about 1,S00 miles of coast. Form
erly as many fish were taken from
tne 600-mile stretch as are now pro
cured from (he entire area of 1,800
miles
The banks on the eastern, side of
the Gulf of Alaska, which yield
spawning fish, were first exploited
in 1913. In 1926 the larger boats
made by far the greater part of their
catches in the vicinity of Kodiak Is
laud, in the western side of the Gulf
of Alaska, about 1,200 miles beyond
the original fishery.
The catch on the older grounds
south of Cape Ommaney has decreas
ed from a total in excess of 50,000.
000 pounds in 1910 to about 20,000,
000 in 1926, and much greater effor
was exerted in making the catch in
the latter year.
It is evident that the present level
of production has been maintained
by extending fishing operation's to
new areas, as the catch on the old
er grounds decrease, and by increas
ing the intensity of the fishing
effort.
The amount of gear now used on
the older banks is about two and
one-half times the quantity formerly
used, yet the present catch is onlv
about 4 0 per cent of the former yield
from these grounds. Under the stress
of this great intensification of fishing
effort the abundance of fish on tno
older banks has fallen enormously,
to 16 per cent of the abundance iu
1906.
More Gear Required For
Same Fish Catch
Where in 1906 the catch per set
of a unit of fishing gear was nearly
300 pounds, in 19 26 it was below 5<'
pounds. Expressed in another way
it required six units of gear to catch
as many fish as one unit caught in
1906. The decline has gone on at
en even rate and shows no tendency
to slacken.
Accompanying this fall in abund
ance there has been a decrease in
the average size of the fish landed,
and a great increase in the percent
age of undersized fish. For exam
ple, between 1919 and 1926 the per
centage of undersized fish from the
older banks increased from 20 to
30 per cent.
The more recently exploited banks
to the westward show the same
trend, the catch having fallen from
17° pounds per unit gear in 1923 lo
100 pounds in 1926, and was still
lower in 1927, while at the same
time there was an, increase of fish
under 11% pounds.
The rapidity of decline is regard
ed as especially serious because of
ti e very slow rate of growth of the
halibut, an adult being from 12 io
25 years, or over, in age. Hence
the present decline has taken place
within the life span of one halibut
of ordinarily large size.
As nearly all the fish which are be
ing caught now were spawned eight
or ten years ago, the abundance of
the younger fish, which will annually
be available for capture in the next
10 years, has already been estab
lished. If these are greatly reduc
ed in numbers, and the intensity of
the fishery maintained, the outlook
for a future stock of spawning fish
sufficient to maintain the supply,
presents a hopeless picture.
In fact the commission’s investi
gations indicate that relatively few
mature halibut are now found on
the older banks.
These illustrations demonstrate
beyond a doubt that the fishery is
in a very serious condition, and that
the banks cannot stand the intensity
of fishing to which they are subject
ed. The commission is fully convinc
ed that the conditions are so serious
that no delay should be permitted
in the adoption of additional conser
vation measures. In the light of the
investigations made, such action is
essential to the maintenance of the
fishery.
Recommendations Made For ....
Preserving Fishery
The Commission recommends cer
tain additional measures of conser
vation, which are here summarized
arid are dealt with in pages follow
ing. It is recommended that powex
be given proper governmental auth
orities:
1. (a) To establish areas, within
each of which, if deemed necessary
for the preservation of the fishery
there, the total catch of halibut may
be reduced by a predetermined per
centage annually, commencing not
less than one year after the putting
in force of this recommendation, un
til the fishery therein shall reach a
state of stability of yield.
(b) To determine upon the
amount of this percentage reduction
and to revise same from time to
time as may be found necessary, the
intent being to restrain any increase
;n the amount of fishing within such
area.
2. To close permanently to ali
fishing the two areas herewith defin
ed, and known to be populated by
Mnall immature halibut, and to close
such other grounds as may be found
ny the commission to be populated
by a similar class of fish.
3. To prevent the use of any fish
ing gear deemed unduly destructive
4. To extend the present closed
season by two weeks at its beginning
making the closure for all fishing
in all areas from November 1 to
February 15, both dates inclusive,
and to facilitate future alteration*
in the length of close season.
5. To license all vessels fishing
for halibut in treaty waters, under
such terms as are necessary for the
purpose of the treaty, including
statistical returns, and for the clear
ance of regulated waters.
O’MALLEY WARNS INDUSTRY
Henry O'Malley, United States
Commissioner of Fisheries, now In
Ketchikan has issued a second
warning to the Canning Industry,
that unless they are less hoggish in
their efforts to can every last sal
mon. The regulations now in force
contemplated a 30 per cent reduc
tion whereas in fact it has reduced
production only 10 per cer^t. His
statement to the press was that
unless the packers complied with
roth the letter and spirit of present
regulations he would be compelled
to promulgate more drastic regula
tions.