ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1915. 
By Warp T. Bowsr, Agent, and Henry D. AuEr, Assistant. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The activities of the Bureau of Fisheries in Alaska fall into three 
general classes, as follows: (a) The enforcement of the law and regu- 
lations having to do with the protection and conservation of the fish- 
eries and the operation of hatcheries, (6) administrative work in 
connection with the American fur-seal herd of the North Pacific 
Ocean, and (c) the enforcement of the law for the protection of the 
fur-bearing animals in Alaska generally. 
Under the first head the work is directed not only to the enforce 
ment of the law and regulations in respect to the fisheries, but con- 
templates such investigations and inquiry along scientific and eco- 
nomic lines as facilities permit. Another important feature is the 
statistical review of the fisheries and discussion of the methods, which 
is prepared each year. Still another phase of this part of the work 
is inspection of the private hatcheries. 
The activities of the Federal Government in respect to the North 
American fur-seal herd are concerned in large measure with enforcing 
the provisions of the North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 7, 
1911, and the act of Congress giving effect to that convention, ap- 
proved August 24, 1912. The taking of these seals at sea is prohib- 
ited and the killing of them at the Pribilof Islands, the only place at 
which the seals come to land, is limited to the number necessary to 
supply food for the native inhabitants. Under restricted conditions 
descendants of aboriginal inhabitants dwelling on the North Ameri- 
can coast may take seals at sea. 
The three important positive duties having to do at the present 
time with the fur-seal herd are (1) the administration of the Pribilof 
Islands Reservation, (2) the marketing of the skins belonging to the 
Government taken at the Pribilof Islands, and (8) the patrol of the 
North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea for the prevention of pelagic 
sealing. The administration of the Pribilof Islands Reservation and 
the marketing of skins is performed under the direction of the Depart- 
ment of Commerce; the work of patrolling the North Pacific Ocean 
and Bering Sea is performed by vessels of the Coast Guard detailed 
for that purpose. 
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