The progeny of these late fish
does not replinish the early runs
in any degree, but does maintain
the fall runs at their maximum.
By this policy of closing the fall
fishing entirely and permitting in
tensive fishing in the early run.-,
the late runs are maintained and
the early runs decreased.
Ill the case of Yakutat Bay
where I understand the run of fall
rish is largely cohoes, the 192s
closing is fixed for September 30tli,
and thus the entire month of Oe
tober silver salmon are going to the
spawning grounds to maintain a
late run of this variety; the same
quantity that escaped annually be
fore the Russian discovery. If the
same escapement i3 required to
maintain the supply today that was
required in the distant past when
the Indians took only what they re
quired for food, then this early clos
ing of Yakutat streams might be
warranted. Such escapement is not
necessary to maintain the supply,
but on the contrary, a treasonable
take of the silvers throughout the
fall season would probably result
in more prolific reproduction by a
reduced escapement to uncrowded
opawning beds.
With due respect for your ex
pressed opinion that the complete
closing down of fall fishing in South
eastern Alaska in 1927 was neces
sary for the preservation of the
general supply of fish, I neverthe
less believe that many fall salmon
could have been taken and the an
nual runs of these late fish would
not have been affected thereby.
The British Columbia reports
show that during the month of
October approximately 300,000 cas
es of chums and 34,000 cases of
silvers were taken from their wat
ers. Had an equal amount been
taken from the waters of South
eastern Alaska where the sources
of supply are much larger than m
British Columbia, it would mean
that at least ten small canneries
or portions of the larger canneries
WONDER
•££:Vi
) \Y
V
;; l)OU I
riiiM . wo" v o been building cities in the States for years,
i ;i i<li 111 soviet liibetter tlia.it a shack for ourselves at home?
could have operated at a profit,
and employment given to local fish
ernnm and their families which
would have been a boon to bo-li
c.anners and fishermen.
The British Columbia escapement
was regulated by observation at the
streams and the fishermen were
permitted to take all that the
wardens believed to be in excess of
spawning requirements. By this
system a uniform escapement ah
through the fall season was effected,
and the packers and fishermen pro
filed by this policy.
T respectfully request that you
give due consideration to a fall fish
ing policy in \laska similar to that
of the British Columbia authorities.
T am quite sure that but compara
tively few of the Alaskan canneries
would remain open during the fall
season, hut some of the smaller
ones would take advantage of the
opportunity to remain in operation
during the fall season, even though
the fishing might be intermittent
at the will of the Secretary of Com
merce. This suggested policy would
tend to prevent the natural waste
of food fish that comes from com
plete escapement of any run of
fish; it would give the packers si
chance to recover losses incidental
to short runs of fish in the summer
season and would, above all, cir
culate a little money at the close
of the season among the local fish
isg population where, God knows,
it is badly needed.
Your consideration of this sug
gestion will be greatly appreciated
by,
Tours truly,
DAN SUTHERLAND,
Delegate from Atatov