58 FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1907. 
hunting of the fur seal. Under the laws in force at present only 
Indians can kill fur seals. When the animals in their northward 
migration to Bering Sea reach the neighborhood of Baranof Island, on 
which Sitka is located, during the month of May, the natives go out 
in small sailboats and canoes and hunt them with guns. This year 
they secured 355 skins, which, owing to the spirited competition, sold 
for $23 each, a very high price. These skins are much sought after 
by the dealers because, being taken by natives, and a certificate from 
the collector of customs certifying to this being attached to each, they 
can, under the law, be sent abroad to be cleaned and dyed, and then 
can be brought back and sold in our markets. The possession of 
such a certificate is considered to add about $10 to the value of the 
skin. 
The pelagic fleet hailing from British Columbia, and working on the 
northern herd, was composed this year of 15 vessels, and its catch 
amounted to 2,858 skins from Bering Sea, 448 from Copper Island, 
1,934 from the British Columbia-Alaska Coast, a total of 5,240, while 
157 were taken by Indians in canoes along the coast, a grand total for 
British Columbia of 5,397 skins. In 1906, 17 vessels caught 7,983 
seals in Bering Sea, and 1,403 from along the coast, a total of 9,386. 
In 1905 the Bering Sea catch of the fleet amounted to 10,832 skins. 
A Japanese pelagic fleet, estimated to comprise 36 vessels, also 
hunted in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean and secured 
about 9,000 seals. As this fleet is not bound by the restrictions of the 
international agreement between Great Britain and this country, 
it hunted when, where, and asit pleased outside the 3-mile limit. But 
even this practically free hand did not satisfy some of the Japanese. 
OnJuly 3 the revenue cutter Manning discovered boats from the schoon- 
ers Nitto Maru, Kaiwo, and Kompiro inside the 3-mile limit near 
Southwest Bay, St. Paul Island, and promptly seized all three ves- 
sels. As there was a doubt as to the guilt of the Kompiro, she was 
released with the customary warning. The Mtto Maru and Kaiwo 
were towed to Unalaska, where the crews were taken off the vessels 
and put aboard the Manning, which carried them to Valdez in August 
for trial. The captain and 6 members of the crew of the Nitto Maru 
were found guilty, were fined respectively $500 and $200 each, and 
the vessel was ordered to be libeled. The government later ordered 
her release. Three members of the crew of the Kaiwo were convicted 
and fined $300 each. Nearly all the fines were paid by the companies 
operating the vessels. On June 17 the Japanese schooner Mei Maru 
was seized by the revenue cutter Perry, charged with having boats 
sealing within the 3-mile limit, but she was later released, as the 
evidence was not conclusive. 
The schooner Kaiwo proved to have had an eventful career. She 
was built at Gloucester, Mass., and for some years was engaged in 
