The Alaska daily empire., 1921-04-05
FISHERIES BILL : IS EXPLAINED BY
 SENATOR ll!| BRITT
Author of Proposed Legis. lative Measure Declares
 Salmon Must Be Saved.
Continued from Page One.N

power to save their food fish.
 ''I am also familiar with condi- tions in European countries where salmon exist, especially in Norway. and what that country has done for the conservation and propagation of the salmon. For this purpose Nor way has divided it's coast line in districts to conform with the run of salmon, and has applied iron rules for the regulation of traps and other appliances, for. the size and place of fixed and floating appli- ances. and has provided plenty of watchmen for the achievements They have abandoned vhatcheries to a great extent and Sare devotina their energy towards clearing ot the streams and the watching of salmon spawning grounds.
 What It Provides '"The idea of the proposed bill is to give the Alaska people full juris diction over the matter, to enforce gradual change in the existing con ditions by giving a commission of Alaska people, or an Alaskan Com mission, who understand our condi tons, such powers that they may regulate:
 "First-The closing season. "Second-The location of fix
 ed fishing appliances.
 Third appliances, in hnf, to the propagation of salmon "Fourth-The necessary means
 for the enforcement of their rules.
 "Fifth-The necessary taxes on fish for Territorial revenue, propagation of fish, and ex- penses of the Commission The Fish Trap Question
 "I don't doubt, if it came to a popular vote in the First Division, that 50 per cent of the people would be in favor of the abolishment of traps. I do not know what the re- suit would be in the Third Division, where fewer traps are used. In the Second Division there are no traps or very few, and still the salmon is disappearing in both these di- 1 visions. The discussion pro and con would lead to no result here. l venture, however, to say that ID sensible fisherman would disagree with me when I state that gill nets, or any kind of nets indiscriminately used, are just as destructive to spawning streams as any trap. What we are after is regulation both as to gear. and size of gear and as to closed season, and as to places where salmon shall or shall not be 1 fished; and as to the enforcement of these regulations.
 May Cancel Licenses
 Tt is true that the Act recognizes the fish trap as a legitimate fishing appliance and makes provision for ods, but only so long as they, as well as other appliances, do not en- danger the industry. Provision for the protection of the industry from destructive use of any appliances is contained in Section 26 of the proposed bill, one paragraph of which reads:
 "The Commission shall have
 the right and power to cancel
 the license for any fish traps
 or other fishing appliance and
 the location upon which such
 fish trap or fishing appliance is situated, whenever the Commis-
 sion deems the same to be in
 furious to the propagation, pres ervation and maintenance of
 the food fish in Alaska.
 We want to catch salmon for food for profit, and for revenue, and at the same time we want about forty or fifty per cent of our salmon left alone, so it may propagate and give us a continuous supply
 Will Protect Industry
 "The most satisfactory way of catching salmon, whether by trap or net, will leave for future dis cussion As to the abolishment of fish traps, I dare say that no sane legislature will at once legislate an industry where millions of dollars are invested, out of business and thereby deprive our Territory of two-thirds of our revenue. I know