The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-11-27

prices. Other salmon production included 100000 pounds of fresh fish shipped, 6,614,2O6 pounds fro zen, and 1,5936oO pounds were l dried Smaller quantities were dry-salted, kippered and prepared in ether ways for the market. l In their efforts to stabilize the industry and prevent loss through waste, the operators last year pro- duced 2,283 ,882 pounds of fertilizer and 55,883 gallons of oil from the plants specially constructed to handle byproducts.
 1 Herring Fisherie3 Improve
 Improved conditions in the her ring industry" said the report, were evident in nearly every sec ton with the exception of the Cook Inlet district Herring of size suitable for curing appeared in fair numbers in the principal fishing districts. The western district con- tinued to lead in the output of .cotch-cured herring. The quan- tity of herring products for the Territory, meal excepted, was much larger than in 1929, but the value of these products was approximate l ly 30 per cent less.
 I "Trollers and halibut fishermen rely on herring fisheries for Eait and each year enormous quantities of herring are caught for this pur pose. In 193O, 9,296,240 pounds were used as bait, an increase of 37,255 pounds over the consumption for 1929"
 The production of the halibut fisheries was affected by the de- pressed condition of the market. J There was a heavy carry-over from 1929 and prices remained low throughout the year. Fishermen made little if any profit.
 There was a decline in the cod fishery and in the whaling indus try. In fact the clam industry was the only branch not adversely af- fected It showed increased out put and increased value, 21 and 19 per cent respectively, over 1929.
 There was small increase in the quantity of shrimp packed but a slight loss in value. The output Of crab meat and crabs in the shell also decreased.
 Increasing production of other edible fish, including trout, sable fish, smelt, founders, lingcod and rockcod was noted.
 Seal Herds Rehabilitated
 "The reha5ilitai.on of the seal herds is an outstanding achieve ment and demonstrates the results that may be derived from proper methods of control and utilization of the surplus declared Gov Parks. The Federal Government took over the herds in 1910. Ex- plotted by private interests and hunted on the high seas by sealers of many nations, they had been decimated and numbered approxi- mately 132,000 when Uncle Sam assumed their guardianship. The census taken in 1930 showed the herds had increased in number to 1,o45,101 on the Pribilof Islands, and thousands of pelts have been taken and sold in the world mar kets.
 In 1880, 42.500 skins were taken from the rookeries on St. Paul and St. George Islands, the largest take of any year since the Government took over the herds. During the year a total of Al ,516 skins were s sold at public auction for a gross 9 price of $821 ,767. In addition, in l the season 193O-3l, 889 blue and 26 7 white fox skins were taken on the . islands, and in the calendar year 1930, 745 blues and 32 whites, taken in 1929, were sold for $27,717, mak- t ing the total returns from the t Islands $849, ASA. . Revenues Reach S5,5OO,OO0 e Since 1918, revenues from the ,, herds deposited in the Federal ,. treasury have exceeded $5,500,0O r and some $3,0O0,O00 have been ex- e banded in administration and i'm
 provements. Most of the work is d done by native residents under l direction of a white staff Modern t villages with concrete dwellings t hospitals, machine shops, warehous-
 es, salt houses, school houses, roads
 and other conveniences have beer
 built by the Government.
 Virtually all of the natives are
 wards of the Government and art
 provided with food, clothing, shel- ! ter, medical aid and educationa \ facilities in return for their ser. : vices. In addition they are paie
 75 cents for each seal skin and s! for each fox skin taken In 193I : they received about $36.0oo in casf
 from this source.
 Forests Are Large
 National forests in Alaska con
 tain approximately IS per cent of tn e national forest area of the nation 's Most of the timber is in Tongas d Forest of Southeast Alaska. It <, greatest possibility for develop e A...4 1,ae io thn r,i,ln and paun