The Alaska daily empire., 1922-12-07

the Territory and operative from
ketchikau and juneau, the service is
enlargr1 and strengthened
Waste in the Fisheries.
Conservation of the fisheries is
most urgent and can take practical
form and be best brought about
through regulation Of the yearly
catch and closer supervision OF the
packing and canning industry. IN
is own interest, no less than to safe
guard the fish supply of the future,
the industry requires and should wei
come regulation and supervision.
The welfare of the natives and OF
native fishermen should, simultane-
ous.y. he protected. Everlasting
during The war. under the spur OF
seeming necessity, demoralized the
Lrahe aud apparently depleted the
. waters. Poor fishing seasons fol
. lowed and widespread alarm was
felt lost Salmon and halibut he near
/ ing exhaustion. An unexpected and,
in some waters, abnormdi run during
the season just closed fouad the
canneries urprepared and the result
ant waste of uamarkatable fish
dumped back into the sea was large.
Tons OF thousands were ,hus de
stroyed. Immediate facilities for can
ming and pac king were lacking.
Under normal conditions. year after
year. the waste is heavy in the re
lection of fish because of size or
species. wholesome fish food in
quantity sufficient to meet the needs
OF great communities in populors cen
ters. or suffering foreign lands, is
/ - a.. t,;
to utilize byproducts involves fur
thor waste.
Developing in nanlia2ard way
into colossal proportions, the fish
ing. canning ard packing industry
in Alaskd. for the sake Of its per
petuity. stands in need OF business
coordination.
Attention is constantly given by
the authorities and Congress to col
lateral questions touching seines and
traps to the exclusion OF considera-
/ ton al the larger commercial and
economic aspects OF the situation af-
feciing not only Alaska, bat the
country at large
Inspection OF the canning and pack
ing plants, with strict enforcement
urgently needed Some canncries are
models Of cleanliness. but others are
shocking 10 tourists and assurcdiy
would never bear the scrutiny and
receive the approval Of vigilant SAM
tary and health Officers.
/ The Department OF Commerce
should have fnll authority over the
fisheries of Alaska. with its Bureau
of Fisheries adequately equipped and
empowered to make and enforce rules
and regulations limiting tho catch
and number Of traps and curtailing
fishing areas and closing streams in
the public good If further reserves
he necessary to augment government
tai authority, they shenld be prompt
~ ordered The problems OF fhe
fisheries are general not local, eX-
i,cept in respect to the guaranteed
rights of the natives which must be
respected and upheld. The Terri
torial Fish Commission is cooperat-
ing closely with The Federal Bureau
of Fisheries.
Supervision of the cannerics calls,
also. for closer inspection Of the
alien labor brought to Alaska during
the season and the living conditions
under which such labor is employed
Making due allowance for probable
eNaggeration and approaching the
difficulty Of securing American fish
ernen. the type of imported labor
and living conditions are most un-
desirable in some cases, if not an
actual menace. The migratory char
Continued on Page Three.)