28 American Fisheries Society. 



to Mike, "Mike, I wouldn't like to be up there in that aeroplane." 

 "Sure," said Mike, "an' I wouldn't like to be up there without it!" 

 It is true that the Federal Government and the State authorities 

 must work together in order to secure the best results. Particularly 

 is that the case when it comes to the distribution of fishes through- 

 out the country. The Bureau has only a limited knowledge of the 

 various waters of the States, and there is a chance of some appHcant 

 requesting fish, the introduction of which might be destructive to 

 the fish indigenous to the streams. Therefore I wish to ask the 

 State Fish Commissions not to hesitate at any time to write the 

 Bureau on this subject. In many cases the Bureau is referring ap- 

 plicants to the Slate Fish Commissions in order that requests may 

 be passed upon by the local officials; thus the burden of responsi- 

 bility will rest upon the State if we make a mistake. 



I do not believe this is an appropriate time to take up the two 

 subjects that are really burninig issues today, because I presume 

 they have been discussed earlier in your meeting. I refer to the 

 questions of pollution, and to the establishment of fishways in the 

 various streams where dams are built or proposed. In the east 

 the dams have already been constructed, and in some instances 

 fishways have been provided. On the Pacific Coast big power pro- 

 jects are coming to the front; this year alone in southeastern Alaska 

 there have been sixteen applications for the damming of streams 

 known to be among the very best salmon streams in that country. 

 If all these permits are granted it means the annihilation of the sal- 

 mon industry of Alaska. A hydro-electric power enterprise wishes 

 to dam the Klamath River for the development of power. They 

 guarantee the expenditure of thirteen millions and the creation of a 

 permanent industry in northern California. This river supports a 

 fishery worth annually about $120,000 ; so you can see the condition 

 that exists with respect to that one case alone. As I view the matter' 

 it is good policy for the people v/ho are interested in ;he fisheries side 

 of the work to get in with these people and try to arrive at a solution 

 of the problem if possible ; otherwise — at any rate this is the case 

 with us on the coast — our salmon stands a chance of being exter- 

 minated. In Alaska, where some of these projects are under con- 

 sideration, the salmon fishery is of first importance, because Alaska 

 without its salmon would be a very poor country. Perhaps many of 

 you do not know that at the present time about 78 per cent of the 

 running expenses of the territory of Alaska are paid by the taxes 



