The Alaska daily empire., 1923-03-02

congress ana an emergency step 10 prevent destruction of the fisheries.
 Text Of Letter
 The letter, which was made pub lie today by Governor Bone, reads as follows:
 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 Washington Feb. H. 1923.
 My Dear Governor. l am in re- ceip of your letter of February 2na. regarding the fisheries reservations which have been created by Presl- dential proclamations in Alaska.
 In many parts of Alaska, it is now universally recognized that serious depletion of the salmon supply al ready has occurred. The regulatory laws passed by Congress in 1906, un der which the Department Of Com merce is still operating, are wholly insufficient to control the fisheries under existing conditions. They give the Department jurisdiction only over the streams themselves and small area outside the mouths of those streams. No provision is made for
 
 the salt water approaches of the streams and yet il is in these chan nels that the greater number of salmon are taken. Unrestricted com- petition among the packers, coupled in some cases with disregard for any thing but present profits. has result ed in consistent over-fishing of the (f ha f,asf. gf aska until now the packers and fishermen arc almost unit in look ing forward to the annihilation of the industry in a comparatively shert time, unless heroic measures are adopted 10 control the situation.
 Attempts Are Defeated
 For many years legislation has been agitated to give effective con trol, but through opposition of the canning companies and the fisher men every attempt was defeated. Upon my assuming office. l took the matter up vigorously and early in my administration secured the cessa- tion of opposition from certain can ming interests. A bill was prepared by the Department, by representa- tives of the Territorial Fish Com mission, representative citizens of Alaska, the canners, with one excep- tion, and in fast was opposed only by Delegate Sutherland, of Alaska. a result of his opposition the mat ter has been held up in committee.
 The Department does not wish 10 create any special privilege for any body, nor does it wish to destroy any proper part of the industry, whether fishermen or canners. What it wants is to save the fisheries from destruction, The Department would be glad if you could get the conflict. ing Interests into Alaska into agree ment upon the form of legislation, and any agreement that will save the fish Will be supported by the De partment.
 In the meantime. in order to con serve tho fisheries as much as pos sible, without legislation, reeom- mend two Presidential proclamations to establish fisheries reservations, which became effective February II and November 8, 1922, respectively. Within the areas effective regula- tion is possible. It is not necessary to enter into details at this time re garding the regulations which have been made effective within the re- stricted areas because they have been widely circulated through the press of Alaska and you are doubt less familiar with them.
 Broad Principles Recognized
 In issuing permits for salmon can ming and fishing within the rcserya. tions, the Department has adhered to the broad principle of not per hitting new operators to enter the districts which were felt to be se- riously endangered by everlasting Permits to operators already in the districts have been granted, and well defined zones prescribed for each company's operations. Wardens To- cated in the different centers have beon instructed to establish them selves, after having given due notice of their coming, in various towns in Alaska for the purpose of issuing permits to small operators and in- dividual fishermen who have orer ated within the reservations hereto fore.
 The operations for clans and crabs will be encouraged with the under. standing that the Department will make a careful canvass of the situa- tion to determine to what extent these food products may be exploited without detriment to the supply.
 The Department of Commerce, like yourself, realizes that the control of tbc fisheries of Alaska by roserva- lion is far from ideal. but in the face of the emergency which exists, felt it incumbent to invoke all pow CTS of the government that were available to cope with the situation until such time as Congress has the to enact an' adequate fishery law. The Department will be piah to relinquish the reservation,