310 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS. 
THE LAW. 
During the investigation of the salmon fisheries in Alaska in 1897, when this ves- 
sel visited all the operating canneries and fisheries outside of Bering Sea, it was my 
opinion, frequently expressed, that as a rule the streams were overfished and could 
not continue for a long period to withstand the enormous draft made upon them. 
These fisheries have grown to such an extent that unless one has been in constant 
touch with the subject, the situation can not be fully grasped. In 1878, when the 
first canneries were established, the total Alaska pack was 8,159 cases; seven years 
later, in 1885, the pack was 83,415 cases; only four years afterwards, in 1889, the 
pack had grown to be 719,196 cases; and seven years from that date, 1896, it was 
966,707 cases; followed by a slack year, 1897, which yielded 909,078 cases. The past 
season, however (1900), has exceeded even the canners’ expectations, and an output of 
1,548,139 cases was the result. Multiplying this number by 85 may give approxi- 
mately the number of pounds of live salmon taken from the Alaska streams by the 
canneries. This does not include the amount taken by the salteries, or by the whites 
and natives for their own local use. It may be imagined how prolific these rivers 
must be when, under any condition, they can furnish this mass of fish. Every means 
that man can devise is used for their capture and apparently without restriction. 
In my former report, pages 38-42, the subject of the law was briefly discussed, 
and, with the experience since obtained, there seems no reason for changing the 
recommendations then made, but, on the contrary, they 7 should be emphasized and 
augmented. My opinion of traps has been given previously and need not be 
repeated here, except to say that, whatever legislation is effected, there should be no 
exceptions made. 
Duifing the past three years so-called purse seines have grown in favor, particu- 
larly in southeastern Alaska, and it is now claimed by those operating them that it is 
no longer necessary to resort to barricades, as the purse seines take all the fish before 
they can enter the streams. These seines are simply deep drag seines, square hung, 
which, in hauling, are pursed by gathering in the foot rope. Around the larger and 
more prolific streams of southeastern Alaska, such as Hetta, Ivarta Bay 7 , and Quadra, 
there were from 25 to 30 of these seines in operation during the season of 1900, one 
seine following the other in such rapid succession that few fish escaped capture. 
Purse seines, or seines used as such, should be abolished; in fact, the only 7 fishing 
apparatus allowed should be gill nets and drag seines; no exceptions should be made. 
The use of these appliances should be regulated, and competent inspectors appointed 
to enforce the law and the regulations. 
In the small streams examined this year those away 7 from the lines of travel 
were all found to have evidences of barricading. In some, where the current is not 
very? strong, stakes, planted on the banks and in the stream bed to support a net 
held to the bottom by bowlders, answered the fishermen’s purpose, while in other 
cases the regular log barricade, referred to in my previous report, was strongly in 
evidence. 
Since it is believed that the Puget Sound and Columbia River salmon fisheries 
are failing, attention has been drawn to Alaska. Six new canneries appeared in 
