SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 
9 
permanent fences,, dams, or barricades in any of the rivers of Alaska, whether they extend wholly or 
only in part across said stream, is an impediment to the ascent of salmon or other anadromous species 
to their spawning-grounds, and is clearly a violation of the act of March 2, 1889. 
The Department will be pleased if you will inform Lieut. Commander Tanner of its decision 
in this case and instruct him to warn the parties who erected said traps, or any others of like nature 
that may come to his notice, to immediately remove the same, and thereafter to report the persons, 
with statement of facts, to the United States attorney of Alaska for prosecution under act March 2, 
1889, and also to forward a duplicate of his report to this Department for its information. 
Respectfully yours, 
O. F. Spaulding, 
Acting Secretary. 
The following communication was therefore transmitted to Lieut. Commander 
Tanner, advising him of the ruling of the Treasury Department: 
Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, 
Commanding Fish Commission Steame)' Albatross, 
Unalaska, Alaska: 
Washington, D. C., August 15, 1890. 
Dear Sir: Your letters of June 15 (179) and 18 (182), relative to your visit to the Nushagak and 
Wood rivers in respect to reported obstructions to the ascent of salmon, came duly to hand and were 
referred to the Secretary of the Treasury for his information. In connection with th6m, I also trans- 
mitted to the Secretary of the Treasury a report by Dr. Bean based upon your letters and describing 
the inevitable effect of the construction of such traps as those now being constructed in the Wood 
River. A copy of Dr. Bean’s report is herewith inclosed, and also a copy of a letter just received from 
the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, in which a decision is rendered that the Wood River traps are a 
violation of the act of March 2, 1889. 
Should this communication reach you in time you will proceed to carry out the request of the 
Treasury Department as stated in the letter of the Acting Secretary. 
Very respectfully, 
M. McDonald, 
Commissioner. 
LIMITATION OF THE SALMON CATCH BY AGREEMENT OF THE CANNERS. 
The restrictions and embarrassments imposed upon the operations of the canneries 
by the act of Congress prohibiting the erection of barriers to the ascent of salmon in 
the rivers, and the decision of the Secretary of the Treasury that the erection of traps 
or any other permanent fences, dams, or barricades in any of the rivers of Alaska, 
whether extending wholly or only in part across said streams, was an impediment to 
the ascent of salmon and other anadromous species to their spawning-grounds, and 
therefore unlawful, changed the methods and apparatus of the fisheries, but brought no 
relief or immunity from the threatened disaster, since the methods substituted exclude 
the salmon from their spawning-grounds as effectually as if permanent obstructions 
were maintained in the rivers. 
The pack of 1891 fell but little short of the enormous pack of 1889, and the accumu- 
lated stock of 1889, 1890, and 1891, being in excess of the demands of the market, had 
its natural result in causing a break in prices, which proved disastrous to many of the 
canneries and led to a combination of interests for the purpose of reducing production. 
An agreement to limit the catch was entered into by the eanners of Alaska and 
British Columbia, which was put iu operation the present season. 
This limitation of the salmon catch by agreement places a check upon excessive 
fishing in Alaska. The effect will be conservative, although the measure was actuated 
