The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-01-09

present year 8 pack will equal that o
last year. The pack of Puget sount
has this year fallen back to the small
average pack of former years. but il
| the experience of all salmon fisher
man. years of scarcity and years Of
plenty alternate with regularity il
the salmon fishing business. Certainly
no deductions or conclusions of scien.
tific value. as to the probable life Of
the salmon industry on the Pacific
coast can be drawn by any data thus
far obtained. The Sacramento river
| is exceptional, but the salmon were
almost exterminated in that river, not
by over fishing, but by the choking up
of the river by the immense mass OF
detritus or ''slickens' in miner s
parlance, due to old placer mining
operations along that stream
| have forborne thus far to refer to
the economic side of this question
dwelt upon at some length in the ar
gument on Wednesday last, but it is
one entitled to serious consideration.
The growth of the pink salmon indus
try is matter of Importance to the
consumer when, on account of the
accelerating increase in price of food
products, no kind of fish meat can be
had in the retail market at this time
for less than 30 cents per pound. To-
day case of pink salmon of four
dozen cans of pound each, of solid,
wholesome, clean food only brings to
the packer less than So. so per case,
or little more than 5 cents per pound.
It is retailed for not to exceed 10
cents per pound. 1t is impossible to
put up this fish and sell for this
money. Tt can only be done when
there is a sufficient proportion of red
fish to make it profitable. Red fish are
quoted in the wholesale market at
81 go per case or 81. Is per dozen. Any
change in the fishing laws for south
eastern Alaksa which would tend to
shorten the pack of red fish, must
prove embarrassing to this industry.
eastern Alaska engaged in the pink
fish industry contemplate the proposed
action of the department which cuts
off one-half of the pack of red fish al
ready proportiopately too small to
make such fishing enterprises profta-
BILE, with alarm and grave apprehen-
sions as to the future. On the whole,
the reports which are current, origin
ating with those least informed. that
salmon is being ezterminated in the
streams of southeastern Alaska, is not
borne out by even superficial exam
ination of statistics bearing upon this
industry. Neither need any alarm be
felt that there is to be vast decline
in the salmon output of Alaska in
the near future. Even at this time,
nos one-half of the far extending line
of Alaskan coast of over 90, 900 miles
is fshed for it's salmon. In all, per-
haps not one-half of the streams to
which the salmon come annually to
spawn, have ever been fished except
by the natives. Their product cannot
be taken at this time, owing to the
shortness of the season, ice. difficulties
Of navigation, climatic differences and
lack of any methods yet discovered
whereby the catch may be economi-
cally taken or packed There are many
problems, commercial. financial and
scientific to be overcome. Salmon
packers engaged in the business in
Alaska are studying these questions,
and if solution should ever be reach
ed of these problems, the product of
the salmon streams might be increased
fve-fold, without making any inroads
upon the salmon supply
| am aware that this proposed meas
ure has been counseled by Commander
Moser, formerly of the AlDatross. No
man stands higher in the esteem of
those engaged in the salmon canning
industry than Commander Moser,
and there is no one in the country
whose JUDGMENT on the Alaska sal.
mon business Is entitled to so much
respect yet his reports show that there
has been no appreciable percentage
of increase in the southeastern Alaska
pack The following is taken from
page 3l2 of his last report:
pack. 80 9; year 1898, annual per cent
total pack, 26.1; year 1899, annual
per cent total pack 28.S; year 1900,
annual per cent total pack, 49, 5
The larger per centage of red fish is
packed in western Alaska and Bering
sea, and this is nine tenths red fish.
He does not anywhere contend that
streams are being depleted.
The humpback is wasted outside of
Southeastern Alaska. AS the salmon
commences to run earlier in some
streams than others, the regulation
will be felt more severely by the can
neries packing from the earlier
streams. However, ii the department
feels convinced that 1t is imperative
to adopt an early close season, would
it not be better to fix the date at June
%. and in such case the weekly close
season could be abolished without det-
riment to the salmon supply. By this
course the pink salmon industry,
which at this time is menaced by
high priced tin. salt, materials and
labor. and a low market. might 1t
be so radically affected.
Very respectfuIly.