The Alaska daily empire., 1920-07-29

traps, propagation of hump back salmon, the clearing Of streams, more fish patrol boats, and several other recommendations were made aska Service, United States Bureau .of Fisheries, in paper read at Sc- attle, June IT, at a meeting of the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, as means of helping to bring the Alaska salmon run back to normal and save it from threatened depletion. The paper foi lows in full:
 1.-The salmon fishery easily out. ranks all other Alaska fisheries in product It constitutes the most highly developed and organized branch of the fisheries industry and has come to be the premier enter prise of Alaska. /1ts development was begun before the purchase of the Territory by the United States, and it has grown until it's activities now show an investment of about $66,000,000 and products valued at approximately $50,000000 a year.
 Big Decline In 1919
 ''ln marked contrast to this pten- omenal general growth and develop ment, however, was the pronounced decline, both in value and production, in the year 1919 In 1918 products were valued at $53,514,S12, while in 1fS19 the value was $44944,S86: in the former year the catch of salmon numbered 01,454,6SS and in 1919 it of 16 per cent in value and 42 per cent in the catch. These figures are a startling and significant comment ary indicating succintly as they do the status of the salmon fisheries at the end of last seasons operation.
 'The decline in the catch, with which we are herein to concern ourselves more particularly. was heaviest in western Alaska and lightest in southeast Alaska. Of the more than 58,O00,OOO salmon caught in 1919 nearly 40,000,000 came from southeast Alaska, the balance being about equally divided between the other two districts. From these gen eral figures let us proceed to a more detailed account of conditions in each of the three districts into which the territory is usually divided. namely, the southeastern, central and western sections.
 Conditions Serious -
 "The situation in Southeastern Alaska is not especially surprising, as under present conditions a repeti tion of the astounding production of 1918 could not reasonably be ex pected, nor could it be assumed that there would be a prof(essive in crease in pack with the passing sea sons. Fluctuations in runs, which in themselves should not be regarded as absolute indication of conditions. will occur, but greatly lessened catch is not to be dismissed as an development in the sit uation A diminished catch, together with an inadequate escapement of salmon to the spawning grounds, presents what may be serious con dition of the fishery, one which should receive the careful and attention of both the Gov ernment and the packers.
 Tt is recognized fact that in the district, salmon fishery operations are becoming more inten- sified each season. seines and traps alike being employed in greater than before, and other nov able appliances being operated more assiduously as the years go by It therefore seems that the industry cannot hold it's present position, much less grow. unless further pro. vision is- made for the replenishment of the fisheries.
 Heavy Falling Off
 Central Alaska, which Is of great CT extent than either of the other dis. tricts, embraces some localities that showed a greatly reduced production of salmon in 1919 while other regions yielded approximately as many fish as in 1918, but for the district as whole, there was heavy falling off There seems to be less cause for