The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-11-17
FISHERY BOARDS UPS PATROL BY 10; WILL BEGIN TAGGING COD

BE0IN TAGGING COD The number of patrolmen hired by the Territorial Department of Fisheries will be increased by 10 this coming season, it was revealed by Chairman Ira H. Rothwell. This will be 50 percent increase over the 20 men who worked with the Fish and Wildlife Service last year, which department had 80 men in the field.
 This will mean a total of 110 patrolmen Investigating for viola tions. Rothwell said the new men will be used mainly in the red sal mon areas, now under serious de- pletion threats, and also in silver salmon areas.
 The five-man uuard is combing through matters which come up at it's public hearing Monday, and compiling suggestions which came to them by briefs. They expect to have their recommendations com- piled by mid-week. These will then te turned over to the FWS so that body may have the opportunity to study them before making out next years rules.
 TAGGING PROGRAM
 Other points on next years pro- gram, Rothwell revealed, are seeing that traps follow rules governing them; projected tagging of all sizes of troll caught salmon, as well as black cod, the latter fish never before having been studied as to habits.
 One or two barren lakes will be stocked in some fashion oy the De- partment for experimental pur- poses. It was brought out that for every 10 lakes now spawning sal mon in Alaska, perhaps two are barren for unknown reasons.
 In some cases spawn will be sewn, in others small fry, and in others matured fish, the board de- clared Outcome of this experiment may later lead to stocking pro- gram to te built up in future years.
 A study of the shrimp fishery will be undertaken, by using pots rather than travis such as conner cial shrimpers use, they said. The eatch of shrimp by the pot method will be tabulated, because of the present debate now in vogue over their usage. The pots would be roughly similar to crab pots, it was pointed out.
 POSSIBLE PURCHASES
 The board discussed adyisability of what type of equipment it might be necessary to purchase. They be- lieved in employing existant facili- ties wherever practicable, such as Eoats and planes.
 We believe that we should charter a boat for work we want done" Rothwell said, 'or plane, if the need for one arises. But there is certain equipment we must own. That is what we are attempting to decide now"
 The board blasted a recent article written by Drew Pearson, Washington commentator. Pearson criticized the Alaska trip under taken by the subcommittee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries which toiled through Alaskan ports, terming it "junket."
 c. L. Anderson, department di- rector, accompanied the committee on its trip, and told of arising at 4:30 m. to catch planes, eating catch as catch can, and sleeping in the sick bay of the cutter Storis during the tour of this area.
 Long involved hearings were held each day, they pointed out, with no time for sightseeing.
 "A trip like that was absolutely necessary" Rothwell explained. NO legislation for this territory is ever passed without groups com- ing here-we have no representation ourselves, and that method is the only one we have.
 After all, MT. Wickersham was criticized by taking trips to Moscow and now one to South America. We know nothing about that. But Alaska is not exactly a foreign country, and the trip here was a hard workout"