The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-02-21
WILL NOT REMOVE BEAR pp0TE(T.0N
 ON PRESENT DATA

Commenting on passage of H. R. G. requesting removal of all pro- lection on Kodiak bears, Clarence Rhode, regional director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said today the Alaska Game Commissioner have no intention of recommending such action on the basis of information presently available.
 The members of the Commission, all old time Alaskans, are not con vinced the American people are willing to sacrifice Alaska's most famous big game animals just be- cause a few groups blame all of their troubles on the Kodiak bears Rhode said
 Not Convinced
 The Commissioners examined all available information and they just aren't convinced the bears are the big factor they are said to be with respect to cattle and salmon depredations. We are aware of the situation on both of these issues and will naturally do whatever can be done to alleviate it consistent with the public interests. On the other hand, we cannot concede that either the salmon or the cattle-rais- ing industry can lay even a sizeable part of their difficulties on the Kodiak Brownies.
 There is ample evidence, based on studies made of the problem, that losses from malnutrition and other natural hazards take by far the greater toll of cattle on Kodiak Is- land. We have pictures of a great many cattle that died from other causes and were never touched by bears. Information from our own people stationed at Kodiak, and from many other individuals there, shows substantially less bear de- predation than is alleged by the cat tie growers. The Commissioners be- lieve losses could be reduced to a low level by proper herding, feeding and salting during the critical spring months"
 On the matter of bear-salmon, Rhode said the problem is more varied. "On small streams or pid- dlers, there is no question but that the kill of salmon by bear can be substantial, but this does not nec- essarily mean it has any sizeabie Impact on the total salmon popu- 1 lation or even that it is a factor ati all in larger streams or other areas It's like saying all mallard ducks should be killed because they con tribute to crop damage in central California. Certainly we have to, take a good look at all the faetySI in, complex picture of this kiffd:" "
 Aware Studies Made
 Commenting on Representative Franklin's accusation that his tes- timcny was not to be relied upsn. Rhode had the following to say: q think Glenn Franklin misundep- stood or nisquoted me if he said I told the House no studies had | been made I am well aware of1 Shumans work on this problem and I thought I advised them vel were carrying on this work with Refuge personnel to see how vide spread it might be on the Island Admittedly the studies made by Shuman are only in one very small area We can't draw any Territor- ial-Wide conclusions from that and Shuman never intended we should We are now enlarging on these studies and will soon be in a posi- tion to evaluate it on a larger scale We are also continuing the bear cattle study and will do everything possible to prevent even minor de- predations during this period
 The Commissioners and I, person. lily, have no intention of trying to WhiteWash' tn ese controversies Neither do we intend to remove all 9rotection on completely inadequate lata. We are well aware such 2 course would result in a Fishing Industry y-Stockmen sponsored boun- l y on all bears and their virtual elimination from the Island. The cover and topography of Kodiak Island is not similar to Admiral y CT Montague Islands. The con .r0i' these groups speak of is ex- te:.-..nat.or