The Cordova daily times., 1919-10-09
THURSDAY, OCTOBER g, 1919
THE FISH OF YEsTERYEAR

It may be true, as has been recently asserted, that the fishing industry of Alaska is in it's infancy. There is probably reason for the statement, in. as much as only a few kinds of fish are now being caught for commercial purposes. It is equally true that the salmon canning branch of the indus try is declining steadily.
 The cause is to be found in the lax ity of regulations and the practical non-enforcement of those which we have Juneau and vicinity were greatly concerned over fish pirates" during the past season, meaning by the term persons who were robbing established traps, making raids on cannery prop erty The real fish piracy, however, is being carried on today by estab- lished companies, concerns which, for ward, are systematically exterminat- ing the salmon tribe.
 The case of the cannery on the lower Yukon river is illustrative of how it is being done Located near the mouth of the Yukon, and according to a state ment made in Fairbanks by Field Manager Hawkinson last spring, fish ing even outside the south mouth of that stream, it's fishermen can almost shut off the salmon run from the upper river, giving them no chance to reach their spawning grounds. The Carlisle cannery on the Yukon last season packed 50000 cases of fish, largely king salmon, according to employees of that company who recently arrived here. From above the cannery to the headwaters of both the Yukon and Panama rivers, in the KOyukuk region the fishermen are feeling the effects of the cannery, and hundreds of na tives are in destitute circumstances on it's account In all the land there is a serious fish shortage, while the packers are shipping a sufficient quantity Outside to more than supply every need.
 Employes of the Carlisle company say that it plans to repeat the opera tions of this year next season. AnC judging from present conditions, we may expect a similar fish shortage next year The packing interests claim that the shortage is due to Othel reasons than their operations. Blu they do not dispute the fact that they can, if they so desire, block the stream to the salmon run. They control thu channels through which the fish mus pass. Their power over the suppl, is practically unlimited. And thi power is too great for any set of men no matter how benevolently incline' they may be.
 The situation faced by 1nterio Alaska is prevalent in Alaska genel ally. "Alaska's dWindling silver hord must be built up at once if the salmol industry of the North Pacific is to COT tinue," according to Dr. c. H. Gilbert zoology professor of Stanford Univel sity, who has long been recognized a world authority on the salmon. Dl Gilbert recently arrived in Seattl from the North, where, as a specia assistant in the United States burea of fisheries, he spent the summe studying conditions.
 Silver wanderers of the sea, tn sockeye, the king and the othe salmon, are simply being fshed ou Dr. Gilbert reports. With every cas ner eager to prevent the fish from rt turning to their fresh-water spawnin ground and fishermen and gill netter catching tons of salmon trout, whic were only half-grown salmon, tn salmon simply hasn't chance for SUI vival," he asserted.
 Stringent protection laws are need ed, Dr. Gilbert believes. Man de stroyed the salmon horde and it vii be for man to build it up again if the