The Alaskan., 1927-09-09
International Halibut Commission Warns
 Industry
(Continued from last week.


 ty and the relative rates of growth on defferent banks also contribute with the above facts, to building upl foundation upon which methods of regulation can be safely built. This is particularly true of the de monstration that the younger fish can be treated and protected as separate units, bank by bank. So| complete is the information at hand that the commissioners have a splendid basis upon which to judge of the results of any regulations in effect or proposed.
 "The commissioners were neces- sarily we'll pleased with the progress the director and his scientifically trained staff have made, and sol expressed themselves, but there is much more to be accomplished be- for the commission will be able to- advise their governments as to prac tical steps that may be taken to| conserve the halihut. Further meet l ings will be held this fall, when all the commissioners can be in at tendance. In the meantime it is proposed to invite the principal of ficers of the ,fishermen's associa- tions, the Vessel Owners Associa tion and the leading halibut dealersI on the Pacific coast to visit our of- fees at the University of Washing ton, Seattle, where the director and' his staff will show them the nature' of the data that has been compiledI informed of the drift of the evid' ence which the commission has ac-I cumulated. This will be followed by a general meeting, when all in terested parties will be asked to ex-. press their views. Following that conference the commissioners will draft an interim report for presenta tion to their respective govern ments."
 A Difficult Problem
 Asked as to the nature of the re- commendation the commissioners would recommend, MT. Babcock re- piled that the commissioners had not yet reached any conclusions.
 ''The question:" he said, twas most complex. It is still an open question as to whether the fishery can be conservingly administered We are dealing with a deep-seaI fishery extending from Oregon toI Boring Sea, fishery that the pres ent is engaged in by Canadian and American fishermen only, but which is open to the nationals of other countries. Granted that the banks off the coast up to Southeastern AL aska have all been depleted, and that there are banks yet untouched | in Northwest Alaska and Boring Sea to be opened, the devising of a system of regulation, it must be ad mitted, is something in the nature of real problem. We already have the opinion of almost every captain in the Canadian. and dAmericanhalibut fishing fleets. With few exceptions they advocate the closing of certain banks such as those off Masset and the Portlock banks Others would go further and close other ''old" banks, until it is tried out no one Is possessed of the knowledge neces- sary to say just what the effect of closing such banks would have on the fishery. It might or might not improve the general situation.
 Would Be Experimental
 ''The closing of the Masset and POrtlOck banks at the present time for experimental purposes would at least not affect the total catch ma terially. The fish taken there are! all immature and the bulk too small for the market. However any at tempted regulation can be regarded