54 REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



that had been unable to get farther up the stream, on account of a natural obstruction, and were thus 

 killed by gulls and other enemies before spawning. I could enumerate many other instances which would 

 merely confirm the results of these observations. 



There are other fish that suffer equally as much from the gulls. On the western coast, near Sitka, 

 and in other regions, earlier in the season their prey is principally the herring and their eggs. Many millions 

 are sacrificed in this way. It is beyond comprehension that this vast number of birds, so injurious to a 

 great industry and so destructive to much valuable food, should be protected by law. Their only redeeming 

 feature, as far as I can see, is that they act as scavengers for the cannery people who are willing to dump 

 refuse almost into their front yards to be eaten up by these ravenous birds. However, I think this is a 

 poor argument in their favor, for the cannery men should improve conditions by taking care of this waste 

 material rather than depend on the present means for disposing of it. 



In some localities, and especially on Forrester Island, the Indians have been collecting gull eggs for 

 food. Since Forrester Island was made a bird reservation, this has been prohibited, but I think that so 

 far as the gull is concerned the practice ought to be permitted. While I do not at present approve of 

 any bounty on gulls, I feel that no protective law should apply to them anywhere in Alaska, and that 

 the use of their eggs for food purposes should be permitted whenever desired. 



The terns are also very destructive, as their food in some localities consists almost solely of salmon 

 eggs and young salmon. In several instances I observed them diving for these eggs during the spawning 

 season, and upon killing them their crops would be found filled with eggs. 



American merganser. — Another destructive agent to salmon is the American merganser, commonly 

 known as the sawbill. I observed many instances where this salmon destroyer had dug up eggs under 

 the water and had also swallowed young salmon. In examining their crops, I found added assurance 

 that their food at certain times of the year, at least, comprises salmon and trout and their eggs. 



Hair seal. — Another very destructive agent to all fish is the hair seal. This animal has comparatively 

 little value except as it is used by the natives for boats, wearing apparel, and for making souvenirs. Hair 

 seals are very plentiful in certain localities and do a great deal of damage to fishing gear and to the fish 

 caught therein. In one instance I saw two hair seals in a trap that had partly eaten or mutilated nearly 

 every salmon that had been caught; and this is not of infrequent occurrence. Also in gill-net operations 

 they are very troublesome and destructive, as it often happens that before a fisherman can haul in his 

 net these hungry seals will bite into a large number of his catch of salmon, thereby spoiling them. 



Trout. — Much has been said about the trouts, the Dolly Varden, cutthroat, steelhead, and rainbow, 

 and the damage they do in consuming so many of the small salmon and eggs. This is no doubt true in 

 a large measure, but it is only one of several principal contributing causes in the destruction of the salmon; 

 and while I have seen, from personal examination, many trout whose stomachs contained small salmon 

 and eggs, I think that, considering the value of trout for food purposes, they should not be annihilated, 

 as has been advocated by many. 



Sculpins. — Attention is also directed to sculpins, which are very destructive to salmon. Their efforts 

 are confined chiefly to eating eggs and young salmon on the spawning grounds. 



HALIBUT INDUSTRY. 



The halibut industry in Alaska waters has expanded very much in the last few years, and is now 

 second only to the salmon industry. In some localities, however, where halibut were formerly plentiful, 

 there is a noticeable diminution, and while a few years ago large quantities of halibut were caught in readily 

 accessible waters it is now necessary for the fishermen to go some distance in order to make satisfactory 

 catches. A good example is Frederick Sound, which formerly was one of the best halibut grounds in 

 southeastern Alaska, but where now the supply is greatly depleted. This, however, is not an extensive 

 field, comparatively speaking. 



Both the methods of fishing and the increased number of participants in the industry are responsible 

 for the depletion of the supply. The former almost exclusive use of small boats assured a natural pro- 

 tection, for their use was confined to comparatively small areas, and rough weather limited the period 

 of operations. At the present time seagoing vessels are used, and the field and time of operations are 

 thereby greatly extended. 



