THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 



By John N. Cobb, 

 Assistant Agent at the Salmon Fisheries of Alaska. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The salmon and seal fisheries of Alaska constitute such conspicuous 

 features of the fishing industry in that region that published reports 

 have to a great extent neglected the other aquatic resources, and no 

 complete compilation of statistics has ever been made. The Tenth 

 (1880) and Eleventh (1890) censuses covered the ground partially, but 

 the census agents had to deal with all phases of Alaskan endeavor and 

 their reports upon the commercial fisheries were consequently not so 

 complete as could be desired. The salmon fishery was treated by 

 them in considerable detail, and has been canvassed and reported upon 

 very fully by the Bureau of Fisheries." The seal fishery has been the 

 subject of investigation and legislation recorded in many volumes 

 published by the Treasury Department, and more recently in the 

 reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor. No special can- 

 vass of the other fisheries, however, has heretofore been made, the 

 information published at« varying periods by the Bureau of Fisheries 

 being such as could be gathered by its agents at San Francisco in con- 

 nection with their canvass of the Pacific coast states. 



The data presented in the following pages for the year 1905 are the 

 result of the writer's personal canvass of a portion of the region and 

 the collection of reports from various fishing firms and officials of the 

 government in Alaska. A history and recapitulation of results of the 

 various fisheries is also given. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE ALASKAN FISHERIES. 



Long before the acquisition of Alaska was even dreamt of by our 

 statesmen its wealth in fisheiy products was known, by hearsay at 

 least, to the hardy mariners of the Pacific coast, as well as to the 



a The salmon and salmon fisheries of Alaska. Report of the operations of the U. S. Fish 

 Commission Steamer Albatross for the year ending June 30, 1898, by Jefferson F. Moser. 

 Bulletin U. S. Fish Commission 1898, vol. xvm, 1899, p. 1-178, pi. 1-63, charts a and b. 

 Idem, 1900 and 1901, Bulletin 1901, vol. xxi, 1902, p. 173-39S and 299*-401*, pi. i-xliv, 

 pi. a and charts a, b. 



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