protection of walrus and sea lions xxxvin 



Vessel service notes xxxvin 



< )ffice huildinsj- xxxix 



Appropriations xl 



Depai{t:mext of Commerce, 



BiTREAF OF Fisheries, 

 Washington^ July i, 10'2If. 



Sir: 1 have the lienor to siibntit a resume of the major operations 

 of the Bureau of Fisheries durino; the fiscal year ended June 30, 1024. 



The discussions of the Avork of the se^'eral divisions of the bureau, 

 as treated herein, disclose the critical condition of many of our . im- 

 portant fisheries, the inability of these branches to meet the heavily 

 inci'eased demands for service, and the interest of our ])eople in 

 having these fisheries rehabilitated that they may serve to the fullest 

 extent as a source of food and recreation without endangerino; the 

 future suppl3^ 



l^ollution, deforestation, I'eclamation and irrigation projects, 

 power dams and other obstructions to the free movement of fish 

 to the spawning areas, and other factors have seriously depleted 

 the supi:)ly of aquatic life, especially in our interior and coastal 

 waters, and created conditions that make it extivmely difficult for 

 the natural su])ply to be jiroperly maintained. The evident dei)le- 

 tion of such of the older sea fishing areas as the North Sea and the 

 waters around Iceland emphasizes the necessity of properly safe- 

 guarding our marine resources as well. 



Improved methods of handling and merchandising have enabled 

 larger numbers of our people to obtain and enjoy fish as food. This 

 has led to more intensive fishing operations and has increased the 

 strain on some of the more highly j^rized forms, (ilood-roads con- 

 struction and the increased use of the automobile have served to 

 greatly augment the number of anglers. One State alone now issues 

 nearly 2()0.()()0 angling licenses annually. The catch made by anglers 

 has therefore become an important factor in the depletion of the 

 supply of many water areas. 



Conditions such as these have contributed to the creation of a 

 d.emand for a greatly enlarged i)rogram for supplementing the 

 natural su])ply of aquatic forms by artificial means, and for the 

 accumulation of more l)iological data as the basis for sane con- 

 servation laws. It is just and proper that our fisheries should afford 

 recreation and food to large numbers of our people, but in so doing 

 we must also provide for the perpetuation of these resources, that 

 we may not deprive our children of this heritage. 



The current program of activities of the bureau has been de- 

 veloped to render the fisheries a larger measure of practical service 

 than at any time in its history. Yet neither it nor the States are 

 able to cope with present-day demands. Anglers, commercial fish- 

 ermen, and conservationists evidence a greater appreciation of the 



