56 FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1907. 
record is kept, the muskrat occupies an apparently insignificant place 
in Alaska’s commerce. The natives use the fur for clothing and 
blankets or robes. In 1905 12,599 skins, valued at $1,192, in 1906 
3,611 skins, valued at $302, and in 1907 6,481 skins, valued at $494, 
were shipped out of the district. The greater part of these came from 
the Yukon valley. 
LAND OTTER. 
This valuable animal is found mainly in the regions adjacent to the 
coast and is very widely distributed. Southeast, central, and western 
Alaska yield practically the same catch. Like the other aquatic furs 
from Alaska the output is steadily on the decline. In 1905 the catch 
amounted to 1,889 skins, valued at $14,458; in 1906, to 1,709 skins, 
valued at $16,618, while in 1907 but 1,393 ohne. valed at $12,695, 
were secured. 
SEA OTTER. 
The yield of this extremely valuable fur is still diminishing, and 
it is probably only a question of a few years before the animal 
will become extinct. At the present time the pursuit of it is so pre- 
carious that but two schooners fitted out for the hunt in 1907. The 
schooner Challenge (owned by Henry Dirks, of Atka Island) did not 
outfit this year, but was taken to Puget Sound to be overhauled and 
equipped with a gasoline engine. The owner outfitted a number of 
natives with bidarkas for a hunting season in the neighborhood of 
the Rat Islands, but no news from these natives can be expected until 
the spring of 1908. The two vessels noted below operated on the 
Sannak Reefs in very unfavorable weather, the Everett Hayes hunt- 
ing from May 12 to August 25, having during that time only 119 
suitable hours. The mma was out in July only. 
The fleet and catch in 1907 is shown in the following table: 
i Boats. Sea otters. 
N f 1 Port Ton- | Value. | C ns 
ame of vessel. ort. alue. rew. unt- 
nage. Num- Num- 
ers. ae Value. ea Value. 
Schooner Everett Hays.| Unalaska-. 37 | $2,000 3 20 10 $150 6 $900 
Schooner Emma...-..-. Marzovia.. 24! 1,500 3 20 10 150 2 300 
Totaleeeeeeess YE beset eres 61 | 3,500 6 40 20 300 8 1,200 
In addition to the catch shown above, 8 sea otters, valued at $2,808, 
were killed in various ways (2 were picked up on the shores of Kadiak 
Island), making a total catch by Alaskans of 16 sea otters, valued at 
$4,008, a decrease of 12 skins and $821 as compared with 1906. The 
catch in 1905 was 61, valued at $13,867. 
An odd, but sometimes very profitable, business is that of patrol- 
ling certain beaches on the watch for the bodies of sea otters which 
may be washed up. The work is carried on in the fall, winter, and 
