98 KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



the head of lakes, the spawning grounds of the red salmon will be 

 destroyed. The destruction of the forests above the spawning grounds 

 would be almost fatal to the salmon in the streams concerned. It is, 

 in fact, very important for the salmon industry in southeast Alaska 

 that the government reserve from settlement the catchment basin of 

 every red-salmon stream — at least every red-salmon stream suitable for 

 hatching purposes, thus protecting them from loss of timber, from 

 sawdust, from placer mining, and from pollution from oil wells. 



Another form of protection would be the shortening of the fishing 

 season, or making the catch more costly, thus limiting it. Either of 

 these means would be legitimate, and without hatcheries both will be 

 found necessary. 



The recommendations of the salmon commission are on the basis of 

 maintaining a permanent industry. The government should not per- 

 mit private citizens or corporations to destroy future industries for 

 the sake of present gains. It is true that the streams of Alaska, 

 unless injured by mining or lumbering operations, will retain their 

 present character; they can be repopulated when exhausted, and a 

 fisher}^ industry once crippled or destroyed can be restored; but it is 

 far more economical to prevent such destruction, and the government 

 should consider nothing short of it. 



The key to the whole question of the future of the Alaska salmon 

 industry is artificial propagation of the red salmon. Under natural 

 conditions the eggs must remain on the spawning beds many weeks, 

 or even months, before hatching, and both they and the fry are attacked 

 by the Dolly Varden trout, sculpins, sticklebacks, and various other 

 enemies, including fungoid diseases. The Dolly Varden trout, which 

 swarms wherever salmon eggs or fry are found, is perhaps the most 

 persistent and destructive. The fish duck also does much damage. 

 So many are the dangers which beset the young salmon that it is 

 doubtful whether one in a hundred, or even one in a thousand, lives 

 to maturitj^ By artificial propagation practically all of these dangers 

 are eliminated. Almost every egg can be fertilized, the danger of 

 disease can be greatly reduced, all the enemies that feed upon the eggs 

 and fry can be eliminated, and a vastly larger proportion will reach 

 maturity. 



The special commission strongly recommends the prompt establish- 

 ment of at least four salmon hatcheries in Alaska — two in southeast 

 Alaska, one at Af ognak Island and one in the Bristol Bay region. These 

 stations should be well equipped in every way* for handling 40,000,000 

 to 50,000,000 eggs each. 



Every salmon hatchery in Alaska will require a trained and compe- 

 tent manager or superintendent. One who has learned the business 

 by rule of thumb will not answer; still less one who has not learned 



