CENTRAL AND WESTERN ALASKA INVESTIGATION. 145 



There has been no time in the history of the industry when pre- 

 cautionary measures have been so imperatively demanded as at the 

 present. Development in the early days was often delayed and 

 checked by the low price of the canned pi'oduct and the ease with 

 which the market could be overstocked. TBut during the later years, 

 and especially since the beginning of the Great War, with unlimited 

 demand for canned salmon and unheard-of prices prevailinsr for all 

 the grades, there has been an unexampled expansion of the business. 

 Whereas, in 1914 there were 82 canneries operating throughout 

 Alaska, in 1918 the number had increased to 135. Everywhere, 

 capital was seeking new cannery sites. Competition for the exist- 

 ing supplies of salmon was greater than ever before. New fields 

 were entered where such could be found. But for the most part, 

 the old fields were further invaded, although they were already 

 fully occupied and carried no reserve supplies that could safely be 

 spared. With the price of raw fish greatly advanced, the fishermen 

 became more eager. They could afford to carry on their operations 

 later in the season when the run was at the ebb, and constantly they 

 gleaned more closely. No one can doubt that larger proportions of 

 the spawning runs during this period have been captured for com- 

 mercial uses, while smaller and smaller contingents have been able 

 to win their way to the spawning grounds, there to make necessary 

 provision for all future runs. It has been and still is a situation full 

 of danger. 



Even before the recent startling expansion of the industry, all dis- 

 interested observers held that in central and western Alaska a safe 

 level of production had been reached, if indeed in many localities it 

 had not already been passed. 



Does anyone doubt that the wonderful Karluk River has suffered 

 impoverishment since the days when it was easily able to produce 

 year after year without interruption packs of 150,000 to 200,000 

 cases of red salmon ? A comparison of the early days with the aver- 

 age packs of the last years is convincing that, whether or not on the 

 Karluk bad is now giving place to worse, the river is consistently on 

 a lower level of production than formerly. It is as though a wheat 

 field should be held down to half its normal yield because the seed 

 was begnidged. 



Is the Copper River run not rightly considered in a precarious 

 condition with adequate remedial measures not yet in sight? And 

 are there not poor prospects ahead, now that fierce competition re- 

 cently has been permitted for the small but highly productive red- 

 salmon streams in Olga Bay ? The Chignik has also been a wonder- 

 ful stream and is still a valuable property despite the abuses to 

 which it has been long subject. But does anyone beheve it could 

 stand the further drain of sharp rivalry which may at any time ac- 

 company the advent of an additional cannery? 



Have not Ikatan and Morzhovoi Bay already suffered with six 

 canneries contending with purse seines and traps for their not un- 

 limited supply? 



Mention need only be made of the formerly productive stream that 

 enters Nelson Lagoon; and of the Bear River and Sandy River, which 

 formed the main dependence of the canneries at Port Moller and in 

 Herendeen Bay. Everyone knows they are far along the road 



