INTRODUCTION 



A highly important event in connection with the Ahiska fisheries 

 industry in the year 1923 was the visit to the Territory of President 

 Harding and his official party, on which occasion attention com- 

 mensurate with their importance was given to the fisheries prob- 

 lems. In addition, the Commissioner of Fisheries, accompanied by 

 Senator Jones and Eepresentative Hadley of Washington, spent 

 about two months in Alaska, making detailed studies of the salmon 

 and fur-seal fisheries. 



Fishery operations within the Alaska Peninsula Fisheries Eeser- 

 vation and the Southwestern Alaska Fisheries Reservation were in 

 accordance with the regulations promulgated late in 1922. Counts 

 of spawning salmon were made through weirs at Alitak, Chignik, 

 and Karluk. The special studies begun in previous years on the 

 life histoi-y and migration routes of salmon were continued. Tliis 

 work was carried on in the Alaska Peninsula region. Investiga- 

 tions of clam resources were conducted in Central Alaska. 



The bureau's regular personnel for the protection of the salmon 

 fisheries was considerably augmented during the active season by 

 temporary employees, mostly stream guards. Nine vessels owned 

 by the bureau were regularly employed on patrol work, and in 

 addition a number of small boats were chartered for brief periods 

 for the same work. Stream markers previously erected were main- 

 tained and a nmnber of new ones added. 



Transportation of Government employees and supplies for the 

 Pribilof Islands was chiefly by vessels of the Navy and Coast 

 Guard. There was, however, some transportation of employees and 

 freight on commercial vessels. The bureau's power schooner Eider 

 rendered supplementary service also. 



An important undertaking initiated this season was the marking 

 of about 10,000 of the 3-year-old male seals reserved for future 

 breeding purposes. The work of blubbering fur-seal skins at St. 

 Paul Island was extended to include all the skins taken at that 

 island during the active sealing period. The total take of fur-seal 

 skins at the Pribilof Islands was 15,920, of which 12,841 were 

 secured on St. Paul Island and 3,079 on St. George Island. In the 

 season of 1923-24 there were secured on both islands 787 blue-fox 

 pelts and 15 white-fox pelts, a total of 802. Forty-eight Pribilof 

 Islands blue foxes were sold to fox farmers in Alaska. 



Two sales at public auction of sealskins taken on the Pribilof 

 Islands were held at St. Louis in 1923 by the selling agents of the 

 department. The fox skins taken in the season of 1922-23 were 

 •disposed of at one of these sales also. 



Acknowledgment is made of the invaluable assistance rendered 

 by Edward M. Ball and Henry D. Aller of the Alaska service 

 in the compilation and preparation of much of the material appear- 

 ing in this document. 



TRIP OF PRESIDENT HARDING TO ALASKA 



The most notable event of the year in Alaska was the visit of 

 President Harding, who was accompanied by Secretary Hoover, of 



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