TELLS OF PLANS
ALASKA FISHERIES
FINDS SENTIMENT UNANIMOUS
THAT SOMETHING MUST BE
DONE—WILL NAME BOARD
( Special to The Gateway)
Secretary of Commerce Hoover, in
a lengthy dispatch to The Gateway,
from Sitka, has the following to say
regarding the fisheries situation:
“I have now had an opportunity of
consulting with scores of people in
Alaska on the fisheries question; with
fishermen, canneries, public officials,
business men and experts, in public
hearings and otherwise. There has
not been a single dissent from the
conclusion that there must be strong
and immediate restrictions on salmon
fishing, if we are to preserve that in
dustry from the same destruction that
has ruined many of our National fish
eries elsewhere. In fact, it should
have been undertaken in Alaska years
ago. Moreover, through the western
part of Alaska, where actual measures
have been taken, I have found unan
imous support of the Department’s
policy of reserves and other methods
for the immediate limiting of the
amount of fish taken, pending action
by congress.
The need for conservation in Alas
ka has been recognized for over ten
years and has been a constant sub
ject of debate and discussion, and I
am greatly pleased to see the large
measure of support given the admin
istration for having substituted action
for pious discussion.
Restriction of activities naturally
caused sacrifice and trouble. I re
gret that the purpose of the reserves
has been deliberately misrepresented
to the people in Western Alaska and
elsewhere, not only as to purpose,
but as to the actual methods install
ed. However, the working of the re
serves for a season, has demonstrat
ed to the people the untruth of these
statements.
M I
It is to be hoped that Congress
will take immediate action to give
more executive authority. In the
meantime this administration does
not intend to sit idly by, denying re
sponsibility under the authority al
ready available, but to use it to the
fullest effect.
This is the largest of all Alaskan In
dustries, more than half her popula
tion and more than half her territo
rial revenues being dependent upon
it. It can in time be built up to much
larger dimensions than at present. If
nothing is done it will be lost within
a few years. It is of vital importance
to the whole American people as a
source of National food supply.
New legislation, in order to be ef
fective, must be of the broadest pos
sible order, because of the different
topographical and biological prob
lems of each locality, together with
the differing rate of depletion of dif
ferent species, and many other lac
tors, the method of regulation must
vary with each locality. If we would
serve the primary purpose of securing
a rebuilding of the fish supply and at
the same time do absolute justice to
the canners and fishermen in main
taining the industry, and in the end
gradually build a permanent Alaskan
population devoted to the fisheries.
There are no universal panaceas
for this whole problem in Alaska, j
Neither seasonal restrictions nor lim
itations, nor limitations of pack, lim
itation of any particular gear or its
location, are universally applicable,
as every district is a problem to it
self.
The complete suppression of can
ning upon the Yukon, has already in
creased the supplies for the natives,
whites and their dogs, throughout the
Interior, where before the supply was
insufficient, and where there was even
actual starvation among the Indians
and their work dogs. In other places
regulations have reduced the pack of
red salmon, which are the most de
pleted and a reduction in the amount
of gear that can be used by each can
nery on every species, should tend to
make the total pack less in proportion
to escapement to spawning grounds,
as are exampled by a variation of
methods on Bristol Bay. The regu
lations abolished the whole of the ex
isting traps in Cook Inlet. On the
other hand independent fishermen as
well as canners, support the neces
sity of the great majority of the take
being,by traps. This is due to the
physical character of the bays, as
well as to other factors. Much expe
rience will be required to evolve the
most successful method of balancing
the factors and securing the recuper
ation of the fish supply traffic.
All talk of definite laws, univer
sally applicable, is nonsense. There
must be variable and constructive
regulations, under broad authority.
Furthermore, in dealing with prob
lems of so wide human and property
interests, there should be established
under such legislation an appropriate
method ’ ot appeal to some indepen
dent commission, or authority. The
experience gained under the reserves
will be of great value in working out
constructive legislation, and the ad
ministration has earnestly desired,
and received, a great deal of con
structive suggestion from the people
involved in the industry.
Create Board of Alaskans
In order that there shall be definite
machinery for recruiting such expres
sion and to secure the advice and co
operation of the various elements of
the industry and the public at large,
I shall with the approval of the Pres
ident, create a board in Alaska to
consider and advise with the depart
ment as to the regulations under the
reserves. Thi sadvisory board will
be able to advise upon methods and
grievances, and will not only rein
force constructive work, but will give
full voice to the Alaskan people and
make impossible the deliberate mis
representation which has hitherto
been current.
Our primary purpose is to restore
this industry. The responsibility
rests on the officials who have the
authority to translate it into action.
Pious statements, scientific discussion
and political oratory will not spawn
salmon. Conservation cannot be car
ried out without a temporary reduc
tion in the amount of fish taken, on
the one hand, and without construc
tive measures for enlarged propaga
tion on the other. These are not
agreeable duties, but they are part of
the responsibility of public office, and
I am confident that they will receive
the support of the well-thinking men
and women of Alaska, who treasure
their countiy, not alone for them
selves, but also for their children.
HERBERT HOOVER,
SECOND BIG UK
SMALL ARMY OF WORKMEN ARE
EMPLOYED ON IMPROVE
MENTS BEING MADE
A small army of Workmen are em
ployed on the Standard Oil property
at Oil point, near the depot. The first
large tank, 60 feet In diameter by 30
feet in height has been practically
completed, and the second one 50x
30 feet has been started. Three more
tanks 30x30 feet will be erected, mak
ing five in all. The cement seawall
around the property has been com
pleted and the iron fence posts set.
The storehouse and office building is
rapidly assuming shape, and a num
ber of teams and workmen are en
gaged in filling in behind the wall.
The approach to the dock has been
completed and the head of the wharf,
is now fast assuming shape. This
reaches out to a depth of thirty feet
of water at low tide, giving plenty
for the largest vessels. Dolphins will
be driven at the corners and at each
end to allow boats to berth comfort
ably.
A neat iron fence will enclose the
grounds, tanks and buildings, which
will be painted a battleship gray, the
company’s color.
The prevailing good weather has
allowed the work to proceed rapidly,
and it is hoped that by Sept. 1, ev
erything will be in readiness to re
ceive the first big tanker.
LISTEN:
Everybody is doing It now. What?
i he Turkey troi to Dryden’s Grocery.
Why? Because the prices are right;
the more sales the lower the prices.
His stock is small and fresh on every
boat. Service day or night.
Fox trot delivery.
Phone Madison 62. tf
Hay, oats and cnop feed at J. L.
Graef’s. 162-tf
□GL
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W • P • FULLER & CC.
301 Mission Street, San Francisco
11 Branches in Pacific Coast Cities
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11-823
FULLER
PA IN T S pa VARNISHES
t
The following firm carries Fuller’s Paints and Varnishes
BROWN & HAWKINS’ CORP., SEWARD, ALASKA
WANTED—Cook on boat, wages $90
per month; apply Gateway office, tf
Read one of the latest books of fic
tion for 15 cents at Urbach’s.
Join Urbach's circulating library;
Norway hemp halibut lines at J. L.
Graef’s. 161-tf
Wanted—Three room furnished cot
tage; apply at Gateway.
Saturday Gateway, 53 per year.
1
wsttBsmBm
B
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SAFETY! SECURITY! AND PROFIT!
EWARD
INVEST m
REAL
ESTATE
312 LOTS OF THE TOWNSITE OF SEWARD
ARE FOR SALE
In no place in the world will an investor find greater freedom from industrial disturbances;
or a better balanced and more patriotic population.
An opportunity is offered to become a property owner in Alaska and to become identified
with the growth of the Northland.
The wealth of the ocean in our halibut banks tributary to Seward, mineral resources!! be
yond conjecture, the most northern port ot the United States available on the Great Circle Route
to the Orient—a community destined to prosperity through the channels of both Ocean Trade and
the Rail Communications of Interior Alaska.
For detailed information see
HUGH DOUGHERTY, Realty Agent. Seward, Alaska.