The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-10
SEALS KILL THE DoGr1sH.
Existence Of the Fur Animal Insures
Destruction OF the Sea-Wolf.

Existence Of the Fur Animal Insures
Destruction of the Sea-Wolf.
Henry W. Elicit in Forest and Stream.
In census bulletin No. 80, March 10, 1891
Washington, d. CO.. upon the Wealth
and Resources of Alaska" Superintendent
Porter makes the following statement in
his letter of introduction to Special Agent
Petroff's report:
One of the most eminent authorities oa
Alaska recently stated II as his belief that the
salmon, cod and herring fisheries OF the territory
would become of such immense value in the
event of the entire destruction OF the fur seal.
which now preys upon the fish. that Its possible
determination is contingency that need not
excite serious alarm.
As this subject of what influence the fur
seal herd had and has upon the supply of
food fishes for man. is one which has often
been discussed during the last six or
seven years among ichthyologists and
naturalists generally at the Smithsonian
Institution and of the United States fish
commission. il is not new theme: but
the verdict of experts here is Numerically
opposed to the statement above made by
Mr.. Porter's authority as he quotes him.
Curiousiy enough, on page of this bull
ietin No. 80 appears the following sug-
real and most destructive enemy which
these food fishes have to encounter:
The waters OF Prince William sound contain,
perhaps, less fish than other sections of the ter
r4tory, the most abundant species being the dog
fish. which seems to have driven away the
Goldfish and nearly exterminafed the herring,
upon which IL feeds
This is the same aozfish (Sqsalas acan-
hias) that yexes the soul of the East coast
fishermen from Massachusetts, up to the
Gulf OF st. Lawrence; it is the same ILL
favored sea-wolf that these men recognize
there as the most active and deadly enemy
OF the cod, lake and pollock. 1t IS none
the less destructive in the waters of the
Northwest coast and Alaska, going as far
northsas 20 deg. north latitude in Bering
sea, and ranging as far south as Cape Men,
docino, coast OF California
all through the littoral waters between
the Straits of Fuca and Kodiak, and it
feeds largely upon young Goldfish, from
two to six inches in length, young salmon
fry and herring.
Now, what has mainly prevented these
doghshes from so multiplying as to pro-
duce the same result of ruin to the cod
Alaska, as is declared TO be the case in
Prince William sound, by Special Agent
Perrof, above cited?
Why, the fur seal. He is the chief and
only pronounced hunter of the dogfish;
man rejects all fishing of that creature as
improbable. except in very small way
for Its oil; but the fur seal regards the
some game, and feeds upon its
plump oily body, with soft gela-
tinous fms; bites the head off at
the nape and usually rejects it, because
the teeth are sharp and hard and unpleas-
ant when involved in the slight mast;ca-
ton that thishnimal ever gives to Its food.
OF course, l do not deny that the fur seal
eats cod, salmon and herring, wolf-fishes,
scuiplns and crabs.
A little reflection will teach most men
that nature has kept q perfect system of
checks and balances upon the relative
status Of all wild life, and that when man
steps in to disturb that system of natural
equilibrium he generally makes blunder
and strives hard to atone for it afterward.
OF course, if we could protect the food
fishes of Alaska from this dogfish, their
own most natural enemy, and other enc
mics, as well as the fur seals can and do,
then there would be no argument on that
score in favor of saving these animals; but
until we are equal to that task
it is best to let the fur seal life remain,
without reference to several other excel
lent and weighty reasons why it should
not be greedily and thoughtlessIy exposed
ton by the hands of unchecked pelagic
sealers.
If your readers who are really interested
in the subject of the preservation of the
food fish fisheries of Alaska will turn to a
recent report upon ssThe Salmon and Sal
mon Rivers of Alaska" by DIR. L. III. Bean,
United States fish commission, they will
find in its pages abundant proof that the
chief enemy today, and its only one, TO the
well being and perpetuation of this indus
try up there is man himself, and that the
seals cut no figure in the trouble.