442 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
The fishing grounds, thus protected from heavy surf, can be used uninterruptedly 
during the entire salmon season. Light-draft boats can be operated in the channels 
connecting the Ahrnklin and Situk Rivers and the catches from both streams shipped 
by rail to the cannery, thereby obviating an ocean haul of about 20 miles. Delivery 
of fish from the more easterly streams can also be made at the same point whenever 
it is possible to cross the bar at the mouth of Ahrnklin River; otherwise the tenders 
are obliged to make the run to the cannery. In these quiet waters the fishermen 
are able to ply their nets without hindrance. 
All operations in this field were carried on in accordance with the provisions of 
the law of 1906 until 1924, when the new fishery law was enacted. 6 No regulations 
supplementing the general law were issued prior to 1924, though the question of limit- 
ing the fishing in Situk River was discussed at a public hearing in 1916; but no further 
action was taken, as no evidence of depletion of the runs in that river was then pro- 
duced. In 1924, after passage of the new law, regulations were promulgated, 
effective June 21, establishing a weekly closed period of 48 hours in that part of 
the district west of the 139th meridian of west longitude and closing the section 
of the district east of the same meridian for 20 days from August 11 to August 31 
of each year. This regulation was superseded by a new one in 1925 which closed 
the entire district from July 20 to August 5. In addition, all fishing in Ankau 
River and Slough, in Akwe River, and in the “Basin” of Alsek River was prohibited 
throughout the year. These regulations were continued in effect in 1926, and it was 
further ordered that no fishing boat would be permitted to carry more than 200 fath- 
oms of gill net. In 1927 the limit of gill nets per boat was raised to 250 fathoms, the 
weekly closed period was extended to 60 hours, and Dry Bay was closed to all fishing 
before June 1. The size and number of beach seines was not limited in any of these 
years; gill nets ranging from 200 to 250 fathoms were permitted without limitation 
as to number except that no boat should carry more than one net. In the end 
the really effective regulations in permitting a larger escapement of salmon were 
those establishing closed periods and closed areas. By them alone was the catch 
reduced, as the unlimited use of seines and of gill nets not exceeding 250 fathoms in 
length was not likely to result in a slackened fishing effort. Closed periods were 
effective in breaking the intensity of fishing and making possible a larger escape- 
ment of salmon under these protective measures than otherwise would have been 
the case. 
It is evident from the statistical data presented in table 1 that the catch of red 
salmon at each stream averaged less after 1924 than it did before that date, but 
there was no decrease in the number of fathoms of seines and gill nets used as com- 
pared with the number of nets employed in several seasons immediately preceding. 
On the contrary, in 1927 more fathoms of seines were operated than in any season 
since 1916, and the number of fathoms of gill nets used had been exceeded but four 
times since 1914 (one of which years was 1925 after the regulations under the new 
law had become operative). While the catch of reds was reduced, cohos were taken 
in larger numbers in 1927 than in any other year in the entire history of the district; 
pinks have been captured in greater quantities in the last 5 years than ever before, 
and there was no material decline in the catch of kings except at Dry Bay in 1927, 
a fact traceable, in all probability, to the prohibition of fishing prior to June 1. 
Chums have never constituted an important element in the commercial fishery in 
the Yakutat district. 
6 See pt. I, p. 47 f.f. 
