Seward daily gateway., 1925-09-17

they have no landing place there
 nor do they specially frequent these
 waters. They make a rapid triI south through the Pacific Ocean tC
 the latitude of southern California where they strike the coast and re
 turn slowly along its length Or their migrations the main body ol the herd keep we'll off shore A plating of sealing catches, includ ing some 100000 animals, made by MT. c. H. Townsend in 1896, shows that the seals are found for the main part off the 100-fathom line Even in Boring Sea they feed in deep water. They rarely molest the shore fishes, and do not to any con- siderable extent devour species used for food
 Not Found Together.
 "The habit of fur seals in re- maining we'll out in deep water is significant The best available in formation in regard to the life his tory of the Pacific salmon is that they never go far off shore from their parent streams. It is not be- lieVed that fur seals and salmon ire quent to any extent proximate wa ters.
 'Dr. Leonard Stejneger, of the United States National Museum, who has spent several seasons on the Commander Islands, the breeding place of the Russian fur-seal herd, refers to the finding of cephalopods in the stomachs of fur seals, and says further:
 That they also eat fish, at least occasionally, is also unquestionable. But the following fact will as un- questlonably show that salmon and cod at least do not furnish any portion of the regular summer diet of the Commander Islands seals worth mentioning:
 "Tt may not be very much to the point to observe that three spec ies of salmon (Oncorhynchus) abound in all the river on Boring Island, and that the fur seals are not observed to feed upon them at the mouths of these rivers; but the fact that the largest salmon river of the island, the Saranna River, is situated less than 7 miles from the largest sea- rookery without the seals coming over there to feed upon the enormous numbers of sal mon ascending that river is proof conclusive. The river and the fish, ing establishment of the natives at Saranna have been described else where in this report, so that it will suffice in the present connection to recall the statement that the annual catch in that river alone varies be- tween 10000 and 100000 salmon.
 "'As for the codfsh, it is only necessary to state that they are common right off the great north rookery of Boring Island. On Sep tember IS, 1895, we were anchored in 10 fathoms of water less than a mile from Sivutchi Kamen and within hearing of the roar from the rookery. A single cod line over the side of the steamer for a couple of hours brought up three fourths of ] barrel of codfsh.'
 No Effect On Runs.
 Dr. Stejneger made another visit to the Commander Islands in 1922 and states that the run of salmon still exists in the Saranna River, conclusive proof that it has not been affected by the seal herd. There is certainly no reason to believe that he habits of the American hard vary greatly from those of the Com mander Islands herd While it is possible that in some instances and 10 small extent fur seals may eat salmon, yet it still remains un- proved that they have any appre- ciable effect on the great runs of these fish which annually enter the