REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 101 
invested and nearly 80 per cent of the persons employed, while the 
salmon output is worth more than 91 per cent of the total value of 
all fisheries. The salient features of the salmon industry in 1915 
were the extraordinary abundance of humpbacks in southeast Alaska, 
the large run of cohos in central and west Alaska, the lighter run of 
redfish in west and southeast Alaska, and the increased abundance in 
central Alaska.” The value of all salmons as prepared for sale was 
$19,214,145, of which $18,653,015 represented canned fish. The 
number of salmon taken was 63,537,244, of which 30,896,394 were 
humpbacks and 25,878,811 were redfish. The canned-salmon pack 
was the largest in the history of the Territory, amounting to 4,500,293 
cases of 48 1-pound cans, an increase of 443,640 cases over 1914, 
which was the previous record. The canneries operated numbered 
85, against 81 in 1914. 
Other fishes in the order of importance were the halibut, with an 
output of $781,011; the cod, valued at $390,199; and the herring, 
which, as food, fertilizer, and oil, brought $155,579. The products of 
the whale fishery were valued at $381,750. The whale fishery was 
conducted from two shore stations, which handled 470 whales of four 
species. 
ENFORCEMENT OF LAW. 
Congress has shown a disposition to provide adequate facilities for 
enforcing the fishing laws along the extensive Alaskan littoral, but 
the need for more men and boats is great, and satisfactory results can 
not be accomplished until the need is met. The available vessel 
service in 1915 was supplemented by the charter of power boats 
during the active fishing season, and the patrol covered upward of 
10,000 miles of coast. 
It is a pleasure to be able to state that the fishery laws are now 
more generally observed in both spirit and letter than was the case a 
few years ago, and comparatively few violations were reported in 1915. 
These are noted in full in the special report on ‘‘ Alaska fisheries and 
fur industries in 1915,” which forms an appendix to the report of 
the Commissioner of Fisheries for that year. Some convictions have 
been secured, some defendants have been discharged, and some 
indictments are still pending. In one case, involving fishing during 
the Sunday close time, the defendant pleaded guilty and the jury 
found him not guilty. 
WATERS CLOSED TO COMMERCIAL FISHING. 
On October 1, 1915, a hearing was held in Seattle to give all per- 
sons interested an oportunity to present their views on the desirability 
of closing to commercial fishing certain waters in southeast Alaska to 
be preserved for natural salmon breeding. The hearing confirmed 
the view that the waters should be closed, and, accordingly, on the 
recommendation of the Bureau, the Secretary issued an order, dated 
October 25, 1915, and effective January 1, 1916, prohibiting -all 
fishing for salmon or for other fishes if salmon are taken or injured 
thereby in the following waters: 
1. All waters tributary to Barnes Lake, Prince of Wales Island. 
2. Hetta Creek, its tributary waters, and the region within 500 
yards of the mouth of said creek. 
