The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-26
SALMON ENEMIES ARE NUMEROUS SAYS ONE
 WHO KNOWS FISHING
Tom Running Says We Stand on the Verge of Calamity Regarding the Fishing
 Industry"

We stand on the verge of calam- ity in the salmon industry in Ala ska and the cannerymen are scratching their heads in worry and discontent" said Tom Running, the inventor of the Running Purse Seiner''. and a salmon fisherman all of his life Fish clubs are organized, he con tinued. conventions are held for discussion about the best ways and means for the restoration and pro lection of the salmon industry. No doubt much good will be derived from these clubs and meetings eventually. The ideas advanced al the meeting at Seattle were good and will help but in my mind, there is factor of destruction that was not entered into at that convention.
 'lt is my opinion" said Mir Run ming that in order to protect and preserve the salmon industry. we must go after the real parasites. the marauders, the vulturcs of this industry. These names combined would not be sufficient to establish proper name for these rapacious destroyers of salmon. Number one and king of them all. in ferocious ness and viciousness is thi bril- lian and illutrious My, ain't he beauty who gives to some people such delightful sport. the trout. (All species included) Every salmon stream in Alaska, large and small isswarming with this giutton whose principal food is salmon eggs and young salmon.
 Next to the trout, and number two in destructivencss, is the ugly looking, big-headed parasite. common ly known as the fresh water bull head which even goes to the trouble of roofing up the eggs after they are properly buried in the sand by the salmon.
 What chance has the poor salmon to increase with all these creek ma reuders ever watching and waiting for proper sign to dash at him from every direction and gobble up the eggs before they have had a chance to mature?
 q am positive" continued MT Running. that every trout from four inches up, in every ordinary salmon stream in Alaska. destroys at an average, not less than one thousand salmon yearly and I am certain that any experienced fisherman, or any man who has made a study along this line, will agree with me"
 "The looms and hell-divers and various other fish ducks are also very destructive to the salmon anld herring industry, as they feed ex- clusively on young salmon. herring and a feew needle fish. Sea gulls also destroy millions of salmon and millions of dollars worth of herring yearly. All these fade into insignifi canoe in comparison with the trout.
 'I consider that the hatcheries in Alaska at the present time are doiEg nothing more nor less than prOduc ing excellent feed for these millions of parasites which inhabit the lakes SlIcdHIS anu DdyS uCdIUy. luz yOuuE salmon after being released from the hatcheries, travel in schools Chick formation) and fall easy prey to the thousands of mcrciless trout. because they are raised in an artificial in vironment and have not the natural instinct to seek protection A very small number of them ever reach salt water, where the looms, hell-diy- CTS and other fish ducks are await
 ing to devour them.
 Tt is my opinion therefore, said MT. Running, that steps must be taken and means must be applied to do away with these destroyers who have kept the salmon runs at equal standing for the thousands of years before the human being in vaded their domain. After such means have been properly applied the salmon indWtry will be restored with astonishing rapidity to such an extent that it will reach away beyond it's previous standard and several times more canneries and productive facilities will be necessary to take care of the ever increasing runs of