FISHERIES OF ALASKA, 1908. 33^ 



FISHING LAWS AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT. 

 INDICTMENTS AND COMPLAINTS. 



In view of reports early in the season that the trap-net fishermen 

 were not going to observe the law, the waters of southeast Alaska 

 were very thoroughly jmtrolled this year, and a cruise by the assist- 

 ant agent in Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal, Chatham and Icy straits,, 

 extending from Saturday, July 4, to Monday afternoon, the 6th, 

 covering some 300 miles and including visits to 38 traps, complete 

 and in process of construction, disclosed a most remarkable condi- 

 tion of affairs. Of the 34 traps operating, 29 were brazenly violating 

 the law, 4 were guilty of minor or technical violations, and but 1 

 trap was conforming strictly to the letter of the law. In addition to 

 the traps mentioned, 1 was missed in the darkness, and there were 5 

 wliich it was impossible to reach during the closed season. 



On another trip over practically these same waters, beginning 

 early in the afternoon of July 11 and lasting until early the morning 

 of the 13th, 36 traps, only 1 of which was in an unfinished condition,, 

 were visited and inspected. Eight were not visited owing to the 

 lack of time. Of those visited and inspected 24 were found openly 

 violating the law, and 3 were guilty of minor violations, but 8 con- 

 forming to the law. July 24 to 26 the traps were found to be gen- 

 erally conforming to the law, the few violations found being technical 

 ones, and these minor offenses. 



The district court of the first district of Alaska, then sitting at Skag- 

 way, heard these cases on the 16th and 17th. As a result of confer- 

 ences with the district attorney beforehand, it had been decided not 

 to present to the grand jury the offenders guilty of minor or technical 

 violations. In all, 53 violations were brought before the grand jury, 

 which reported true bills in every instance, and the corporation, part- 

 nership, or individual owning the trap, the superintendent or other 

 ofhcer actively representing the corporation or partnership, the head 

 trap boss, the watchmen at the traps, and such other persons as par- 

 ticipated directly in the violation of the law were mdicted. The 

 following are the trap owners who were indicted, together with the 

 number of indictments found against each: 



Name. 



Pacific American Fisheries 



Alaska Packers Association 



Columbia Canning Co 



Thlinket Packing Co 



Northwestern Fisheries Co 



Astoria and Puget Sound Packing Co 



George T . Myers & Co 



James Robertson 



74811—09 — ^ 



Excursion Inlet. 

 Pyramid Harbor 



Haines 



Funter Bay 



Dundas Bay. . .. 

 Excursion Inlet. 



Sitkoh Bay 



Hawk Inlet 



Indict- 

 ments. 



