The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-11-20
YEARLY CLOSED
PERIODS URGED
BY COMMISSION
Favors Lengthy Closing Over
Weekly System Now Used
Asks for Change.

of Fisheries to establish a yearly
closed period on salmon fishing dur
ing the runs and to enforce meas
ures required to curtail waste in
the herring packing industry were
passed last week by the Territorial
Fish Commission which met for three
days in the office of Gov. Scott c.
Bone, chairman of the Commission
The Commission has prepared a
budget and outlined definite policy
for submission to the Territorial
Legislature next Spring.
Those attending the meeting were
Governor Bone, B. A. Roselle, Sec
rotary; J. rR. Hickman. c. C. Hazelet
and Supt Edwin Wentworth, of Ter
ritorial Hatcheries. Mr.. Hickman
was elected vice-chairman OF the
Commission. E. NJ. Ball, Bureau of
Fisheries Agent Tor Southeastern AL
aska, also attended one OF the SEES
sions of the Commission devoted to
discussion of the fishing problems in
general '"The Territorial Commits
sion and the Bureau of Fisheries are
working in close cooperation in at
tempting to safeguard Alaskan fish
cries and to promote the industry"
said Governor Bone.
Plans New Hatcheries
While the complete program of the
Commission was not made public it
is understood that it calls for some
extension CT the hatchery system.
At present there are two hatcheries
in existence, one at Eyak near Cor
dcVa and the otfler here. At least
one additional is planned for next
season to he erected on Ketchikan
Creek 70 take care Cf the needs Of
streams in the southern end of this
dis. riot
To make the operations Of these
more economical by insurng plen-
tiful supply OF spawning fish from
which eggs may be taken. resolutions
were adopted asking the Bureau Of
Fisheries to close certain areas to
fishing. To supply the Eyak hatch
cry it is suggested that fishing be
prohibited between the mouth of
Eyak River and Mountain Slough
And to provide fishing grounds for
the proposed station at Ketchikan
Creek, the closing Of an area in
Tongass Narrows between Mountain
Point and Point Higgins is requested.
Suggest Closed Periods
The Commission went on record
as favoring yearly closed seasons
rather than what IT terms "inopera-
tive regulations" at present requir
ing weekly closing. It's attitude is
outlined in the following resolution
which was unanimously adopted:
Whereas, experience has demon
strated that the supply of salmon in
Alaskan waters can be maintained
only by suspension Of fishing be-
fore the spawning season, and that
the present regulation establishing
weekly closed period serves no use
full purpose and is impossible Of
enforcement unless a force of 200
fish wardens be provided and
equipped to keep supervision, there
fore, be it
Resolved, by the Alaska Terri
torlal Fish Commission, that 1t
strongly recommends to the Federal
Bureau OF Fisheries that, instead OF
the imperative regulation now in
effect. but unenforced, yearly closed
period be ordered and established
in the waters of Alaska, at the lat
ter end Of the FISHING season, the
same to extend from August 20 to
September 5, in the Ketchikan dis.
trict, and for Hike or necessary
period in the Icy Straits and other
districts, thus permitting % per cent
OF the pink salmon, our principal fish,
to escape and reach the spawning
grounds; and that similar yearly
closed periods be established in the
waters OF Southwestern Alaska OF
duration necessary to insure main
tenance Of the salmon supply.
'fn recommending and urging this
system OF protection of Alaskan fish
cries the Territorial Commission be
lieves 1t to be simple and practic.
able and relatively inexpensive, IN
volving only the examination by the
Federal Bureau of the cannery fish
ing books in the various districts to
RI Oh n vsrrNt J.