16 
BULLETIN' OE THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
trend, a knowledge of these temporary fluctuations may be of great value, as their 
study may eventually enable the forecasting, a year or more in advance, of the size 
and quantity of herring to be expected. 
In pointing out the difficulties created by the presence of races and of dominant 
year classes, no account was taken of the difficulty of determining the abundance 
in the first place. Usually, for example, no reliance can be placed upon the total 
catch as an index of abundance, as it is subject to marked variation from economic 
causes and seldom represents the same amount of fishing effort. Thus if any very 
definite conclusions concerning abundance are to be reached, data must be collected 
which will represent the catch in terms of fishing effort. This is not simple if the 
fishing conditions are changing. A fishery once carried on during the autumn, for 
example, may later be conducted during the summer, and it would be unwise to 
assume that similar amounts of effort should represent similar catches in the two 
seasons without a thorough knowledge of the facts. Changes in the unit of effort 
itself presents another obstacle. Thus gill nets may succeed purse seines, or vice 
versa, and even where the same type of gear is continuously employed, a few simple 
changes in the net or in its manner of use, or in the fishing boat, may greatly alter 
the efficiency of the unit of effort. 
FACTORS OTHER THAN ABUNDANCE AFFECTING THE CATCH 
CHANGES IN THE SEASON 
During the early years of the herring industry in southeastern Alaska, fishing 
was largely conducted in the fall and winter months, chiefly because the fishermen 
did not understand the curing of the “feedy” summer herring. About 1910 the 
fishermen commenced impounding the herring, thus allowing them to clean them- 
selves of the “feed” before being salted. In 1917 the United States Bureau of 
Fisheries introduced the Scotch method of curing herring. In this method the fish 
are carefully gutted. These improvements aided in the use of the summer herring, 
which, being very fat, make a superior pack. The fishery thus gradually changed 
from a fall and early winter fishery to a summer fishery before any regulations were 
applied. 
EFFECT OF REGULATIONS 
Since the enactment by Congress of the White law in 1924 the herring fisheries 
have been subject to regulation by the Secretary of Commerce. The seasons open 
to commercial fishing in the various areas have been defined and limitations placed 
upon the types of gear. The regulations that concern the herring fisheries of south- 
eastern Alaska are as follows: 
Under date of December 2, 1924. 
Herring fishery. — (1) Unless otherwise specified, commercial fishing for herring is prohibited 
in all waters closed throughout the entire year to salmon fishing. 
(2) Commercial fishing for herring is prohibited during the period from January 1 to May 31, 
both dates inclusive, and from September 16 to December 31, both dates inclusive, of each calendar 
year, with the following exceptions: 
(a) Commercial fishing for herring may be conducted from March 15 to April 15, both dates 
inclusive, in waters in the vicinity of Sitka Within a line from Halibut Point to Cape Burunof. 
(b) Commercial fishing for herring may be conducted from December 15 to January 15, both 
dates inclusive, in the waters of Seward Passage and Ernest Sound. 
(c) Commercial fishing for herring may be conducted from January 1 to February 15, both dates 
inclusive, in the waters of Clarence Strait within a radius of 3 statute miles of the town of Hadley, 
