492 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
feasible to conduct fishing operations with various kinds of gear so 
actively beyond the restricted zone as to offset the effects of the 
protection afforded the salmon in streams and immediately off their 
mouth, and this, in fact, is occurring in various localities. A measure 
designed to meet this situation and furnish this limited relief pending 
the enactment of a new general fish law for Alaska is the bill (H. Rh. 
2394) which confers on the Secretary of Commerce jurisdiction over 
the fisheries for a distance of 3 miles off the mouth of any stream in 
Alaska and authorizes him to prescribe for such area the regulations 
deemed by him necessary or desirable to perpetuate the salmon sup- 
ply. The bill, which has received the indorsement of the Depart- 
ment, has been favorably reported by the House Committee on the 
Merchant Marine and Fisheries and 1s now on the calendar. 
The present law has no application to whales, crabs, shrimp, clams, 
and various other valuable products, and the taking of such animals 
is permitted without any restriction whatever. In the absence of any 
protection very extensive and valuable clam beds in central Alaska 
have been depleted, and other instances of the kind might be cited. 
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA FISHERIES. 
While the salmon and halibut fisheries of Alaska will undoubtedly 
hold a dominant place for many years, the greatest development of 
the fishing industry is to be expected in other branches, particularly 
in the increased attention given to cod and herring, and ultimately 
to certain minor resources which are now almost untouched but 
which in the aggregate constitute a potential source of food and 
wealth that will mean much to the future welfare of Alaska. The 
herring supply of Alaska is possibly unsurpassed anywhere in the 
world, and there may be anticipated such a growth in herring fishing 
and herring curing that a formidable rival of the salmon industry 
may arise. Vast expanses of water in all parts of Alaska abound with 
bottom food fishes of a kind in good demand in other parts of the 
world, but their surface has remained practically unbroken by the 
boats of fishermen equipped to take such fishes. Substantial devel- 
opment may be expected also in the crab and shrimp fisheries. The 
Alaska shrimps are not surpassed elsewhere in size and quality and 
are undoubtedly destined to enter largely into commerce in a fresh, 
frozen, and canned condition. 
CONTROL OVER THE ALASKA FISHERIES. 
There has been the usual agitation for the transfer to the Territory 
of Alaska of the contro] over the aquatic and other natural resources 
that has heretofore been exercised by the Federal Government. 
The desire for this change of jurisdiction, while not entertained by 
a conspicuously large number of the representative people of the 
Territory, is a legitimate aspiration of those who hope.to see Alaska 
soon take her place as a sovereign State. As regards the fisheries, 
the feeling is quite generally prevalent among those having property 
interests that the time is not yet ripe for the assumption of the re- 
sponsibilities of statehood. 
While constantly dwelling on real and imaginary defects of the 
fishery administration, it is a fact that interests ostensibly friendly 
