The Alaska daily empire., 1916-12-13
Conservation Is Urged by Governor Strong in Annual Report
 Submitted.
MUST OBSERVE LAWS
Salmon Industry Along Southeastern Coast Is Being Rapidly
 Depleted.

Gov. J. F. A. Strong in his an-
 nual report on Alaska to the Secre-
 tary of the Interior pays particular
 attention to the fishing industry Of the Territory. He says that a mat
 ter Of vital economic and industrial ! importance to Alaska is the conser-
 vation of its fisheries. and especial ly the salmon fisheries; and this
 phase of the question will be first considered. In discussing it, I am well aware that my opinion as to the depletion of salmon is in direct var lance with that of the United States
 Bureau of Fisheries. which is charged
 with the administration of the fish cries of Alaska. and which has shown commendable zeal. particularly in its scientific work. In a statement fur nished by the bureau for use in this report it is said:
 Tt is not uncommon to hear it stated by some persons that the fish ing resources Of Alaska are suffering SO severely as a result of ruthless commercial exploitation that the day is close at hand when this valuable natural resource will almost cease to exist. Such opinion very often em- anates from the tourist who passes through Alaska and may stop for a few hours at two or three salmon canneries in different regions. and. upon seeing the enormous numbers of fish that are being canned, at once forms the opinion that the wa ters are being fished Co death He fails 10 appreciate the tremendous numbers of salmon and other food fish which the waters are capable Of yielding without suffering deple tion
 The real facr of the situation. as developed by those in authority who are competent to pass upon the matter is that. while occasionally there may be a stream or a section that is not so richly productive of salmon or other fish as formerly. l yet. in the main. the waters of AL ! aska are not yet made to yield their maximum of fishery products with out being depleted.
 "The prime requisite for the pre- seryation of the fisheries is a proper observance Of the laws and regula- tions for their protection, as admin iStered by the United States Bureau of Fisheries. which service is also charged with the handling of prob ! lens. both scientific and economic. re- garding the fishery The lack of funds and appropriate vessels has embarrassed these supervisory func- tions. but it is hoped that Congress ] sional aid will be forthcoming very soon. which will enable a more con- prehensiye covering of the field. As a step in the right direction along this line. it is pleasure to report the fact that Congress has just ap- propriated funds for two additional patrol vessels"
 The sincerity of the bureaus atti- tude can not be questioned; neither can it's scientific knowledge of fish | cries. but the depletion of fish is a matter that is not strictly confined l 10 scientific determination or in- complete observation. Certainly the question has a practical side and also an economic one. The state | mentS of fishermen and some can ] nery operators. whose actual observa- ! dons of fishery conditions in Alaska ! extend over a period of many years. | as to the depletion of salmon, chal- | lenge the Bureaus point of view, l and this view is also strengthened ! by the results of observation and ! experience of at least one of the ! fishery inspectors who has been sta [ toned in Alaska for a number of | years. and who has had first-hani ! opportunity for such observation. ] The opposite view to that of the | Bureau of Fisheries may be summed | up as follows:
 Salmon fisheries in Alaska. espec- ially those of the Southeastern sec ! tion. are being rapidly depleted and 1 probably a great deal more rapidly ! than the Bureau of Fisheries real ] izes. The few statistics available ] to the Bureau can not show this growing scarcity of the salmon, and, ! in fact. may even be misleading to | the extent of giving the impression ! of an increase. It is true that the | statistics of the packs for a number |