The Alaska daily empire., 1915-12-27
REDFlELD TELLS
 OF EXPANSION OF
 ALASKA FISHERIES

Alaska's expanding fisheries and government steps to develop this in. dustry are explained by Secretary of Commerce Redreld in the annual re- port of the department made public recently. The report says:
 "The season of 1914 Ciigures for 1915 were not available when the re- port was prepared) was the most pros porous in the history of the general fisheries of Alaska. The products were valued at S5,5OO,oOO more than those of the previous season. The catch of salmon was the largest ever made. and was noteworthy for the enormous output of red fish in the Bristol Bay region.
 Tn 1914 the fishing industry of &l- aska gave employment to 2l.20o per sons. of whom slightly over 4O0O were natives. The investments in the fish cries was slightly over $3700O,OO0, of which SS1. .S94.0OO represented the sal mon industry. The catch of salmon aggregated 54,600.00O fish. from which there were prepared l,OS6,O0o cases of canned fish valued at S1S,92O,0Oo, and miscellaneous products proper in 1914 was $21 ,2i3,0 ,000. which amount exceed ed that of any other year. The num- Der of salmon canneries in Alaska In 1914 was eighty-one, compared with seventy-nine in 1913 and eighty-seven in 1912
 "The annual census of red salmon ascending Wood river was omitted In 1914. but was resumed in the season of 1915. The number which ascended the river in 1915 wcs approximately 24O.OOO. which number was less than that of any other one year in which the census has been taken.
 Effort Made to Enforce Lave.
 During the year every possible ef- fort has been made to enforce the laws and regulations. and 1t is believed as much has been done as possible with the limited personnel provided.
 Section of the act of congress ap- proved June 26, 1906. entitled An Act for the protection and regulation Of the fisheries of Alaska. authorizes the limiting or prohibition of fishing in certain Alaskan waters in the judg- ment Of the secretary of commerce, such action is necessary in the inter- est of the fisheries, but it Is required that before any such order shall be promulgated 8 hearing shall be held at which an persons interested may be given an opportunity to express their views. Two orders made sn ac- cordance with thic statute are now In effect. Recommendations having been made that tho department pro hibit commercial fishing in certain other waters arrangements were made for holding Q hearing in regard to the subject at Seattle on October l. 1915.
 1n tho fiscal year, 1914 the five privately owned salmon hatcherles in Alaska liberated 64,s97,5SO red-salmon fry, thereby earning for thoir owners tax emempuons on canned 5AiuOA uli' bunting to $25.959.0s. In the fiscal year 1915 these hatcher.es liberated 7e,619.50o rod.salmon fry, on wAieh the tax levy exemption is $Si,S4Iso, the basis of exemption being 70 cents per 1000 fry.
 Revision of Lave Urged
 "In ordvr that the department nay properly discharge Its functions and obligations with reference to the Al- aslIan fisheries, there should be Q gen- eral revision cf Che fishing laws 90 meet new conditions that have arisen There have been pro.racted conferen- ces with fishermen And fish-preser9- ing interoste of Alaska, looking to lhe