PLAN FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BROWN BEAR 9 



FISHING INDUSTRY 



Commercial fishing gives rise to more contacts between men and 

 bears than any other local activity, especially in the salmon-spawning 

 season, which is also the most active fishing period. Salmon start 

 to enter the fresh-water streams on the island in the middle of July, 

 and a great concentration of bears occurs on the lower sections of the 

 streams near tidewater during the following 6 weeks or 2 months. 

 According to the Bureau of Fisheries, 65 streams on the island are 

 used by salmon. 



Six salmon canneries, of which only three have been active in the 

 past 3 years, are located along the coast. During the active fishing 

 season 25 to 30 salmon traps, each in charge of a watchman, are 

 placed along the shore line. At the same time not less than 25 seine 

 boats, with crews of 4 to 5 men, fish for salmon in the waters 

 adjoining the island and spend much time at anchor in the protected 

 bays. The actual fishing and packing season of the canning plants 

 covers about 6 weeks in midsummer. During this period the three 

 canneries bring to the island approximately 500 men, of which one- 

 fifth are orientals, principally Chinese and Filipinos. Exclusive of 

 this short period of intense activity, the industry employs about 120 

 men on the island between April 1 and September 30, but during 

 most of the remaining 6 months only one watchman for each cannery. 



The herring-packing establishments on the east shore of Baranof 

 Island frequently send boats across Chatham Strait to fish in the 

 bays on the west side of Admiralty Island. 



Trolling for king salmon, which are shipped fresh in ice from the 

 Territory, is an important local industry. The fishing is done from 

 small boats, each with a crew of 1 or 2 men, during 9 months of the 

 year, but intermittently at any one place, depending on the movement 

 of the fish. These fishermen use nearby protected bays as head- 

 quarters and frequently maintain tent camps ashore. The most 

 active trolling grounds in the island waters are off Hood Bay and 

 Point Gardner, and in Seymour Canal. Perhaps 40 boats fish at 

 least 3 months of the season along the Admiralty coastline. 



A small amount of halibut fishing, carried on in much the same 

 way as salmon trolling, is done in waters adjacent to the island. 



To provide the best possible protection against seining in the 

 streams during the 6-week salmon-canning season, the Bureau of 

 Fisheries maintains stream watchmen at the mouths of three impor- 

 tant creeks. The taking of salmon for commercial use after they 

 have entered any spawning stream is illegal. 



AGRICULTURAL SETTLEMENT 



The limited agricultural possibilities preclude any extensive de- 

 mand for opening land to homestead entry. Only seven homesteaders 

 (on either patented or unpatented claims) are now living on the 

 island. The policy in effect is to discourage the settlement of any 

 isolated tract too small for the development of a sufficient community 

 to provide reasonable social and educational advantages. The exten- 

 sion of existing settlements, where soil and other conditions are satis- 

 factory, is encouraged as being to the best interests of permanent 



