FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 31 



titles of fish over and above their own needs and sell them to trappers, 

 prospectors, military telegraph stations, and commercial compa- 

 nies at various places along the river. 



In the propaganda circulated by Archdeacon Hudson Stuck late in 

 1919 it was asserted that the cannery near the mouth of the Yukon 

 was operated under permission granted by the Bureau of Fisheries. 

 No such permission was granted, nor was any asked ; in fact the De- 



Eartment of Commerce has authority only to limit fishing operations 

 ut not to prohibit the establishment of canneries. Allegations were 

 made at the same time as to the great privation caused to the natives 

 and other residents of the Yukon and tributary waters because of the 

 shortage of the salmon in 1919. Undoubtedly there was a light run 

 of salmon in 1919 in the Yukon, as there was in practically all other 

 waters of Alaska; it was an unfavorable season for salmon through- 

 out Alaska. The light run in the Yukon has had its counterpart 

 heretofore, as it is a matter of record that in earlier years the runs of 

 salmon have been very light. There is authentic record of limited 

 runs of salmon as far back as 1879, in which year the natives of the 

 Yukon were forced to go to Norton Sound and elsewhere for salmon. 



It seems appropriate to point out that in 1919 there was much high 

 water in the Yukon, which interfered with the operation of native 

 fishing gear: heavy quantities of driftwood also lessened the take of 

 salmon by the natives. Over and above all, consideration must un- 

 doubtedly be given to the psychological effect of the establishment 

 of the cannery on the natives ; they heard that the cannery was 

 in operation, hence at once assumed that there would be no salmon 

 passmg to upper waters. They, therefore, in many instances did not 

 make proper effort to take salmon. 



An extensive investigation of the Yukon was made by Inspector 

 Townsend, of the Alaska service, who covered more than 4,000 miles 

 of Yukon waters on the Bureau's vessel Swan. He interviewed many 

 traders and other residents of the Yukon in order to ascertain the 

 actual condition of the natives. In some instances it was found that 

 the natives not only had enough fish for themselves, but were able 

 to make sales of the surplus; elsewhere shortages were recorded. 

 But as the season progressed there was no information from official 

 sources received by the Bureau or by the governor of Alaska, which 

 indicated that there had been undue privation suffered during the 

 year by the natives because of any shortage of salmon. 



In 1918 it was reported that 6,638 whites, 4,269 natives, and 6,183 

 dogs were dependent largely upon the salmon of the Yukon. It is 

 computed that about 1,100,000 salmon would suffice amply for all 

 such food requirements. Present requirements are materially smaller, 

 as influenza has since taken heavy toll of the Yukon natives. It must 

 not be overlooked that there are various other species of fish in the 

 Yukon, such as whitefish, grayling, and trout, available for food pur- 

 poses. The whitefish is a close relative of the famous whitefish of 

 the Great Lakes. The natives also have an abundant supply of game 

 to augment their larder. 



It is not the province of the Department of Commerce in its legal 

 relation to the fisheries of Alaska to consider as paramount the inter- 

 ests of any particular packing company or of any branch of the fishery 

 industry, or any class of people, but under the law it is charged pri- 

 marily with the protection of the salmon fisheries. Congress has 

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