The Cordova daily times., 1920-12-29
WILLPR0TECT
 TRAP SITES IN
 SALMON RUNS

The Alaska Territorial Fish Com mission has submitted it's views on the regulation of the industry in the north, as follows:
 December 13, 1920. Association of Pacific Fishermen,
 MT. K. s. McCord, Attorney,
 Hoge Building, Seattle, Wash. Gentlemen:
 The commission has had under con- sideration the question of advisability for legislation or regulation, if pos sible, to provide for the reservation and extension of fish trap sites to the operators who have developed and paid the license upon the same for a period of years. and to provide that such operators and licenses may con- tinue to pay the license yearly for a period of at least three years and re- tain their rights to the sites without occupying them with the necessary trap structure as is required under the present regulations.
 In making investigations and in forming itself upon this subject the commission finds that the state of Washington has such provisions, the same have been in force for many years and are satisfactory to all per sons engaged in the fisheries of that state as we'll as to the general public.
 It believes that should the holders of trap sites be protected in their locations by the payment of the an nual license fee for limited term of years and not be required to re- new the structures annually in order to protect their rights, as at present, they would be willing to pay an in creased license fee for that privilege The greatest good, however, which would accrue to the industry and the territory, with the adoption of this plan, is in the far less number of sal mon which would be taken and the consequent number which would be able to reach the natural spawning areas for propagation.
 It is not conceived that the seine fishermen could object to such a plan, in fact it is believed that they would support it as it would greatly in crease their scope of operations as many traps would be eliminated from yearly fishing in important fishing areas and a consequent additional quantity of salmon would be available for capture.
 In periods of great depression in the salmon industry like the present and promised for the coming season G92D, when, as now. there is a great surplus of unsold fish it would be a justifiable relief to the industry to put over the expense of trap installation for a time that the take of fish in volved for the sole purpose of cover ing the expense and the economic loss occasioned thereby, be avoided. It therefore appears to the satisfaction of the commission that it would be for the best interests of the industry and the territory at large that the holders of trap sites in Alaska be per mitted to pay the annual license from year to year or in any year not ex- ceeding a period of three successive years upon trap sites operated by them during the year 1920 and thus protect their right to location or To- cations without the necessity of con structing the fish trap thereon as at present required. It is urgently recommended that such provision be made by the proper authority and that the same be accomplished in time to be effective for the fishing season of 1921.
 A copy of this letter is being for warded to the bureau of fisheries at Washington. D. C., and it is trusted that the bureau will concur and as sist in obtaining the adoption of the plan as herein recommended.
 Alaska Territorial Fish Commission.
 c. D. GARFIELD, Sec'y.