Cass SH 222- Book PB & AS 1909 "DEPARTMENT OF j COMMERCE AND LABOR Mice | | | J BUREAU OF FISHERIES "| GRORGE M. BOWERS, Conimtastoner CONMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA oat IN 1905 9 Bureau of Fisheries Document No, 603 | > WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1906 THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905 By Joun N. Coss Assistant Agent at the Salmon Fisheries of Alaska Bureau of Fisheries Document No, 603 OCT 20 1906 D. OF DE Va” pe a CONTENTS. POSITS | Sil 20) 8 Se Se aE CR ae, ee oe eee PE TS INT gees 1 Seep pe re a Ae ec ec eh earn a a as oie aa Se “(SS Ae is) 01 9 8 1S pe ea Re pee Se ee Meee. ee SEDATE] 9 OS a Se Aa a aN a a ee enemies ned ich ery sees smo Se Sau Sep Se ee sea ey Pee EET Grea type tees eee = eats ne alge ee eee Biorb ie hd eee te Seta See. S PERSE UE POT ESI OVID: SO SSre Spee ac REY Ne RATS ce NS on ae ee ee Methods of the fishery. - -- - - - - Sea iat Gi Oh Ae a a ere Pte SHUM MIMUSUDV io 2S. Salts ace en ho nas eS oa ep Saas hie eeiee san 2 ose5 ae eee (CHM ga Boe OS Shes SER ene eee See ral ea eS one ee ge Ue SulCenies ae ieee em nC a0 Ae ae Pe Oe os eee Rec cctees oo ee CPi Ppiriite ssa sits 2 ik ote a oe A OB I oe a ee ere ees ep B eg 8 e aeg Sent FP ws nb Ms OD URN UTE GRE SR SRS Sa en RE ne ce ae EMEP NTS ee TEI SARS ae ators Uc emt Sel /Se es a Ree e's saw as eo Pie AMC OUS IC Abi AONMADIS BE cc's so Some Cees Goi Cin woe temic ees ov ole = Pe Oeeen eee LIS ICS Ate OLS te Le ate ne em ee Sn ais 22 Sane eie ee oa eos a Ginenlisnenvavesounces! owAllaska ees 2a8. 2.2.2 nese ooo ss cesses cesses scence Fisheries carried on in Alaskan waters and credited to places outside of the district - - 3 THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905, By Joun N. Coss, Assistant Agent at the Salmon Fisheries of Alaska. INTRODUCTION. The salmon and seal fisheries of Alaska constitute such conspicuous features of the fishing industry in that region that published reports have to a great extent neglected the other aquatic resources, and no complete compilation of statistics has ever been made. The Tenth (1880) and Eleventh (1890) censuses covered the ground partially, but the census agents had to deal with all phases of Alaskan endeavor and their reports upon the commercial fisheries were consequently not so complete as could be desired. The salmon fishery was treated by them in considerable detail, and has been canvassed and reported upon very fully by the Bureau of Fisheries.“ The seal fishery has been the subject of investigation and legislation recorded in many volumes published by the Treasury Department, and more recently in the reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor. No special can- vass of the other fisheries, however, has heretofore been made, the information published at varying periods by the Bureau of Fisheries being such as could be gathered by its agents at San Francisco in con- nection with their canvass of the Pacific coast states. The data presented in the following pages for the year 1905 are the result of the writer’s personal canvass of a portion of the region and the collection of reports from various fishing firms and officials of the government in Alaska. A history and recapitulation of results of the various fisheries is also given. IMPORTANCE OF THE ALASKAN FISHERIES. Long before the acquisition of Alaska was even dreamt of by our statesmen its wealth in fishery products was known, by hearsay at least, to the hardy mariners of the Pacific coast, as well as to the @ The salmon and salmon fisheries of Alaska. Report of the operations of the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross for the year ending June 30, 1898, by Jefferson F. Moser. Bulletin U.S. Fish Commission 1898, vol. xv111, 1899, p. 1-178, pl. 1-63, charts A and B. Idem, 1900 and 1901, Bulletin 1901, vol. xx1, 1902, p. 173-398 and 299*-401*, pl. i-xliv, pl. a and charts A, B. 5 6 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. whalers from New Bedford, Mass., and other Atlantic ports, who fre- quented the waters of the north Pacific and Arctic oceans. In the memorial to the President of the United States adopted by the legisla- ture of Washington Territory in the winter of 1866 especial stress was laid upon the fishery resources of the territory and the need for an arrangement with Russia by which our fishing vessels would be enabled to resort to the Alaskan harbors for shelter and to procure fuel, water, and provisions. Even at that time our fishermen were engaged in cod fishing on the Alaskan banks, the first vessel having gone there in 1863, while our whalers had been working in Bering Sea and along the Arctic shore for years. The treaty of cession between Russia and the United States was signed March 30, 1867, ratified by the Senate May 28, and proclaimed by the President June 20 of the same year. Formal and actual pos- session was taken on the 16th of the following October. Much doubt was expressed in this country as to the wisdom of paying so large a sum of money for such an apparently sterile region as Alaska, and it was feared that the expenditure would never be justified. Such cal- culations were much at fault, however. The United States has not only been more than reimbursed directly, but through the fisheries alone has been many times compensated for the financial outlay. The rental from the fur-seal islands has more than paid the initial cost of the district, and at the present time the tax derived from the salmon fishery amounts to about $90,000 a year. The following table shows, so far as it has been possible to secure reliable information, the quantity and value of fishery products secured in Alaskan waters from 1868 to 1905 (both inclusive). In some instances, where but rather fragmentary data could be obtained, esti- matesbased upon the figuresin hand have been inserted forthe missing years. The second column in the table shows the products in units as put on the market, but in the third column all have been reduced to pounds for convenience in comparison. The dates given indicate the number of years the fishery in question has been prosecuted. No account has been taken in this table of the very extensive intertribal commerce of the natives in fishery products, as there are no accurate data for this feature. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. (\ QuanTITY AND VALUE OF THE FisHERY PRopucTs or ALASKA MARKETED IN STATED Years, 1868 ro 1905. ; - Prepared Species. Quantity. weight. Value. Pounds. Modfishs((S868=1905) a5 2285 -Se cc Secse esse 2ces =e pounds... 156, 125, 684 116, 511, 629 $4, 072, 626 HIGH DULL SOON N00) Choc acer cn acemeetice Estimated from data covering a portion of the period. THE FISHING GROUNDS. The district of Alaska is enormous in extent, being equal to nearly one-sixth of the United States proper. The total length of mainland from southeast to northwest is about 1,150 miles, the greatest width is about 800 miles, and the area is about 590,000 square miles. Because of the thousands of islands scattered along the coast, or, as in the case of the Aleutian chain, extending out to sea hundreds of miles, the district has an exceedingly long coast line and one well adapted to fishing, owing to the many large and safe bays, the shel- tered channels between the islands and the mainland, and the numer- ous rivers which debouch from the mainland. The Nushagak River is to-day one of the important fishing streams of the world. Following is a list of the fishing banks of importance off the Alaskan coast and in adjacent foreign waters so far as they have been discov- ered and charted. Notwithstanding the extensive fishing in this region, there are doubtless many fishing banks still unknown. 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HISTORY. The presence of cod along the Alaskan coast has been known for many years. The first mention was made by a Russian navigator in 1765, who reported ‘‘cod, perch, pilchards, smelts” as being found around the Fox Islands. Other navigators and explorers who reported the presence of cod were Cook (1786), Portlock (1787), Meares, Billings (1792), Langsdorf (1804), Sutke, and Sir George Simpson (1841), all of whom speak of it as being a very common fish. But little use was made of it, however, owing to the abundance of almon. Early in the sixties American vessels from San Francisco discovered and fished on the cod banks in the Okhotsk Sea, the first American vessel to visit Alaskan waters apparently being the schooner Alert, which made a voyage to Bristol Bay in 1863. She secured but 9 tons of cod, however, the captain’s principal incentive to make the trip probably being to trade with the natives. On March 27, 1865, Captain Matthew Turner, with the schooner Porpoise (45 tons), of San Francisco, sailed for Aleska, and arrived at the Shumagin Islands May 1. The vessel returned on July 7 with 30 tons of cod, having left the banks early in order to get back to San Francisco before the Okhotsk fleet. This was the first fare ever taken from around the Shumagins, one of the best grounds in Alaska, The Simeonoff Bank was discovered by the Minnie S. Atkins in 1867. The acquisition of Alaska by the United States in 1867 proved a boon to the cod fishermen, as it secured the Americans, who did all the fishing, from any interference on the part of the owners of Al-ska. This is well shown by the fact that while the fleet in 1867 numbered 3 vessels, with a catch of 136,000 fish, the fleet of 1868 comprised 14 vessels, which made a catch of 608,000 fish. It was early discovered that the time required for the vessels to reach the banks from San Francisco and return was wasted, and in 1876 T. W. McCollam & Co., which firm later merged into the Union Fish Company, one of the first to engage in the fishery on a large scale, established a permanent fishing station at Pirate Cove on Popoff Islend, one of the Shumagin group. From this station fishermen in dories went out each day, returning in the evening with the day’s catch. In this way fishing could be carried on the year through, and the plan was followed as time went on until now nearly all of the com- panies operating vessels in Alaska have one or more stations. Cer- tain vessels are employed in carrying supplies to these stations from the home ports and in taking back the cod caught. The first Alaskan vessel in the fishery was one owned by Captain Haley, of Wrangell, who in 1879 fished on the Hoochenoo Bank in Frederick Sound, and sold his catch in Wrangell for $100 per ton. The regular Bering Sea fishery was inaugurated by the Tropic Bird in 1883. 7115—06——2 10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. For years the fishery was followed by San Francisco firms only, but in 1891 Capt. J. A. Matheson, of Anacortes, Wash., brought the schooner Lizzie Colby (142 tons) around Cape Horn and sent her to Bering Sea, and he has continued in the fishery there ever since. The Western Canadian Fish Company, of Vancouver, British Columbia, sent a vessel to Bering Sea in 1903 and continued the venture until 1905, when the company failed. The Robinson Fisheries Company, of Anacortes, and the Seattle and Alaska Fish Company, of Seattle, sent their first vessels to Alaska in 1904. In 1905 King & Wing, of Seattle, and the Blom Codfish Company, of Tacoma, entered the fishery. FISHING BANKS. While most of the fishing banks were known to the fishermen in a general way, it remained for the steamer Albatross to survey and plat them during her investigations in Alaskan waters from 1888 to 1892.¢ Following is a summarized description of the banks, first those in Bering Sea: Slime Bank.—This is the first of the larger fishing grounds reached after entering Bering Sea through Unimak Pass. The bank begins directly off the Northwest Cape of Unimak Island, is elongate in shape, and follows approximately the trend of the adjacent coast to within a few miles of Amak Island, its inner margin lying only a short distance off the land. It is about 85 miles in length and 17 miles in average width, broadening somewhat at the eastern end; its total area is estimated at about 1,445 square miles, and the depths range from 20 to 50 fathoms. The bank derives its name from the presence of immense numbers of a large jelly-fish, measuring from 6 to 18 inches across the disk, and provided with long, slender tentacles having great stinging powers. These animals are not found upon the sur- face, but seem to occupy an intermediate zone toward the bottom, where at times they occasion much annoyance to the fishermen by becoming entangled with the fishing gear. Baird or Moller Bank.—This is the largest bank yet discovered on the Alaskan coast. It commences a few miles east of Amak Island and extends northeastward off the northern side of the Alaska penin- sula to the vicinity of Cape Chichago at the mouth of Ugaguk River, a distance of about 230 miles. It has an average width of about 40 miles and an extreme width of 58 miles, its total area being estimated at about 9,200 square miles. The boundaries have not been thor- oughly established, and possibly comprise a greater area than is stated above. In Kulukak Bay are numerous spots where cod are found, but none are of sufficient size to entitle them to be called banks. a¥ishery investigations of the steamer Albatross from July 1, 1888, to July 1, 1892, by Richard Rathbun. Bull. U. S. Fish Com., 1892, p. 127-201. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 11 Gravel Bank.—Fishermen sometimes visit this small bank, which lies about 16 miles southwest from the southern end of Hagemeister Island, and they state that large cod are abundant there. The depths are from 16 to 20 fathoms. The Albatross investigations were not carried north of Cape Newen- ham. According to Petroff, in the Tenth Census, codfish have been reported at a few points along the Arctic coast, but no banks have been located, very likely because no effort has been made to find them. Unalaska Harbor, etc.—Fishermen have reported cod banks in the neighborhood of Unalaska Harbor, but the investigations of the Alba- tross do not seem to sustain the claim. The cod fishing directly off Chernoffsky Bay is said to be excellent. On the southern side of the Alaskan peninsula are the following banks: Davidson Bank.—-This bank was discovered about 1870 by Prof. George Davidson, of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, after whom it is named. It lies south of Unimak Island, and ex- tends westward from the neighborhood of the Sannak Islands to about the longitude of the southern entrance to Unimak Pass (about longi- tude 164° 40’ W.). Its eastern end is continuous with the shoal water surrounding the Sannak Islands; its area was estimated at about 1,600 square miles. Sannak Bank.-—To the east and southeast of the islands of the same name lies Sannak Bank, somewhat elongate in shape and trending in a general way northeast and southwest. It is estimated to have an area of about 1,300 square miles. The region between Shamels Bank and the Shumagin Islands was only aime surveyed, but about 1,800 square miles fairly well adapted to fishing were covered. Shumagin Bank.—-Lying to the south and southeast of the Shuma- gin Islands, with its outer margin following approximately the trend of the coast line formed by the adjacent islands, is Shumagin Bank, which has been traced westward to about longitude 159° 52’ W., but probably extends farther in that direction; east of the Shumagin Islands it reaches north to the latitude of (ee Koniuji Island. Its width inside of the 100-fathom curve varies from 15 to 35 miles, while its area has been estimated at about 1,800 square miles. From the Shumagin Islands to Kadiak Island the area was only partially surveyed, but the work done indicated the existence of sev- eral fishing banks. Albatross Bank.—Off the southeastern side of Kadiak Island is Albatross Bank, extending the entire length of that island as well as in front of the Trinity Islands. At the eastern end it is practically continuous with Portlock Bank. Along some portions of the coast, as in the neighborhood of Sitkalidak Island, the bank is separated 12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. from the land by comparatively deep water, while in other places shoal water intervenes. The 100-fathom curve is distant 25 to 45 miles from the land, inside of which limit there is an estimated area of 3,700 square miles. Portlock Bank.—This bank extends northeastward from Kadiak Island in the direction of Middleton Island, a distance of about 120 miles, and is irregular in shape. It is the largest single bank south of the Alaska peninsula, its area inside of the 100-fathom curve being about 6,800 square miles. The Albatross continued her investigations as far to the eastward as Middleton Island, but no banks were found. Codfish have been reported in the western part of the Gulf of Alaska and in the waters of Southeast Alaska, but nowhere do there seem to be any banks which it would be profitable to work with vessels espe- cially devoted to this fishery. FISHING STATIONS. At the present time nearly one-half of the codfish taken in Alaska are caught by fishermen from the numerous stations scattered along the Alaska peninsula and the islands adjacent thereto on the south- ern side. The business of fishing from stations has fluctuated con- siderably from year to year. The year 1892 was the banner year, 2,208,035 pounds of fish being taken by fishermen from stations, to 1,742,155 pounds secured by the fishing vessels. The stations soon after began to be abandoned, and for a few years but few were in operation. Of late years, however, they have regained their popu- larity, and it is probably only a question of a few years until all of the cod fishing outside of Bering Sea will be carried on from the shore stations. During the season of 1905 the following stations were operated. Union. Fish Company.—Pirate Cove, Popoff Island; Northwest Harbor, Big Koniuji Island; Sanborn Harbor, Wedge Cape, and Eagle Harbor, on Nagai Island; Pavlof Harbor and Johnsons Har- bor, on Sannak Island. Alaska Codfish Company.—Moffetts Cove and Companys Har- bor, on Sannak Island; Dora Harbor, on Alaska peninsula; and Win- chester and Banenhoff, on Unga Island. Seattle-Alaska Fish Company.—Squaw Harbor, on Unga Island. Aleutian Live Stock and Mining Company.—Lost Harbor, Akun Island. } This year (1906) the Pacific States Trading Company is erecting two stations on the Shumagin group. Nearly all of these stations are open the whole year round, the fishermen going out in their dories each day when the weather is favorable, and but rarely having to go more than 5 miles from any of ee COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 13 the stations before good fishing grounds are reached. There is usually one man to a boat and trawl lines are quite generally employed, although a few hand lines are used. In good weather the trawls are hauled two or three times a day, but the fish are not dressed until the last haul for the day has been made. When not out in the dories the fisherman’s time is his own. He is paid from $25 to $30 per thousand fish of 26 or more inches in length, and he must dress and salt them. The wage is less for fish under 26 inches. The station owner furnishes the men with boats, lodging, food, and fuel, the fishermen providing only the fishing gear. The catch is kench cured, and later shipped away to San Francisco and Puget Sound ports on the transporting vessels, where the final curing is accomplished. VESSEL FISHERIES. Nearly all of the fleet fish in Bering Sea, where the banks are too far from the shore for shore fishing, or where harbors are not available. With the exception of three vessels which use trawl lines, all fish- ing is with hand lines from dories, one man to a boat. The fisher- men do not dress and salt their own catch, as is the custom on the Atlantic coast, but each vessel carries a dressing gang, varying with the number of fishermen, and a splitter and salter, who do this work. The captain usually receives about $125 per month; the cook, $75; the first mate, $40; the second mate, $35; the fishermen, $25 and $27 per 1,000 fish, according to the size; dressing gang, $25 per month each, and the splitter and salter, $75 per month. All hands get board also. When not engaged in their regular work the dressing gang usually fish over the side of the vessel and are paid $25 per 1,000 for all fish so caught. A vessel usually makes but one trip to the banks, leaving in the spring and returning in the late summer or early fall, but sometimes if she meets with good luck on her first trip she will make a second one. The fish are salted in bulk in the hold of the vessel, about 1 ton of salt being required for 1,000 fish, and the balance of the curing is done at the vessel’s home port. The crew have nothing to do with unloading the vessel, that work being done by the employees at the home station. The principal bait used in both shore and vessel fisheries is hali- but, sculpins, and cuttlefish. In hand-lining only a small quantity of bait is brought on the vessels, because after the first few hours’ fishing the shack fish brought up will suffice for baiting. For _ trawling, however, more bait is required, and the stations generally gather it at various places and furnish it to the fishermen either fresh or salted, as may be most convenient. 14 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. Certain of the vessels do nothing but ply between the stations and the home ports, bringing up supplies and carrying back the salted fish. These vessels make from three to four trips a year. But few of the tongues, sounds, and livers of the cod are saved, either in shore or vessel fisheries. STATISTICS. The table below shows, by years, the condition of the fishery since its inception, in 1863. An interesting feature of this table is that while the average cured weight of a codfish was slightly over 23 pounds in 1868, in 1905 the average had risen to 4 pounds. This is due to the fact that the vessels now work largely on the outer banks, where the fish are larger than on the banks close to shore, which were the ones from which most of the fish came in the early days of the fishery. For some years the fishery was almost sta- tionary, owing to the lack of an expanding market for Pacific cod; but during the past five years the demand has been quite heavy and has resulted in a considerable increase in the fleet and a correspond- ing increase in the catch. Vesse_s ENGAGED 1n Cop FisurneG In ALASKAN WATERS, TOGETHER WITH THE QUANTITY AND VALUE oF Cop Taken, 1863 To 1905. Year. ve Fish taken. ae Value. Year. Me Fish taken. beter Value. | Pounds. || Pounds. 1863@..... 1 6,000 18,000 $2,340 | 1886... .-. a 794,000 | 2,382,000 $83,370 18650ee- 2. 1 24,000 60,000 7,800 | 1SSie see | 6 795,000 | 2,385,000 71,550 Ds eae 2 | 40,000 90,000 11,700 || 1888%__..| 6 735,000 | 2,386,000 59, 847 TRB ieee cee 3 136,000 340,000 42,500 || 1889..... 4 520,000 | 1,560,000 39, 150 1868= 2s 14 608,000 | 1,684,480 | 202,138 || 1890...-. 4 771,580 | 2,314,740 57, 868 1869? eee 8 | 412,800 | 1,032,000 92,880 || 18917... 8} 1,188,000 | 3,751,711 93,793 187022 ie 10 506,200 | 1,265,500 82,258 || 1892... ..| 6 | 1,312,000 | 3,936,000 118,080 1ST eee 6 | 304, 800 914, 400 64,008 || 18937... -.! 6 | 1,216,000 | 38,648,000 109, 440 1872 ee eee 3 120, 000 360, 000 25,200 || 1894..... 5 894,000 | 2,682,000 80, 460 TSioe nee 4 220,000 660, 000 39,600 || 1895..... 6 847,637 | 2,542,910 76, 290 1S74e eee 4 152, 400 457, 200 27,432 || 1896... | 9 728,000 | 2,184,000 76,440 18 /5eeeeee 4 201, 600 604, 800 42,336 || 1897..... | 10} 1,065,000 | 3,195,000 127,800 IS76lco se 6 303, 200 909, 600 54,576 || 1898..... fd) 817,000 | 2,451,000 122,550 DSUiieme ne ia 300,000 900, 000 45,000 |} 1899..... 11 | 1,377,000 | 5,508,000 206, 550 18784_.... 9 524,000 | 1,574,000 78,700 |} 1900..... 10 | 1,565,725 | 6,067,000 218,550 IY estes 10 696,000 | 2,088,000 83,520 |} 1901..... 10 | 1,504,000 | 6,016,000 180, 480 1880 €..... 5 289,000 867,000 43,350 || 1902%.... 12| 2,248,000 |} 2,992,000 269,760 i keis Pe ae 3 297,000 891, 000 44,550 || 1903? .._. 13 | 2,177,000 | 8,708,000 261,240 1882 f 9 529,000 | 1,587,000 63,480 || 1904 ..... 16 | 2,742,111 | 11,064,944 251,316 1883.9... ...| 9 737,000 | 2,211,000 88,440 || 1905m...) 21 | 3,030,836 | 12,123,344 303,084 1884 cy 5 655,000 | 1,965,000 98, 250 || - — 1885. . 8 | 881,000 | 2,643,000 7S, 290 | ALOE ene oe 34,270,889 |117,019,629 | 4,136,966 a First vessel to fish for cod in Bristol Bay. + Beginning of the Shumagin Islands fishing. ¢ Shore fishing station established at Pirate Cove. d One vessel lost. e Schooner Nagay lost in the spring. f Schooners General Miller and H. L. Tiernan lost. 9 Schooner Wild Gazelle lost. h Schooner Isabel lost with 14 men. 2 Schooner Dashing Wave lost. j Schooner John Hancock lost. k Schooner Anna lost with full cargo. ' Includes schooner Blakeley, of Vancouver, British Columbia; 2 Seattle (Wash.) firms began this year; schooner Mary and [da lost with 78,000 fish. m Schooner Pearl lost with 30 men; schooner Nellie Coleman lost with all on board. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 15 THE HALIBUT FISHERY. HISTORY. The halibut is now one of the most extensively sought species in our commercial fisheries. For many years the Atlantic banks amply sup- plied the constantly growing demand, but ultimately these began to show the effects of the heavy drain upon them, and then the impor- tant eastern fishing companies began to turn their attention to the Pacific, where large banks had been reported. The inception of the industry on the Pacific coast may be said to have been about twenty-one years ago, when several schooners from Port Townsend, Wash., began to fish off Cape Flattery, but their catches were small. A few years later an eastern fish firm established a branch at Tacoma, which caused a transfer of the business almost entirely to that city. In the meantime, a demand had been created in the West for Pacific halibut, and in a few years more the fish houses of Seattle began to compete for the fish caught by the schooners, with the result that the trade shifted to that city, and the bulk of the schooner trade has been done there ever since. At the present time the International Fisheries Company, of Tacoma, a connec- tion of an eastern house, handles the bulk of the steamer trade on the American side, while the New England Fish Company, of Van- couver, British Columbia, handles the bulk of the steamer trade on the Canadian side. The latter company, however, is an American corporation, with American-built vessels, and nearly all of its catch enters this country in bond free of duty. Both companies have special arrangements with the transcontinental lines by which their fish, fresh in refrigerator cars, are rushed through by passenger service, thus enabling the companies to place the fish on the Boston and Gloucester markets in from six to seven days after it.is landed on the coast. The New England Fish Company was the first to employ steamers in the fishery, beginning in 1897. At present it operates three steam- ers, while the Tacoma company has four steamers employed in fishing and transporting. Within the last year several steamers and power boats have been fitted out at Seattle to engage in the industry. It was about 1895 when the southeast Alaska banks began to be resorted to by Seattle schooners in the winter, it not being possible to do anything on the Cape Flattery banks at that season of the year, and the British Columbia banks being closed to them. Most of the vessels fished around Dixons Entrance, while others worked in Chatham Strait and Frederick Sound, the latter making their head- quarters in Wrangell Narrows and shipping the fish to Puget Sound ports on the regular steamers. The fishing was quite desultory, how- 16 * COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. ever, until 1899, when the Icy Strait Packing Company built a salmon cannery and a wharf at Petersburg, near the upper end of Wrangell Narrows, and arranged with the steamship companies to make regular calls for freight. From that time on the business rapidly concen- trated at Petersburg, until now nearly all of the vessels make it their headquarters. Since then a great development of the Alaskan halibut fisheries has occurred. In addition to the Seattle fleet, which comes up each winter to remain during the season, a few Alaskan sail and power vessels have entered the fishery. A considerable part of the business, how- ever, is conducted on entirely different lines. A company or indi- vidual builds its plant in some place convenient to the fisheries and engages crews to go out in dories from day to day. Some have one central station and a number of subsidiary stations and employ a steamer to carry supplies from the former to the latter and bring back the fish caught. The principal halibut stations are Tee Harbor, Taku Harbor, Pleasant Bay, Wrangell Narrows, Ketchikan, Kake, Hoonah Village, Juneau, Fanshaw, Windom, and Farragut bays. At Tee Harbor and Taku Harbor large cold-storage plants are in operation in which the fish are frozen for shipment. In addition to the wharf at Petersburg there were located in Wrangell Narrows in 1905 three large scows, each capable of taking care of from 200 to 400 boxes of halibut at a time. The schooners find it much easier to come alongside and discharge on these scows than on the wharf, while the steamer has very little difficulty in trans- ferring the boxes from the scow to its hold. The scows are resorted to almost exclusively by the schooners and other sailing vessels from Seattle. Most of the steamers and power boats that fish in Alaskan waters in winter return to their home port to unload as soon as a fare has been secured. They usually make about two trips a month to the banks. FISHING GROUNDS. In the Pacific the halibut ranges from Bering Sea on the north, as far as present knowledge extends, to San Francisco and the Farallones on the south. According to the observations of Dr. T. H. Bean, the center of abundance is in the Gulf of Alaska, particularly off Kadiak and the Shumagin islands. Outside of Alaska the principal bank near American territory is found off Cape Flattery, in the mouth of the Straits of Fuca, in the state of Washington. Practically the entire catch by American vessels during the summer is made on this bank. In the winter months the supply comes entirely from scattering banks in southeastern Alaska, or from banks on the British Columbia coast outside the three-mile limit. ~— ey COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. - 17 Of the former banks, Mr. A. B. Alexander*, formerly fishery expert of the steamer Albatross, writes as follows: Across Dixon Entrance, on the south side of Prince of Wales Island, in the vicinity of Nicholas Bay and Cape Chacon, a few schooners have taken good fares. Here, as at Cape Scott, the ground is made up of small ‘“‘spots,’’ which can only be located by landmarks. Only a few vessels can fish on this ground; it is said that even a small fleet would soon exhaust the ground, not permanently, but for some weeks. The Indians of this locality catch halibut here in considerable numbers, and from these people the white fishermen soon learn the best places. * * * *k * * * Halibut on the northern banks are sometimes very erratic; in places where they are numerous one day few will be found the next. It frequently happens that a vessel will have good success for several days, and in a few hours’ time fish will become so scarce that it is useless to remain longer on the ground. It is thought the fish are traveling in schools from one bank to another. On all grounds halibut are more plentiful in winter than in summer and are scarcer in June than at any other time of the year. At this season they scatter all over. During the salmon-canning season (June to November) many hali- but are to be seen near the canneries, where they feed on the salmon offal thrown overboard. No effort has yet been made to fish the large banks in central and western Alaska, owing to the distance from markets and the poor shipping facilities, but ultimately these will furnish the bulk of the product. Very important grounds are located off the Queen Charlotte Islands and along the coast of British Columbia, but most of these are barred to American fishermen because they are within the three-mile limit. It is barely possible that more extensive investigation would reveal the presence in southeast Alaska of large banks similar to those off the British Columbia coast. METHODS OF THE FISHERY. The method of catching halibut is almost the same as on the Atlantic coast. When the grounds are reached, the vessel scatters its dories around in favorable spots and then lies to for a while. There are generally two men to a dory. First the buoy is launched and the buoy line thrown out, this line being usually about 150 feet in length with an anchor attached to the end. The trawl lines in the vessel fisheries are generally about 1,800 feet in length, and usually three are joimed together so as to make one continuous line. The gangings are about 5 feet long, are attached to the ground line, and are placed about 15 feet apart. They have the hooks and bait (usu- ally herring) attached, and are placed so as to rest on the bottom. 4 Notes on the halibut fishery of the northwest coast in 1895, by A. B. Alexander. Bull. U.S. Fish Com., vo]. xvi, 1897 (1898), p. 141-144. 7115—06——3 18 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. As soon as the buoy-line anchor has reached the bottom, the trawl is thrown from the side of the dory, and considerable skill is then neces- sary in order to place the trawl so that it will cover as much ground as possible and at the same time not get tangled up and crossed. In lifting the trawl the buoy line, with anchor, is taken in first and then the trawl. Sometimes a hurdy-gurdy (small windlass) is used in this work in order to facilitate matters. The fish are hauled to the surface, hit on the head with a club, unhooked, and thrown into the dory. Various other species besides the halibut are secured, but nearly all are thrown away. One of the greatest pests in the halibut fisheries of the Pacific, as well as of the Atlantic, is the dogfish, many of which get caught on the lines. They range in weight from 8 to 20 pounds, and are utterly valueless to the fishermen. In the dory fishing from the regular Alaska shore stations the fishermen generally use 6 lines of about 150 feet each to each skate of gear, and 2 skates are used to a dory. Generally one skate is set out in the morning and the other in the afternoon. As a general thing the lines are set from one aad a half to two hours and then taken up in the manner described above. Hand lines, occasionally employed by the white fishermen, are nearly always used by the natives, who attach hooks of a very primi- tive but quite effective shape. On the steamers the fishermen are generally paid from 20 to 25 cents apiece for the fish caught, the owner of the vessel furnishing everything necessary for carrying on the fishery, including provisions. The fisherman receives the same price for a small fish as for a large one. On the schooners the fishing is generally done on shares, the vessel as a usual thing taking one-third and the crew the balance. Under this plan all the living expenses are taken from the returns before the division is made. The boat furnishes the gear. PREPARATION OF THE CATCH. In shipping fresh fish the entrails are removed and the fish packed in ice in boxes holding about 500 pounds net weight. The ice used is gathered from the neighboring glaciers, and is in the best form for use if ground in a mill made for the purpose, but often it is merely broken into fine lumps with a club. The large halibut and those secured where the opportunities for shipping are infrequent are fletched. In this process the two sides are taken off in two complete pieces, which are then put into bins and buried in salt so that the brine will run off. Here they remain from eight to ten days and are then repacked, being resalted if necessary, and allowed to remain until cured, when they are packed in boxes for shipment. A considerable part of this work is done during the sum- mer months when it is not profitable to ship halibut fresh. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 19 Large quantities of halibut are prepared each year by the Indians for food in the winter season. The fish are cut in strips, partially dried in the open air, and then suspended in the smoke from the fires generally built on the floor in the center of most of the Indian houses. The possibility of developing an important and profitable industry in the canning of halibut has often been canvassed in Alaska, but the difficulty of interesting capital in an untried industry, when the prof- its of salmon canning have been so sure for many years, has usually been too great for the promoters. The first halibut canned in Alaska were put up at the Klawak cannery in 1878, when 200 or 300 cases of 2-pound cans (2 dozen cans in a case) were packed. This venture was continued for a few seasons, not more than 300 cases of 2-pound cans being packed in any one season, and then abandoned owing to the lack of a market for the product. In the summer of 1904 the Alaska Fish and Halibut Company opened a small cannery on Wrangell Nar- rows, just above Tonka, and put up an experimental pack of 41 cases of 1-pound flats (48 cans to the case). Some of the cases were shipped to Boston and other eastern points, and the balance distributed on the Pacific coast, where they have met with a very good reception. If the results of the experiment justify it, the company expects to put up a one-line cannery to be devoted exclusively to the packing of halibut. During the winter of 1904-5 the Juneau Packing Company, of Juneau, put up 36 1-pound cans as an experiment, and expects to enter into the business on a large scale should the goods meet with a favorable reception. The writer had an opportunity to see and taste these goods, and found them both pleasant to the eye and agreeable to the taste. The West Point Packing Company, at Petersburg, expected to put up a small pack in the winter of 1905-6. One very favorable feature of this industry, if it be established, is that it can be prosecuted at all seasons of the year. Salmon can- neries could be utilized when not engaged in the packing of salmon, thus saving the initial cost of a plant put up especially for halibut. The salmon canning season begins in June usually, and, with the exception of a few plants, closés by October. Halibut are most abundant during the winter months, the very season when the salmon canneries are shut down. The Juneau Packing Company, of Juneau, put up a large smoke- house during 1904, and is now engaged in the smoking of halibut, herring, and salmon. The greater part of its prepared product is shipped to Puget Sound ports. 20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. THE HERRING FISHERY. HISTORY. As early as 1878 persons in Wrangell engaged in the business of catching herring, from which they extracted the oil, in addition to salt- ing and drying the fish. In 1880 the Western Fur and Trading Com- pany, at their St. Paul (Kadiak Island) fishery, put up 500 boxes (30 pounds each) of smoked herring and 25 one-quarter barrels and 100 kits of salted herring. The fertilizer plant at Killisnoo, on the island of Kenasnow, close to the western shore of Admiralty Island, owned and operated by the Alaska Oil and Guano Company, is the largest and oldest concern engaged in the herring fisheries. In 1882 the Northwest Trading Company, the predecessor of the present company, established at Killisnoo a small plant for extracting oil. As it proved successful it was gradually enlarged, and in 1884 the plant for the manufacture of guano was installed. The works at present are quite extensive, with commodious storehouses and a fine wharf. The common barrels used are made on the premises by machinery. As the fish while breeding are very poor and furnish no oil, the factory does not begin to operate until June, by which time the fish are feeding again and have com- menced to fatten. In June it is estimated that one barrel of fish will furnish about half a gallon of oil; from this time the quantity obtained increases, until in the early part of September one barrel of fish pro- duces about 34 gallons of oil. It then begins to decrease until in December a barrel of fish will produce about 2 gallons of oil. The factory is generally operated from June to December. The season is frequently shorter, however; in 1905 it ran from June to October. Three steamers are employed and the fish are taken by means of purse seines. A few herring are salted each season, also. During the season of 1905 the Alaska Fish and Development Com- pany, of Pleasant Bay, on Glass Peninsula, installed a fertilizer plant aboard a large hulk anchored in the bay, but they were unable to get it in readiness to operate before the season closed. They put up a considerable quantity of salted herring, however. In 1904 this com- pany operated a trap net for herring in the bay, but it was not set in 1905. From 1899 on, various companies and individuals put up salted herring at points along the coast south of the Aleutian chain. The fishing in Norton Sound and on the Yukon River is done by natives with seines, and the fish caught are either consumed locally or ex- changed with the interior tribes for other articles. On June 15, 1904, the sardine cannery of the Juneau Packing Com- pany was opened at Juneau, and during the balance of the year put COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 21 up 3,173 cases of one-quarter oil and three-quarters mustard sardines, valued at $12,059. These were prepared from young herring. None were packed in 1905, owing to inability to compete with the excess- ively low prices quoted for eastern sardines. As the prices of the latter have gone up to a normal figure again, it is probable that it will now be profitable to operate the cannery. The company also put up smoked and salted herring in addition to other fishes. There is room for a very great development of the herring industry. - For many years salmon absorbed all the attention and capital, but since the slump in profits in the latter business during the last four years more attention has been directed to herring. FISHING GROUNDS. Herring are found in abundance at certain seasons of the year at many places on the Alaskan coast south of Bering Straits. They are rather erratic in their movements, however, being in one place especially abundant one year and totally absent the next, possibly returning again after several seasons in greater numbers than before. In southeast Alaska the herring arrive in April for the purpose of breeding, and deposit their eggs in countless numbers in the sea grass and rockweed near shore and on boughs of trees along the beaches near low-water mark. For many years the inlet at Kootznahoo, on Chatham Strait, was the favorite resort for herring, but they are much less abundant now, owing, it is claimed, to the constant fishing for them with purse seines, which breaks up the schools and drives them away. The northern shore of Kuiu Island and Gastineau Chan- nel are also favorite spots, although the fish have been rather scarce in the latter place the last two seasons. They are quite abundant in Yakutat Bay, while Seldovia or Herring Bay, just inside the mouth of Cook Inlet, is a famous resort for them, immense schools making - their appearance here each spring and autumn. About the middle of August large schools usually appear in the vicinity of Kadiak Island, and Captains Harbor, Unalaska Island, is frequented at cer- tain seasons by large schools of exceedingly fat herring. Herring usually begin to arrive in the Yukon River from the 5th to the 20th of June. The run in Norton Sound is of very short duration, the fishing lasting only a fortnight, but the schools are said to be enor- mously large. STATISTICS. The table on page 22 shows the condition of the herring fishery from 1878, the first year for which reliable data could be secured. This table is not complete by any means, as salteries frequently spring up and are gone in a season, leaving no trace behind as to what they did. 22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. Extent oF THE Herrine Fisheries or Axaska, 1878 to 1905. Products prepared. Year. Fish utilized. Pickled. Smoked. Half barrels. Barrels. Pounds. Number.| Value. | Number.| Value. | Pounds.| Value. eS ACE See Bae me icine 15, 963, 500 150 | 450 2, 250 11, 250 450 50 IGUGS. -aeUaeoseontsee cde sacl 15, 109, 113 375 1,115 9, 216 46, 200 24, 435 1,534 Mortals Hes ye ake eee 297, 276, 463 8, 470 27, 025 34,535 | 173,133 | 39,885 2,334 Products prepared—Continued. Total Year ; Sardines : value (canned). Oil. Guano. | Cases.) Value. Gallons. Value. Pounds. Value. BESSERSSSSSSSS S888288883838 iTS 1 Ge RRS iy SORTER Fit |S hE 143) 220 35,805 | 2,618,000 | 32,725 | 117,379 q Pdtalechi wy soe en 3,173 | 12,059 | 4,281,420 | 1,055,368 | 29,319,800 | 349,349 | 1,619, 268 . aNo record. | COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905, 23 THE SALMON INDUSTRY.a@ CANNERIES. The first two canneries in Alaska were built in the spring of 1878— ~ one at the Redoubt, Old Sitka, and the other at Klawak, both in South- east Alaska. The latter was built by the North Pacific Trading and Packing Company, which still operatesit. In Central Alaska the first cannery was built in 1882 at Karluk. The first in Western Alaska (Bristol Bay region) was constructed on the Nushagak River in 1884. By 1889 there were 37 canneries in operation, with a total output of 719,196 cases, a flood of-canned salmon which was too much for the markets, so that by 1892 the number of canneries had fallen to 15, with an output of 474,717 cases. From this time on there was a gradual increase until 1902, when there were 64 establishments in operation, packing 2,545,298 cases; but the low prices prevailing dur- ing the last few years, owing to excessive competition, again reduced the number very materially, and in 1905 there were but 47 canneries, which put up 1,894,516 cases. The table below shows by sections and years the number of canneries operated and the pack. It has been found impossible to give the value of the pack, owing to the wide fluctuations in price and the fact that establishments frequently held their pack for several seasons before disposing of it. Pack or CANNED SALMON IN ALASKA, 1878 To 1905. Southeast Alaska.| Central Alaska. Western Alaska. | Total Year. ~ Can- Can- ae Can- | = Can- neries, Pack. neries. Pack. neries. | Pack. neries. Pack Cases. Cases | Cases Cases. 2 S EDOM here MAE ae Bes cc Si abcrellocemelcicice gies 2 8, 159 2 1:25 530i | Base se 3s eran ers 2e see ae 2 12, 530 1 eS OM Ee: Bs34 Beare 15 ae Sel betes ares ee en eeneea ee 1 6, 539 1 SON etesewe = [ae ne cote e clea ets teaesicess aes 1 8,977 1 11, 501 2 Us EE Ne te eee LE ee eae 3 21, 745 4 20, 040 2 Broth oad ack slGeneee ieee 6 48, 337 4 22, 189 2 42, 297 1 | 6 400 7 64, 886 3 16, 728 2 52, 687 1 14, 000 6 83, 415 4 18, 660 2 74, 583 3 48, 822 9 142, 065 5 31, 462 2 102, 515 3 72, 700 10 206, 677 6 81, 128 6 241, 101 4 89, 886 16 412, 115 12 141, 760 | 21 461, 451 4 115, 985 37 719, 196 12 142, 901 19 421, 300 4 118, 390 35 682, 591 11 156, 615 14 511, 367 5 133, 418 30 801, 400 7 115, 722 6 295, 496 2 63, 499 15 474, 717 8 136, 053 11 399, 815 3 107, 786 22 643, 654 uf 142, 544 10 435, 052 4 108, 844 21 686, 440 ul 148, 476 10 327, 919 6 150, 135 23 626, 530 9 262, 381 12 485, 990 8 218, 336 29 966, 707 9 271, 867 13 382, 899 7 254, 312 29 909, 078 9 251, 385 14 395, 009 if 318, 703 30 965, 097 9 310, 219 14 356, 095 9 411, 832 32 1,078, 146 16 456, 639 14 492, 223 12 599, 277 42 1, 548, 139 21 742, 914 13 562, 142 21 719, 213 55 2, 024, 269 26 915, 150 12 583, 690 26 | 1,046, 458 64 2, 545, 298 21 645, 232 12 417,175 27 | 1,186, 730 60 2, 249, 137 12 464, 545 11 499, 485 32 989, 716 55 1, 953, 746 13 433, 607 9 871, 755 25 | 1,089, 154 47 1, 894, 516 52s BEBE Aree Oe cee) 5; OVD; 923) S-heaese|) | Up GOO ROR sole see i BONG DOG! [ecw cee | 1 2, 70%, OG aNo effort is made to give a detailed history of the fishery or of the methods followed, as these have been treated of, the agents appointed ob Experimental pack, uite at length, in the publications of the Bureau and in the yearly reports of y the government to see that the salmon law is enforced. 94 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. SALTERIES. The oldest Alaska salmon saltery now in existence is that established by Baronovich, a Greek or Slav, who had married: the daughter of Skowl, one of the old-time chiefs of the Kasaans, and received from him the fishery on Karta Bay now known as Baronovich’s Fishery. The saltery is operated only occasionally now. The table below shows the pack of salted salmon since 1868. The salt salmon trade was so overshadowed by its giant brother, the canned trade, that it is frequently lost sight of or swallowed up in the latter. As a result it has been an exceedingly difficult matter to secure accurate data, and it is probable that a considerable part of the trade, especially in the earlier years, has been overlooked. The preparing of dry-salted dog salmon for market was first attempted in 1899. In 1900 a number of persons rushed into the business and over- stocked the market, with the result that the industry became unprof- itable and nothing was attempted for two seasons, when the demands of the Japanese trade for a cheap dry-salted fish caused a revival of the business. From 225 to 250 dog salmon are required to make a prepared ton of dry salted. These are packed in boxes holding about 560 pounds net. Fifteen pounds of salt are required to a box of fish, while the box itself weighs 95 pounds. Pack oF SALTED SaLmon IN ALAsKA, 1868 To 1905. Salmon. Salmon bellies. | Dry-salted salmon. Barrels. Value. | Barrels.| Value. | Pounds. | Value. a Nn w J rae Nw ne ~ aS “Ibo to ua © to = 13, 674 89, 209 208 1, 950 966, 812 16, 180 19,071 143. 811 1,360} 11,355 | 7,280,234] 115,643 404,952 | 3, 108, 952 12,732 | 118,501 | 9,058, 446 147, 551 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 25 FREEZING SALMON. The preparing of frozen salmon began in 1902. The San Juan Fish- ing and Packing Company, soon to be succeeded by the Pacific Cold Storage Company, put up a cannery and cold-storage plant at Taku Harbor, Southeast Alaska, in 1901, though it did not operate the cold- storage portion until 1902. The quantity prepared that year was not reported by the company. It appears that in 1903 the pack was valued at $50,000 and in 1904, 57,427 pounds were frozen. In 1905 the pack was as follows: King salmon, 21,643 pounds, valued at $866; silver salmon, 22,334 pounds, $893; pink salmon, 16,348 pounds, $654, and steelhead trout, 12,306 pounds, $738. Nearly all of this frozen fish is shipped to Europe. The season of 1905 witnessed the inception of a new branch of the salmon fishery. About the middle of January king salmon were observed in the vicinity of Ketchikan, but it was not until January 23 that the first fish were brought to this place for sale. News of the heavy run of fish having spread very rapidly, there were soon a large number of whites and Indians out in canoes catching them. The fish were feeding on the schools of young herring, and as they were close to the reefs nets could not be employed, and trolling lines were brought into use. At first herring bait was employed, but it was soon dis- covered that a nickel trolling spoon would answer the purpose just as well. The vicinity of Point Comano and Point Stewart seemed to be favorite spots for the fish, but they were to be found almost every- where within a radius of 50 miles from Ketchikan. Several firms in Ketchikan early saw the financial possibilities of the business and soon had out steamers and launches to collect the fish from the fishing boats and bring them to Ketchikan to be packed in ice and shipped to Puget Sound ports. The fish averaged 25 pounds in weight. One weighed 77 pounds and several 75 pounds each. About 25 per cent of the catch consisted of white-meat fish and 75 per cent of red-meat fish. For the former the fishermen were paid 25 cents each and for the latter 50 cents each. During the run, which lasted until May 18, 271,644 pounds, valued at $15,600, were shipped. A considerable quantity was cured by the Indians for their own use also. HATCHERIES. A few of the more far-sighted cannerymen early saw the necessity _ of repairing, by artificial means, the enormous drain upon the supply of salmon caused by the large number of canneries in operation. In 1891 the several canneries in operation at Karluk combined forces and built a hatchery on the lagoon at that place. There were 2,500,000 eggs taken, but owing to bad water, crude appliances, and want of experience, only about 500,000 fish were hatched. As the can- nerymen could not agree in regard to fishing operations in 1892, the 26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. hatcheryscheme also fell through and the plantwasclosed up. In that year Mr. John C. Callbreath, manager of the Point Ellis cannery, on Kuiu Island, operated a small hatchery on the left bank of Kutlakoo stream. It was a very primitive affair, the work all being conducted without shelter. About 1,000,000 eggs were fertilized and placed in the baskets, but after they commenced hatching an exceptionally high September tide destroyed the plant and it was never rebuilt. During the spring of the same year the Point Ellis cannery burned, and Mr. Callbreath, after seeing to the operation of the hatchery, returned to Wrangell to engage in business. Here his attention was attracted again to hatchery work and he made arrangements with the Indians for the right to Jadjeska stream, which empties into McHenry Inlet on Etolin Island, and in the fall of 1892 built a small hatchery about 200 yards from the mouth of the stream. The stream is about one-half mile in length and is the outlet of a small lake 42 feet above tide water. Finding the location unsuitable, Mr. Callbreath removed the hatchery in 1893 to the northern side of the lake, about three-eighths of a mile from the head of the outlet, where it at present stands. This hatchery is a private enterprise, being unconnected with any cannery or fishery, and is supported wholly by its public spirited and enterprising owner. In 1896 the Baranof Packing Company, which operated a cannery on Redfish Bay, on the western coast of Baranof Island, built a small hatchery on the lake at the head of Redfish Stream. When 200,000 eges were in the water very cold weather set in and not only froze the flume solid, but also froze the whole cataract. As the hatchery was thus left without water, the eggs were put into the lake and left to their fate and the hatchery closed down permanently. In May, 1896, the Alaska Packers’ Association broke ground for a hatchery at the eastern end of the Karluk lagoon, near the outlet of Karluk River, and but a short distance from where the hatchery was located in 1891. This was the first large hatchery built in Alaska and at the start had a capacity of several million eggs, which was largely increased from season to season for some years until in 1905 it had a capacity of about 40,000,000. In 1897 the North Pacific Trading and Packing Company, at Kla- wak, Prince of Wales Island, established a hatchery near the head of Klawak stream, close to Klawak Lake. In 1898 the establishment was moved to the mouth of Threemile stream, a lake feeder on the northern side. The Pacific Steam Whaling Company in 1898 erected a small hatch- ery on Hetta stream on the west side of Prince of Wales Island, which was operated until the close of the hatching season of 1903-4, when the Pacific Packing and Navigation Company, successor to the original owner, went into the hands of a receiver. This company was the owner of two other small hatcheries also, both built in 1901, one on the stream entering Mink arm of Quadra Bay, on the mainland, and COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 27 one on a stream entering Freshwater Lake Bay, Chatham Strait. These likewise closed when the company failed. In 1901 the Alaska Packers’ Association erected a hatchery on Heckman Lake, the third of a series of lakes on Naha Stream, and about 8 miles from Loring, where the association has a cannery. The association has expended a great deal of money on this hatchery and has made it the largest and most expensive in the world. At present it has a capacity of 110,000,000 eggs, but it has never been possible to secure enough to fill it. The Union Packing Company, at Kell Bay, on Kuiu Island, and Mr. F. C. Barnes, at Lake Bay, on Prince of Wales Island, in 1902 built and operated small hatcheries, but with very indifferent suc- cess, and both abandoned the attempt after one season’s work. In 1905 the United States Bureau of Fisheries took up the work of hatching in Alaska, and began the erection of a hatchery on McDonald Lake, which empties through a short stream into Yes Bay, on Cleveland Peninsula. As the hatchery proper was not far enough complete to operate when the time for stripping came, in September, the eggs secured were placed in the flume built to bring the water to the hatchery. Five hatcheries were in operation in 1905-6, and the value of these, together with the Hetta hatchery, which is in condition to operate at any time, is about $315,000. The table below shows the hatcheries which operated successfully from 1892 or at least one season, and gives the number of eggs secured and the number of fry liberated each season. This represents almost wholly redfish, but a few million cohoes having been hatched. The periods-represented are fiscal years, because the spawning season, the winter months, covers parts of two calendar years. Output oF THE SatmMon HarcHeries or /ALasKA, 1893 To 1906. Callbreath’s hatchery. Karluk hatchery. Klawak hatchery. Pane 30 F F | ete i une ry ry , ry Eggs taken.) jiperatea | Eses taken. | jinordted. | Eges taken. | jiperated. i ne 900,000 GON GOOUR Ae eet MMe Lo. oe AM AICS Ro Lf he Se PeoMh Lisle SP MLL (UUU ah tataeaessi C700) SER Moe MRR ge 2 AE a 1a Ae Te aa a ewe COO nine GORk| ae aeeee ce (PETRA ME ROWER ag gs ce nl ates aaa i aaa SPOON DON Nine are WN |S 2tfL Pek UC rE ARI ELT I Se ae eee 5,400,000} 4,390, 000 3,236,000 PN a ae eel pa 22 5 Tose 6 3,400,000 | 2,526, 000 8) 454/000 6,340,000 2,023,000 800,000 THI ce 3,000,000 | 2/050; 000 4) 491,000 3,369,000 | 3,600,000 3,000,000 (ea ie 3,400,000 | 2/335,000 10,496, 900 7,872,000 | 3,600,000 | 1.000000 i (yee Weecaaes ee 19,334, 000 15, 566, 800 | TOMER 0 eet Ones ce eae 6,000,000 | 5,500,000 32,800,000 | 28/700,000 | 3,500,000 2, 800,000 Saas 6,000,000 | 5,000; 000 23,400,000 | 17,555,000 | 3,500,000 1,500,000 Tee ee 6,000,000 | 5,000,000 28,113,000 | 22,000'000 | 3,000,000 1,700, 000 ii, 6,050,000} 5,250,000 45,500,000} 33,670,000 | 2,800,000 2/000, 000 19064... 4 7,700,000 | 6,500,000 36,933,000 | 32,501,040 | 2,800, 000 2/000, 000 Total..| ¢63,350,000 | 52,121,000} 212,757,900 | 170,130,280 24,823,000 | 14,800, 000 a A hard freeze killed most of the eggs. b None stripped. ¢ Eggs all frozen. @ As the take of eggs for 1905-6 had not been hatched out when this report was prepared, the number of had to be estiraated. ¢ The number of eggs taken in each season at this hatchery has been estimated. 28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. OutruT oF THE SALMON HatTcHERIES OF ALASKA, 1893 To 1906—Continued. | Quadra Bay Freshwater Bay Fortmann | Hetta hatchery. hatchery. hatchery. hatchery. Year ended | June 30— | Eggs Fr Eggs Fry Eges | Fry Eggs _ Fry taken. jliberated.) taken. | liberated. taken liberated. 1,500,000 |... a 500,000 | 1,700,000 | 4,500,000 3,500,000 1,000,000 | 11,460,000 | 10,300,000 4,000,000 | 5,500,000 |4,000,000 (0) 40,050,000 | 29,005,000 3,750,000 600,000 | ¢ 400,000 (d) 29° 203,000 | 13,780,000 (€) | (e€) (€) (e) 65,010,000 | 63,181,000 (¢) (¢) (é) (€) 71,139,000 | 65,313,710 Total. .|19,027,500 |14,050,000 |10, 600, 000 |7,900,000 1,500,000 | 1,000,000 209, 862,000 181,579,710 Kell Bay hatchery. McDonald hatchery. Total. Year ended |— “A J 30— r & | F uae | Eggs taken. ieee Eggs taken. | Fry planted.) Eggs taken. eet eaey a 2: Fs Bae Neen Pe US pies emi cpa | POR oa) Seg REN || ata) AS A | nee et 2c 900, 000 600,000 (tt). See SO eMeRN eo ao (SRe em oer coer ie eee cose remeron te sac Ie ooo 3,000,000 2,204,000 13) Ae se I tee ieee mein AIR kid oe. oe ile Seal ae LL ie Ber A ee 6,300,000 5,291,000 PROGs o. teeta eee ee ato ce chee repre all Bane lee os ecto See ies ere 6, 200,000 5, 475,000 TOOT Se eattee ce Ske che ota teis||nctanysie Se aye roars Pecan eleteeteie ial] Ore ce Shae eee 8, 636, 000 6,946, 440 TRO S He et ee ees SAO eae aa ey Sc RA ey ve Be 13,877,000 9, 666,000 1SOGE SMU eaebeeonesane||obebuecbadoss aadeamscsaneds sHSsacqocesacce 13,891,000 11,019,000 ASOD RRA OTH 2 Eley ie Se Sy are ee ere el eR ie uF - 19,496,900 12,707,000 TET ihawan yes ope) AER a RA, called Ic laa Ree aR peal rulches kaa cel pal tie tei Nt oy, Zhi 21, 134,000 16,066, 800 : AY (eee Pere eget oRee| bearer ee SE aa ee Os ee a eee) PMO Sano it 62, 260,000 53,500,000 19S 2,500,000 2000; OOOW ES 225 Fs eee elle See ee ae 85, 750,000 63,060,000 1904 aes = (e) (CO), WBE eee ee IES eee Beane 65,043, 500 46, 630, 000 18 US eestor as (e) CE) ON eee eee | See ree 119, 360; 000 104, 101,000 JONG F He oe oe (¢) (€) 7,000,000 5,000,000 125,572,000 111,314, 750 Total 2,500,000 2,000,000 7,000,000 5,000,000 551, 420, 400 448, 580,990 a Many eggs frozen. b No run of fish. ce Hatchery was not used, the eggs being hatched out in the lake. d No report. e Not operated. J As the take of eggs for 1905-6 had not been hatched when this report was prepared, the number of fry had to be estimated. FERTILIZER PLANTS. As noted elsewhere, the Alaska Oil and Guano Company has oper- ated a herring fertilizer plant at Killisnoo for some years. During 1905 the Alaska Fish and Development Company, at Pleasant Bay, built a small fertilizer plant in an old hulk, which can be moved from place to place as desired. The company expects, when the plant is working, to utilize the salmon and herring offal from its saltery. The Pacific Coast and Norway Packing Company also put in a small fertilizer plant in connection with its salmon cannery at Tonka in 1905. The plant cost about $3,500 and will have a capacity of 12 tons daily. The intention is to use the waste product of the can- nery, and as the noxious gases which make a fertilizer plant so offen- sive are piped off into the furnace and there consumed it has been possible to build the plant immediately alongside the cannery build- ing. The manager of the cannery estimates that when reduced a ton of salmon offal will make from 400 to 500 pounds of fertilizer and 150 pounds (about 20 gallons) of oil. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 29 In 1904 the North Pacific Fish and Oil Company established a fer- tilizer plant at Grace Harbor, on Dall Island. It was the intention of the company to utilize the offal from a nearby salmon saltery and also such little used species as mud sharks, dogfish, ete. | Unfor- tunately the plant proved unworkable and has not yet been remod- eled to suit Alaskan conditions. As the offal from the salmon canneries alone amounts to over 35,000,000 pounds in a season, all of which is at present thrown over- board and allowed to pollute the waters, it is easily to be seen that if small fertilizer plants could be installed at each cannery to treat this ‘offal, as is done at the sardine canneries in Maine, this enormous annual wastage would be obviated and the waters adjacent to the canneries rendered more agreeable, not only to the denizens of the water but also to the chance visitor. Oil.—For many years the Indians have engaged in catching the dogfish (Squalus sucklii Girard) and extracting from it an oil which they sell to the traders. Loring has always been a favorite resort for these fishermen, as the dogfish are especially abundant in that vicinity. It is estimated that as much as 10,000 gallons of this oil were obtained in 1892. The only firm of white men engaged in this business at pres- ent is the Ketchikan Ka-ko Oil Company, which has a small plant at Loring. The livers alone are utilized, the rest of the fish being thrown away. The oil, because of its heavy body and freedom from grit, is a most desirable lubricant and finds a ready sale in logging camps as “skid grease.” In 1904 the company refined part of its product and is now endeavoring to introduce it as a medicinal oil, for which they claim it is well suited. AQUATIC FURS. Of the few industries followed in Alaska that of hunting the fur- bearing animals is one of the most important. Owing to the immense extent of territory still unoccupied except by a few small tribes of Indians or Eskimos, it is probable that the industry, so far as it relates to aquatic animals in the interior waters, will thrive for some years to come. Those fur-bearing animals, such as the seal and sea otter, found along the shores of the mainland and adjacent islands and the open sea, where they can easily be hunted, are rapidly becoming extinct. This fact has already had a very important bearing on the welfare of the coast tribes, as they have been dependent at many places upon their catch of these animals for the means wherewith to secure the very necessaries of life. The fur traders have their stations located at convenient points, and from these in the spring and summer send out vessels to visit branch stations or certain rendezvous, where they secure from the natives their catch of the past year and pay for the same in goods. In the interior the traders usually fit out trusty natives with small 30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. stocks of goods to travel among those more distant tribes which can not reach the stations. The prices paid are regulated by the stand- ard price of red fox or marten, called 1 skin, which in 1890 was about $1.25. In 1890 a prime beaver was put in as 2 skins; black bear, 4 skins; lynx, 1 skin; land otter, 2 or 3 skins. Five yards of drilling or 1 pound of tea or 1 pound of powder, or half a pound of powder with 1 box of caps and 1 pound of shot, are given for 1 skin; 50 pounds of flour for 4 skins; 5 pounds of sugar for 1 skin. In the mining districts the prices are much higher, to conform to those paid by the miners. Beaver.—This is the most valuable of the fur-bearing aquatic ani- mals of the interior waters of Alaska, and since the district was acquired by the United States has been hunted with such vigor that its numbers are very much diminished and diminishing. The range of this animal covers all of the mainland of Alaska, excepting only the belt of barren-coast country bordering the Arctic Ocean from Point Hope north and east to the Canadian line. The numer- ous lakes and ponds and the clear streams of the interior, especially those bordered by alders and willows, are the beaver’s favorite resorts. It generally avoids the large rivers, owing to the great change in level likely to occur at different seasons. The natives catch beavers in steel traps set at a frequented spot or shoot them from a concealed | place near their house or dam. The natives of eastern Siberia prize the fur of the beaver very highly for trimming their fur clothing, and during the summer months many of the skins are taken across Bering Straits by the Eskimos and traded to the Siberian natives for the skins of the tame reindeer. Castoreum, an oily odorous compound secreted by the preputial glands of the animal, also the dried preputial follicles and their contents, are sometimes prepared and find a sale in China, where they occupy a place in the pharmacopeia. In 1905 but 5 pounds, valued at about $16, were prepared. From 1745 to 1867, the period covered by the Russian occupation of Alaska, 413,356 beaver skins were secured by her traders. Muskrat.— Wherever bogs and ponds or running water occur on the mainland, except along the extreme northern coast line, this animal will be found; it is also found upon Nunevak and St. Michaels islands. It is trapped in small steel traps or in wicker fish traps. The greater part of the skins are bought by the traders for the purpose of bartering them off in other localities for more valuable furs, hence but few of them reach the outside world. They are used by the natives for making fur clothing and blankets or robes. Land otter.—This species is one of the most widely distributed in the district, being found on the whole coast of Alaska from the southern boundary to the northern shore of Norton Sound. It also occurs on all the islands inside of these limits as far as Unimak in the west and Nunivak in the north. Within the Arctic Circle it is confined to the COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. ol upper courses of the rivers emptying into the Arctic Ocean. It is quite generally distributed over the interior of the Territory and is also found on the Kadiak Archipelago. The land otters found upon Sit- kalidak, one of the Kadiak group, are famous for their very dark fur. A steel trap is generally used in capturing the animal. According to Russian records 244,538 of these skins were bought by the traders from 1745 to 1867, the date of American annexation. Since then the supply has remained fairly constant. Sea otter.—When Bering and his party first explored the Aleutian Islands in 1760-1765 they found the sea otters exceedingly numerous all along the Aleutian chain. They are now almost unknown around a greater part of it, their principal resort at present being among the reefs and outlying islets surrounding Sannak Island, near the eastern end and on the Pacific side of the chain. The Aleutian hunters are brought to this point in vessels belonging to the trading companies and to private individuals, and landed with their bidarkas or skin canoes and hunting equipment. Here they remain for months, scour- ing the sea in all directions or lying upon rocky points and islets await- ing the approach of an otter within long rifle shot. The fur of this animal is the most valuable in the world. Even as far back as 1880 from $80 to $100 in cash were paid by the traders to the Aleuts for particularly fine skins. At the London sales in 1888 the average price received for these skins was £21 10s.; in 1889, £33; and in 1891, £57. Asingle skin, however, has sold for as high as $1,400, and in 1905 a trader at Nome valued one skin which he had secured at $2,000. During the Russian occupation (from 1745 to 1867) 260,790 sea otter skins are reported as having been shipped from Alaska. The following table shows the number and value of the aquatic furs, other than seal, obtained in Alaska and shipped from the district from 1868 to 1905, both inclusive: Aquatic Furs OxstTainep In ALasKA, 1868 To 1905.¢ Beaver. Muskrat. Otter, land. Otter, sea. Totai. Year. Num- Num- Num- Num- 7 Num- ~ Hers Value. Were Value ber Value. ners Value. nani Value. 1868-1870. .... 17,041 |$85, 205 | 17,908 $895 6,367 | $31,835 | 12,208 |$1, 220,800 53,524 |$1, 338, 735 1871-1880..... 41,217 |20b, 085 | 50,322 2,516 | 27,730 | 138,650 | 40,283 | 4,028,300 | 159,552 | 4,375,551 1881-1890... ... 60,940 |304, 700 | 90, 000 4,500 | 27,730 | 138,650 | 47,842 | 4,784, 200 | 226,512 | 5, 232, 050 1891-1900. .... 21,810 |109, 050 | 30,000 1,500 | 21,000 | 105, 000 6, 467 646, 700 79, 277 862, 250 1901-1904..... 7,740 | 38,700 | 50,396 2,520 8,556 68, 448 260 39, 090 66, 952 148, 668 1k? 15 ae eS 1,935 8,271 | 12,599 1,192 1,889 14, 458 61 13, 867 16, 484 37, 788 2 Ser ES | a, Total. .|150, 683 |752,011 |251, 225 "Ya, 123 93,272 | 497,041 |107,121 |10, 732,867 | 602,301 |11, 995, 042 a The values given, except in 1905, are the prices realized in London. Fur seal.—It would be superfluous to go into any detail in regard to the general subject of the fur seal, as the existing literature devoted to this animal would constitute a large library in itself. The only breeding grounds are on the islands of St. Paul and St. George in Ber- ing Sea. From about 1745 until the district of Alaska was annexed 32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. to the United States in 1867 the Russians took from these islands 3,354,478 skins. In 1870 the Alaska Commercial Company secured from the Government the exclusive right to kill fur seals on the islands, and retained this right until 1890, when it was succeeded by the North American Commercial Company, which is still in possession. The decrease in the number of seals since 1867 has been enormous. It is estimated that in 1867 the herd numbered about 5,000,000, while in 1905 it was only about 200,000. A considerable part of this decrease is attributed to the killing of female seals by the pelagic sealing ves- sels. On their way to the breeding grounds theseals follow the coast line from Santa Barbara Channel northward and throughout this jour- ney they are eagerly sought by the pelagic sealers. A little measure of relief to the harassed herd was extended by the decision of the Ber- ing Sea Arbitration Tribunal in 1893, but the slaughter was soon resumed. The table below shows the catch of fur seals from 1867 to date both on the islands and from pelagic and other sources, presum- ably within Alaskan waters. The values given are those received in London at the great auction sales held there several times each year. oi ae me Fur-SEAL SKINS OBTAINED FROM THE SEAL ISLANDS AND FROM PELAGIC AND OTHER Sources, ALL In WaTeERs or ALASKA, 1868 To 1905. From seal islands. F ron Delaeie and Total. Year. Ly Number. Value. Number. Value. Number. Value. NRGS Re een vie eee elas act Nae 140, 000 $700, 000 4, 367 $8, 734 144, 367 $708, 734 TEGO AES oe ok Se ee ee 85, 901 644, 258 4,430 8, 860 90, 331 653, 118 ES Y (OS Bis Become ag a VS RE 23, 773 166, 411 8, 686 21,715 32, 459 188, 126 ASAE Pe tase aaa See | 102,960 | 1,544, 400 16, 911 40, 586 119, 871 1, 584, 986 1 ES yf ale NR eke fel cl See 108, 819 | 1,218, 774 5, 336 12, 806 114, 155 1, 231, 580 1ST Se eke oe ea ee Se 109,117 | 1,418,421 5, 229 20, 886 114, 346 1, 439, 307 ThSy gah oe Bea eee ald Ree hc SOL aa eae 110,585 | 1,448, 663 5, 825 49, 513 116, 410 1,498, 176 1S bee oe eee Ee Re eae ee 106,460 | 1,357,365 5, 033 45, 297 111, 493 1, 402, 662 EY (ieee em SaeBNT RS Rs: Bete. & i TO | 94, 657 828, 249 5, 515 28, 954 100, 172 857, 203 SARE RNS 2 Bet eee ee 2 eee aes 84,310 822, 023 5, 210 31, 260 89, 520 853, 283 1 bY 6: eRe ee FN COPY AR, AWA) 109, 323 | 1,071,365 5, 540 38, 780 114, 863 1, 110, 145 S79) oe Pte ee ae orn 110, 511 2, 340, 713 8, 557 111, 241 119, 068 2,451, 954 ASSO AES tee ET Nee eee Mh 105,718 | 2,347, 687 8, 418 117, 852 _ 114, 136 2, 465, 539 1 Esse NE a A CN ha on ee 105,063 | 2,086, 193 10, 382 80, 979 115, 445 21675 172 ISS Die Seinen eee Oe LL SR ee 99,812 | 1,357,443 15, 581 79, 463 115, 393 1, 436, 906 ARES s SAE S SRE Se woe, 79,509 | 1,606, 082 16, 587 104, 498 96,096 | _ 1,710,580 SEAS Saeed Se ee A tate 105, 434 | 1,340, 096 16, 971 114, 554 122,405 | 1,454, 650 SSG 2 staph etavere a eects ah teers 105, 024 1, 491, 341 23, 040 149, 760 |. 128, 064 1, 641, 101 TSSG ieee he oe oe oN 104, 521 1, 788, 3385 28, 494 199, 458 133,045 )-——-1,987, 793 ARS Te eh cee Nate a Ae dps Fe) Eek | 105,760 | 1,480, 640 30, 628 235, 836 136, 388 1, 716, 476 TS8BN2U joo ass aoe pete ee ee reece | 103, 304 2,014, 370 36, 389 283, 834 |< — 139,693 2, 298, 204 RSS ASE Ae Bean sues heay pe ee | 102,617 | 1,744,489 29, 858 291, 116 132, 475 2, 035, 605 Tht] jeer Ds es a Ree a 28,859 | 1,053, 354 S 69, 673 1, 673, 757 1S 2 AA ah Se ae a gOS eae | 14, 406 432, 180 73, 974 1, 370, 376 RE ee ee Soe kl o acta Ome ROe | 7, 509 225, 270 54, 151 1,018, 184 [BOB Rr oi ees Bak pee Wt ae yas soe 7, 390 199, 5380 38, 202 584, 1S) EE aH Sm oHee SAS ea 3 15, 033 318, 176 76, 871 859, 259 TOE aE SECT GN Hiss Bes Se Ree 14, 846 300, 631 (Oi eye 877, 614 TAG) ap ks ME RIG AS heer eal hes shen TY 30, 654 521, 118 74, 571 872, 454 TROT Sette ce ee See eee | 19, 200 297, 600 43, 532 455, 758 PSUS eee Sek eA eae Se ce 18, 047 288, 752 46, 599 474, 340 SAGER tos SOL Asa eine Sechs ee | 16, 812 437, 112 50, 980 787, 334 DS0OE eis oo eR en 22, 470 719, 040 57, 661 1, 282, 096 GOMES es sate eso com etemenionae | 23, 066 770, 848 47,116 1, 137,611 Le OE OTE LRA es oe 22, 182 721, 175 44, 994 1, 160, 306 LOGOS a eae eye cireareie oo mete ate | 19, 292 566, 754 46, 292 1, 066, 254 1904. eee a riser c titan ee Se el 12, 960 388, 800 11, 523 232, 140 24, 483 620, 940 DA 6 5 jeg he oe el ae Eo ee ee ok | 12, 723 508, 920 12, 660 253, 200 25, 383 762, 120 POtH eee eee Se eee: | 2, 488, 627 | 38,566,578 | 857,157 | 9,329,805 | 3,345,784 | 47,896,383 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 33 At one time it was thought that the problem of furnishing a perma- nent supply of food for the natives on the Pribilof and Aleutian groups could be solved by salting the carcasses of the fur seals and shipping these to the various settlements. In 1880, 1,000,000 pounds, valued at $10,000, were so prepared, but owing to the fact that the meat did not keep very well, and to other causes, the project was soon abandoned. The natives living on the Pribilof group, however, still depend quite largely upon the seal carcasses for food. MISCELLANEOUS AQUATIC ANIMALS. Grampus.—This mammal, commonly known as the beluga in Alaska, is quite abundant in the summer along the Alaskan coast north of the Aleutian chain, being particularly numerous about the mouths of rivers and frequently ascending the larger streams far above tide water. It is migratory, and its movements are regulated by the ice. The numerous tidal creeks along the low flat coast from St. Michaels to the Kuskoquim River, in which tomcods are abundant, are the chief resort of the beluga, which comes in to feed on the fish. The Eskimos catch them with strong, large-meshed nets, heavily weighted, set off outlying points. In rough weather, when the ani- mals can not see the nets, many are taken, but in clear weather the catch is small. Some are speared, some shot, but unless the shot goes through the spinal column these generally escape. The flesh of a young beluga is tender and not unpalatable, but is rather coarse and dry. The fat, or blubber, is clear and white and is highly valued by the natives, who extract the oil from it and use it in barter with the inte- rior tribes. The intestines are made into waterproof garments or floats, and the sinews are very much prized. The small ivory teeth are carved into toys or ornamental pendants, while the skin is made into strong lines or very durable boot soles. The epidermis, which is nearly half an inch thick, when well cooked is considered choice eat- ing, having a flavor somewhat resembling chestnuts. Hair seals.—While these animals form a very insignificant part of the commerce in which the white traders participate, owing to the fact that their fur is worthless, they are of immense importance to the natives, for from the flesh and oil is secured a considerable part of their winter food, while the skins are highly prized for covering the kyacks and umiaks and for boot soles, trousers, mittens, clothing bags, and caps, and when cut into strips make a very strong and dura- ble cord. The skin in its raw state is thick and unwieldy, but when nicely tanned becomes soft and pliable. The coast natives also barter the flesh, oil, and skins with the interior tribes for reindeer hides and furs, thus creating a very important branch of trade, of which it is impossible to form an idea, owing to the inaccessibility of 34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. most of the tribes. The very fragmentary record kept of the skins sold to white traders shows that in 1889, 3,500 skins, valued at $7,000, in 1890, 3,444, valued at $6,888, and in 1905, 9,098 skins, valued at $5,554, were so disposed of. These meager figures are probably too low. The species taken are the bearded seal ( Erignathus barbatus); the ribbon seal (Phoca fasciata), a rare species; the ringed seal (Phoca fetida), the most common; the harp seal (Phoca grenlandica), quite rare; and the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), which is quite common and the most widely distributed. When the ice leaves the coast the natives hunt the seals in kyacks, using a light spear or a rifle. At this season many of the ringed seal are found upon the ice packs well offshore and are taken by the Eskimo in acurious manner. The latter wear a shirt made of white sheeting, and, paddling cautiously up to a piece of ice on which the seals are gathered, are enabled by means of the disguise to land and get among the seals without alarming them, and sometimes kill quite a number with a club before the herd takes flight. When the cold storms of September set in the seals return along shore again and seek refuge in the inner bays and sheltered coves. At this season the natives set many rawhide nets with large meshes off the rocky points, and large numbers are taken thus. Later, when the sea is frozen over, nets are set about the holes which the seals make in order to be able to come to the surface to breathe. Many of the seals also are killed at these holes by the hunters armed with spears. Steller’s sea lion.—This animal, which at one time was extremely abundant on the Pribilof Islands and along the Aleutian chain, is now almost extinct. A few still haul up on the former islands, but they are becoming less and less each year, a fact which means a serious loss to the natives, as they made more use of this animal than of any other they hunted. Its skin, flesh, intestines, bones, sinews, and oil all came into play as food or in the primitive manufactures. The skins were considered an indispensable covering for the umiak, or large canoe, used in hunting, and after the animal became practically extinct on the Aleutian chain the traders imported such skins from the coast of Lower California and Mexico for the use of their hunters. The sea lion never became other than a subject of intertribal barter. Walrus.—This enormous mammal, which is not found south of the Bering Sea shore of the Aleutian chain, was at one time very numer- ous north of there, and the hunting of it and the seal formed the prin- cipal occupation of the Eskimos during the summer. It goes north as the ice breaks up in spring and returns again in the fall, stopping but a short time at any spot, and keeping close to the ice pack all this time. When in the water it is hunted by the Eskimos in kyacks, with COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 35 ivory-pointed spears and seal-skin line and floats. When the animal is exhausted by its efforts to escape the hunters draw near and give the death stroke with a lance. According to The Friend, published at Honolulu, Hawaii, March 1, 1872, the whalers began to turn their attention to walrus-catching about the year 1868. During the first part of every season there is but little opportunity to capture whales, they being within the limits of the icy barrier. As a result, much of the whaler’s time during July and August was devoted to capturing walruses. Men would be landed on the shore in June and left to watch for the animals to haul up on the beach at certain points. The walrus must either come ashore or get on the ice, and when a herd is well ashore one or two old bulls are generally left on watch. The best shot among the hunters now creeps up, and by a successful rifle shot or two kills the guard. Owing to their very defective hearing, the noise made by the rifle does not awake them. The gun is then put aside and each hunter, armed with a sharp ax, approaches the sleeping animals and cuts the spines of as many of them as possible before the others become alarmed and stampede for the water and escape. The white hunters rarely make use of anything but the two long, curved tusks with which the animal is equipped and which average about 5 pounds to the pair. If time permits, however, the flesh is boiled and the oil saved. To many of the Eskimos, especially on the Arctic shore, the walrus is almost a necessity of life, and the devasta- tion wrought among the herds by the whalers has been, and is yet, the cause of fearful suffering and death to many of the natives. The flesh is food for men and dogs; the oil also is used for food and for lighting and heating the houses; the skin, when tanned and oiled, makes a durable cover for the large skin boats; the intestines make waterproof clothing, window-covers, and floats; the tusks are used for lance or spear points or are carved into a great variety of useful and ornamental objects, and the bones are used to make heads for spears and for other purposes. At the present time the Kuskoquim district is the only one in which the walrus is fairly common. In addition to hunting the walrus themselves, the whalers also pur- chase from the Eskimos the tusks, or ivory, that they have secured. The table on page 36 shows the quantity and value of walrus oil and ivory secured since 1868. Part of this was undoubtedly secured from the natives of Siberia, but that is more than offset by the large quan- tity which has been brought down by the whalers and not reported. 36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. Watrus Ivory AND OrL SECURED IN ALASKA, 1868 To 1905. | Ivory. Oil. Ivory. Oil. Year. | | Year | Pounds. | Value. | Gallons.|} Value. Pounds. | Value. | Gallons. | Value. USGS 2 = 40, 000 $2, 000 173, 000 $86. 500 || 1888... .. 5, 158 $5, 158 22,351 $10, 505 E869). .<.- 2 70, 000 3, 500 303, 000 166,650 |} 1889..... 6, 228 4, 982 26, 988 13, 594 iF {eee ee 63, 800 3, 190 315, 000 163, 800 |} 1890... .. 5, 799 4,639 25, 129 9,549 LS 7heee ace | 37,600 3, 760 189, 000 101,200 |) 1891...-. 5, 200 3, 900 20, 000 9, 800 187922 2h 32000 3,200 | 160,000 | 128,000 |) 1892..... 4, 800 3, 360 18, 196 8, 006 WSs ao here 44, 000 4, 400 220, 500 50,000 |} 1893....-. 7, 900 6, 320 21, 400 9, 630 1874.....-| 33,000 3, 300 165, 000 74, 250 || 1894..... 12, 313 9, 850 15, 100 5, 534 1S iD ware | 25, 400 3,810 | 126,000 81; QOODI ISOS at seu) o o.oo a Seas coos isa etal racine ete 1876s sr see 31, 500 4,725 157, 500 157, 500 || 1896..... 10, 000 8, 000 12, 444 4,604 Sime ke 74, 000 14,800 | 221,000 44,200 || 1897..... 41,714 31, 286 8, 400 3, 360 1S78E% eee | 30, 000 6, 000 125, 000 56, 250 |} 1898. .... 25, 700 17, 990 5,111 1,845 1s Saas | 38,318 19, 159 190, 000 76,000 || 1899..... 22, 300 16, 725 6, 310 2,330 ISSO RSS P22 | 24,650 24, 650 127, 000 57,150 |} 1900..... 5, 969 5, 969 2, 200 880 188 leree re 19, 475 19, 475 84, 392 60, 762 |} 1901..... 7, 000 7, 000 1, 200 480 1882 ee 3 | 22,085 22, 085 95, 702 38, 281 1902. = =e 12, 491 9, 993 1, 800 792 1383 eee 27, 725 20,794 | 120,142 108, 128 || 1903. .... 14, 100 11, 985 700 280 SSA aee es: | 7, 026 7,026 30, 446 155,527 ||| 19045—2 52 8, 500 6, 800 1,000 400 ISSheeren = 6, 564 6,564 | 28,444! 12,800 || 1905..... 11, 335 CPA Fal Pee eee Ne ee oe ASSHSsee ae 3.550 3, 550 | 15, 383 5, 692 | LSS (le Seicris | 6, 730 5,384 | 29, 163 16,040 | Total..| 843,930 343,542 3,064,001 | 1,582, 219 | | | | | @ Data missing. Whales.—Whaling at the present time is participated in to a very limited extent by the natives of Alaska, the Eskimos living along the Arctic coast being the only ones engaged. At one time, however, the natives of the Aleutian chain and the shores of Bering Sea fol- lowed whaling whenever possible during the summer months. As from the beginning, almost all of the whaling is done by the fleet which rendezvous at San Francisco. About 1867 from 10 to 12 of these whalers visited what are known as the Kadiak grounds, but this ground was soon exhausted and the whole fleet now works exclusively in the Arctic. Large numbers of humpback whales ( Megaptera ver- sabilis) are to be seen during the summer months in southeast Alaska, but no effort is made to capture them. The bowhead (Balena mys- ticetus) is the common Arctic whale, and the one generally secured by the whalers, although a few right whales (Balena sieboldii) are taken in certain seasons. The principal object of whale fishing at the pres- - ent time is the whalebone, which brings as much as $5 per pound in the markets. As the whaling fleet generally pursues its prey in the open sea and has its headquarters outside of Alaska, its work does not come within the scope of this report except as it deals with the natives. The belt of open water bordering the American coast from Icy Cape to the mouth of the Colville River is a favorite resort for whales during the latter part of summer and until winter sets in. From Icy Cape to Point Barrow the coast is low and sandy and backed by shallow lagoons, its southern portion being known to whalemen as the “oraveyard,’’ owing to the great number of vessels that have been wrecked there. It is along this stretch of coast that the natives do their whaling. In April the ice pack begins to loosen, and soon there COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. oF are cracks, or ‘‘leads,’”’ as they are called, open 6 or 7 miles from the shore, extending often for miles parallel to the land, but continually changing, frequently disappearing altogether as the wind veers. It is in these “‘leads”’ of open water that the whales work their way to their unknown breeding grounds in the northeast, passing by Point Barrow chiefly during the months of May and June. Each village fits out as many boats as it can supply with crews. The crews, 8 or 10 men to the boat, or occasionally women when men are scarce, are selected during the winter. The owner, who is always the captain and steersman, sometimes hires them outright, paying them with goods, and sometimes he allows them to share in the profits; he always feeds them while the boat is incommission. The harpooner is posted in the bow, while another man, armed with a bomb gun, is located amidships. As soen as a whale is seen the boat is launched and the pursuit begun. Instead of harpooning the whale and keeping the end of the line fast in the boat, which the whale is compelled to drag about until the crew can manage to haul up and lance him to death, as is the practice of the white whalers, the Eski- mos have but a short line attached to each harpoon, to the end of which are fastened two floats made of whole sealskins inflated, which are thrown overboard as soon as the harpoon is fixed in the whale. Each boat carries four or five harpoons, and as many boats as possible crowd around and endeavor to drive a harpoon into the whale each time he comes to the surface, until he can dive no longer and lies upon the water ready for the death stroke, which is given with a lance. Occasionally an opportunity occurs to use the bomb gun as soon as the whale is struck, and the contest is then ended at once. As soon as killed, the whale is towed to the edge of the solid floe and the work of cutting him up begins. The skin, blubber, and flesh, according to a custom universal among the Eskimos, belong to the whole com- munity, no matter who killed it, but at Point Barrow the whalebone must be equally divided among all the boats that were in sight when the whale was killed. Everything is soon carried home to the village. The blubber is not tried out, but is packed away in bags made of whole sealskins, and with the meat is stowed away in little under- ground chambers, of which there are many in the villages. There is very little data showing the extent of the whaling as fol- lowed by the Eskimos. In 1891 they took from 10 to 15 whales, while in 1892—a very poor season, owing to the large quantities of ice on the eastern shore at the time the whales were passing north—about 15,000 pounds of whalebone were secured. In 1905, 8,057 pounds of bone, valued at $51,197, were taken. All of the bone secured by the natives is sold to the whaling vessels, and it is very probable that large quantities so obtained in barter are reported at the home port as part of the catch of the vessel. In 1880 it is estimated that natives 38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. put up 5,000 gallons of whale oil, valued at $500. During the period from 1883 to 1889, both inclusive, the Alaska Commercial. Company shipped 33 packages of whalebone from Alaska. The weight and value of the packages are not given. In 1882, 166 barrels and in 1889, 13 barrels of whale oil were shipped from Alaska by the same company. | GENERAL STATISTICS FOR 1905. The fisheries of Southeast Alaska in 1905 were canvassed by the writer in person; the figures for the salmon fisheries of Central and Western Alaska are compiled from the reports sent in by the canneries and salteries to the agent at the salmon fisheries of Alaska; data for the cod and other fisheries of the same sections were secured either by personal interviews or by correspondence with the owners of fishing vessels and stations, nearly all of whom are located either in California or Washington; the yield of fur seals from the Pribilof group was obtained from the report of the agent at the fur seal islands, and of the balance of the fur seals and the other aquatic furs and skins, also the whalebone, walrus ivory, etc., from the custom- house records at Juneau, Alaska. The custom-house records show the fiscal year (1904-5); all other data in the following tables rep- resent the calendar year 1905. In order that the data might be shown with greater clearness, the district has been divided into four geographical sections. Southeast Alaska embraces all that narrow strip of mainland and the numerous islands adjacent, from Portland Canal northwestward to, but not including, Yakutat Bay; Central Alaska embraces everything on the Pacific, or south, side from Yakutat Bay westward, including the Aleutian chain; Western Alaska the shores of Bering Sea and islands inthis sea; and Arctic Alaska, from Bering Strait to the Canadian border. As these divisions are already quite generally recognized throughout the district, their use here will not be confusing. The number of persons employed was 11,467, of which 4,028 were engaged directly in fishing and 6,856 in the canneries, salteries, and other shore work, while 583 were employed on the transporting vessels. In the salmon fishery the employees of the cannery or salt- ery are usually taken to the latter place aboard a sailing vessel, which remains until the season’s work is ended, when she returns to the home port with the employees and the season’s pack. While lying idle during the fishing season most of the crew, not being needed aboard the ship, are employed as fishermen, and have been counted as such, thus matericlly reducing the number of transporters. The total investment in the fisheries was $22,038,485, of which Western Alaska furnished more than one-half. The only fishing ves- sels (for herring and halibut) are those in Southeast Alaska. An important feature is the large number of transporting vessels—185— with a tonnage of 67,109 and a value of $3,112,307. Nearly all of COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 39 these vessels are employed in the salmon industry. In number gill nets lead the other forms of apparatus, but are not so effective as the traps. In variety of products secured, Southeast Alaska leads all the other divisions. This is largely owing to its greater accessibility and to the fact that its fisheries have been worked for a much longer period than the others. The halibut, herring, and trout fisheries are confined entirely to this section. The cod fishery proper is confined to Central Alaska, only a few thousand pounds being secured incidentally in Southeast Alaska. Western Alaska leads in the value of salmon canned. The only products given for Arctic Alaska are walrus skins, whalebone, walrus ivory, and a whale’s head and skull, the latter being a natural-history specimen. Owing to the inaccessibility of the greater part of Western and Arctic Alaska, practically nothing is done during the winter and early sprmg months, but as soon as the ice breaks up in the spring the trading vessels make their rounds of the native villages and camps and collect the skins and furs which the natives have taken during the winter and ship these to Pacific coast ports. On account of this method of handling the business, the fiscal year is the better way of showing the year’s catch in this section, as one whole season thus appears, and not parts of two seasons, which would be the case were the calendar year shown. It was found an impossibility to secure anything like accurate data as to the persons employed orthe investment in the business of hunting aquatic animals, as it is prosecuted in conjunction with that for land animals, such as bear, marten, mink, lynx, etc., and seems to be general among the natives. Neither has anything been shown of the fishermen and investment in the Arctic region, owing to the impossibility of securing even approximate data on such matters. The natives keep no rec- ords, and besides are in many instances migratory in their habits, thus making it an impossibility to keep track of them. The total quantity of products secured amounted to 117,247,398 pounds, valued at $7,711,981. As it was found necessary to show in full the prepared products, the figures given represent dressed and cured weights, and not that of the products as taken from the water. There is a tremendous wastage in the Alaska fisheries, especially in that for salmon, fully one-third of the round weight of the latter fish being thrown away in the process of dressing and packing. Had the round weight for all species been shown in the table the total would have been about 155,000,000 pounds. The salmon and herring fisheries of Alaska are carried on in a somewhat different manner from that followed in other parts of the country. Owing to the lack of what might be called “resident fishermen” in the district, the canneries and guano factory have to do their own fishing, and in order to accomplish this import the necessary fisher- men from the Pacific coast states each season, These men are fur- 40 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. nished with fishing gear, boats, lodging, and food throughout the season, and are paid either a certain sum per thousand for each species of salmon (the price paid varying from place to place) or else straight wages. At the end of each season the men are returned to the point from whence they sailed. On account of this procedure it has been found impossible to secure even approximately correct data as to the cost of the fish as taken from the water for the salmon canneries and the one guano factory, and their products have been shown as marketed. So far as the salted salmon and herring and other species are concerned, the data given is in the same form as shown for other sections of the country in the reports of the Bureau. The tables follow. Persons EMPLOYED IN THE ALASKA FISHERIES IN 1905. Southeast | Central Western How engaged. Alaska. Alaska. Alaska. Total. Fishermen: \iAloil Pelee eee eee ace Oo Seige 6G eA eae | 543 658 1,470 2,671 Nativessecn. 42. Sous 35-2 ile ase ee ear setae Sere | 1,147 129 72 1,348 JAPANESE! 25% oS oe aoe See eee cen eee eee sense biee OP ei eiiawratamane (ele cae states 9 Dotalee st eG cece eo Cee eee Oe ee ee SE mee ae | 1,699 787 1,542 4,028 Shoresmen: | | Wihttesi::.2. ot o22oaskee 2. See eee © ee en elo 457 329 902 1,688 Natives?) ss Soie2 7 a ee aaa see eet eee 512 103 374 989 @hineses sea. es Fe Sa ee ee eee 375 552 1,591 2,518 Via PANese ss sm eece ease =r up eoe ase e ewes ceeee 208 208 1,215 1,631 Me@xICANS 2 3:2). N2.55. feiss 2 cele Se eee eae wie ced 2 Se See ees 30) |p ase ees 30 Total Rese se Sioa oe eee ema eee ee ee eae 1,222 4,082 6, 856 Transporters: “ | ? ; Wihitese Soa ean eke n cen ce Cee Seem 187 184 202 573 IN aiLIVCR AES mere eset ce crete cere Aya nee ep fe | TORI See enn | oe coset 10 LA 0 1) eee ene Ses, 4 kes pete tome Sgt A SRB Sa Se 197 184 202 583 GrATd COteDR ek. ke Oe ee ee, 3, 448 2,193 | 5, 826 11, 467 APPARATUS AND CaprraL ENGAGED IN THE ALASKA FISHERIES IN 1905. Southeast | NRE Central Alaska. | Western Alaska. Total. Items. | = it Value. pales Value. pe Value. eee Value. Fishing vessels: \ Steam and other power. - 85), BAD 7D: So ee ba Bee siemelinc eigen] coterie 8 349,775 TONAL ace ace 2709 Ja) beans nee) [een a ok ant FE ESN ae eh PES ace ae ZOOM ere aber Sailing ae ge ses ae ee: 8 SOOO ues fee Pa eee ene es aie ne ae eyes 8 5,550 Monns gers sss s2 25 Se. SIN es eh A TA a Sr ede bs ee Se to) Ul Ea ee Transporting vessels: Steamers and launches. - 59 | 261,450 | 27 | $276,300 45 |$1,023, 357 131 | 1,561,107 Ponnagecee’ -/ BI eee aU 7 Nag Sc RS ODT ee eee SF O1Gs| See ha eer eee SSipSs| Goose nae Sailing sees ee) eas es 10 | 143,200 12 | 328,000 1,080,000 54 | 1,551,200 AMovebatsh ete oe 5 2 GH45 6) eee ae | a0 7 Sees = AOlG88t |. Caen ose G1 S51 52552 -5eee Boats ./i3 ccs See See oe | 794} 100,685 317 84,555 928 237,782 | 2,039 423,022 Apparatus, vessel fisheries: | ‘Purse seines se. - fesse is | 6 5 O00 aa: aes eee PRT See otal ieee ese ae 6 5,000 IGIMES Spee ssa ae Besant 2 AGA soe elt Se oe eal es See ee fe eee | wees ee 2,494 Apparatus, shore fisheries: ail ‘seinest 2). .2. 5-2-2 57 16,075 44 ZL 000) | encceae|teacericcses 101 37,075 Pursejseines: <.Sssse saa: 123 44,950 1 1000 Saree Sees tee es 124 45,950 Gillinets 2 cesses 2c ttess 197 25,050 48 2,780 909 57,577 | 1,154 85, 407 EDAD Sits sists occ eee 32 | 164,000 23 24,000 15 19,300 70 207, 300 TINGS EAS Ae at conems bee | omer ee GST HUN eee eee 1050072 see cc lescmmcee cael Gees vane 15, 881 Cashicapitalernescecass aan hee 1842. 550) iS seas Boal aa ae eee 7023, 506) | sour ee = 12,013, 200 Shore and accessory property|... .-..- LST a 0 1ONleeas cee 1,756;404 |. - 22. - PAS Ue I Pll Re 6,035, 524 otal eeconeeerater nce eee 4,041,138 |.......-. 5,651,683 |......-- 12,345,664 |........ 22,038, 486 ; COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905, Propucts or THE ALASKA FISHERIES IN 1905. Species. Sluts Loe 2a see ae eee ieee oc Gndfishimoe salted a0) 22-522. 5 cece Codfish tongues, salted .....--..----.-- Halibut: CIM PRETO er eens 1,897,352 |23, 348,521 |1, 455, 289 |55, 818,814 | 4, 298, 641 42 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. Propucts OF THE ALASKA FIsHERIES IN 1905—Continued. Arctic Alaska. Total. Species. 7 Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value. Codfish: MYOSH oo oi whee ee dewaoeaeitce bhi oes Se ee eee eS ae eee ee 3, 200 $99 Saltedied sesso ks Get criss 2 eee eee ee TE ee oie | Sector eet a 5,495, 650 180, 846 Codfish' roe, Balted'.3 332 so ee eh Soe eee Eee eee eee 2,060 82 Codfish iton2ues, baited e227 o5 Se sce ee ee eee ae pce eee 7,975 432 Halibut: Breshien feo ts Fe Sie ee Ce ee | ee er oe | Re eee 3, 144, 614 85,326 LN oy 1313 eee aie ee epee tS Sel a se al awoke DER ea 316, 341 12,641 Canned es essa en ee SO ae ee eee See eee eee 16 1 S01 A eae SS eee SRR Poo) arse aescollsooeecsoasee 1, 213, 845 48, 554 SMOKE eke was oo cl Se cee Sen ee See ae oe See ee eee Rees a 46,713 2,382 Herring: EAH: a Ae ee eee in Wo Ree mete Sete Se Solna Soma See 1,880,700 | 10,331 SMO RO eee ee ee ee eee oars ae Ce eee ee ee Loe 24, 435 1,534 Herring pianos oe ae Ere nee asa eee ns Reco cee ene leeecencenes 2,618, 000 | 32,725 IGrrit PO 5 sere ool cas Sates ee is aeake eee | Mintare eee aed eee a1,074, 150 | 35, 805 Salmon: | Mresh, King. 2oc tcsws cca see eee Coan Ea Se OEE | eee 280, 444 15,773 Frozen— (8/6) (0 SORE RAE EE to ane Ven ieee aol er hae clo anasoaadage 22,334 | 893 PLATA DAG Ao ee oe ae eerie eet a er: etre | ee eek tere es 16, 348 654 Rein he oa re Sed ae ER eS er oe ees ee ree | eee ee 21, 643 | 866 Canned— CORO soos 2 ee as Se lees oe ie ote estes a aye om | Se tele | ye ee nc 1, 794, 912 298, 960 fof om aN me AP Mw lead bao Oe Mee sate in a [or th (hee ree 2,013, 756 113, 056 AE Qi tia ay 0] Of: e) cope hreer tannins Gly tenes Sa. coe in fey tes Op pmes POHP eles ew op |S te Ra 8, 092, 656 498, 194 1h 2 oie eae oes ei SOP Ey Pleas ll RS Oh Bk A | re Cees olla uaa sees 2,022, 000 141,999 SOCKCY Ooo cis is arden sete Someone ERE ee eae = = aire eee ee eae 75, 567, 744 5,335, 547 Salted— COhO ss os. ocegse cases SER eRe ae RO ee a SE oe eae | ee ee 48, 600 1,596 dD fo |< epee ene RaRE sti a etal os EPR [ea a Mer SOE (LY SG eusauice 7, 122, 160 106, 320 GMP Pack See SPA eA SAAD Ee ee ae ee | Pe ne ees 346, 10, 654 inp Ag SF tee ESOS TEE Re 8 Pe a or Ser etn mae] ee ee ee 221, 074 12, 436 SOCKGY Cape ae ee era eee eee OTe ean te es ae mn | RRS ne oe 3, 356, 000 128, 448 SMOKE: SSS ee he Ra eee See eae ee te ee greet 17, 013 1,155 Salmon bellies, salted: COBO seisels Sooke ote oo eee see BEE eee ne lee tee eee ee eee es 10, 800 495 Humpback ss seb aecscee nanos fe an oe ore te eee Ae | seceaice ae ne | Ceeeeneeeee 255, 000 10, 400 1 Toy a ete ata ep gi ena ne babe toned aaa Cae he hon mae eesti eed lok pds al 2, 700 190 SOCK GYObj- ore enlace sae a eee ee ee en | ene ae nk en 3,600 270 Trout: Steelhead, frozen ies 520 che tele ore eee Bl Ne | Pe ee 12, 306 738 Other— A itat:):) 6 Le oe eee ee ee OTe Sle ee 32, 000 1,569 MOZOI Se ea ri eR ci Ae SES 2 RE ae aL RE Ae eee ee | i eres 100 5 ish foiltotherttham herriny to S25 S55 Se Se ase) een | ec oeeee rs a | ee me a b21, 413 735 Aquatic furs and skins: c1,935 8,271 41,577 1,192 eu ae SE PS et ee En ae ay Ne | | ee ¢4, 732 14, 458 pS Ic!: eae eee ean NPL Ey are ese emeitns a Pee Wke iO Ie Be aioe eas saoerse 1305 13, 867 Seal— PUGS craw diet kooks Sedee parce eee eee Mae ee | See 981,396 516, 083 Pair? ie See ae a Ae a Oe See | ee eee nae | ene eee ae h 27, 354 5, 554 Wistlrtise Pa eee a eee ae ee See eee ena BE $10 725 10 Wie IKuSiiviony sites see cero s ke ee eee ee Cees 11, 046 7, 992 11, 265 8, 138 WiNaleDONnGss.mectee ccene auc tie Sere a een oe eee 8, 057 51, 197 8, 057 51, 197 Wihaleis headifamdiskilles- sso) see ese eeee emeee 1, 850 1,500 71,850 1,500 Gy LE ee OR Sot 3a 5 Seay NUE. ot Rl Cr 20, 978 60, 699 117, 247, 398 7, 711, 981 a Represents 143,220 gallons. b Represents 2,855 gallons. ¢ Represents 1,935 skins. d Represents 12,599 skins. e Represents 1,889 skins. J Represents 61 skins. g Represents 13,566 skins. h Represents 9,098 skins. i Represents 1 skin. 3A natural-history specimen. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 43 The following table shows in greater detail than the preceding the number of cases (together with the size and style of cans) of each species of salmon canned, and the value of same: OutTepuT OF SALMON FROM ALASKA CANNERIES IN 1905. Southeast Alaska.| Central Alaska. Western Alaska. Total. Species. Cases. Value. Cases. Value. Cases. Value. Cases. Value. Coho: ‘ 4 pound, flat... . 516 Sle OS) | nose cece aolaeoen ceca las ce sie mee eee eee 516 $1, 754 1 pound, flat... . 394 M090: Boa. eh, See SE SAS ob k Salome es ote 394 1,340 1 pound, tall....| 40,169 | 129,696 16,518 | $51,543 9,797 | $31,542 66, 484 212, 781 Motalen: ae: 41,079 132, 790 16, 518 51, 543 9, 797 31, 542 67, 394 215, 875 Dog, or chum: 1 pound, tall ........ BiA6Sb1 | 0220 7a | eeeee aoe Roem cere ae 4, 287 10, 849 41,972 113, 056 Humpback: 1 pound, TLE eS See os See 142,008 | 420,614 3, 235 9,058 23, 354 68,522 | 168,597 498, 194 King: | 1 pound, flat... .! 4,248 LZ SSO ll eer coyotes el ees xen Stereieie | harotetato elisha | Siereryeveistmyers 4, 248 17, 585 1 pound, tall ..-.. 1, 212 4,148 6, 427 20, 567 30, 238 99, 699 37, 877 124, 414 ee ee eee SS ee eee ee ee eae Otis as ee see! 5, 460 21, 733 6, 427 20, 567 30, 238 99, 699 42,125 141,999 Sockeye: 4 pound, flat.... 12,915 AG A614: «| eee emia eeeitcna seo se esc oe clase onmccee 12,915 46, 674 1 pound, flat... . 18, 725 67410 Ss eee ee alae ose e ees eee ow aloeece soak 18, 725 67, 410 1 pound, tall....} 175,735 609, 853 345,575 |1,174,615 1,021,478 |3, 436,995 |1, 542,788 | 5, 221, 463 Oar pee oe 207, 375 723, 937 345, 575 i1, 174,615 1,021,478 |3, 486,995 |1,574, 428 | 5,335, 547 Grand total....| 438,607 |1,401,281 | 371,755 [i 255, 783 fh 089, 154 3,647,607 |1, 894,516 | 6,304,671 OTHER FISHERY RESOURCES OF ALASKA. By no means are all of the fishery resources of the district utilized even yet. The lakes, streams, and coastal waters teem with the steelhead, Dolly Varden, cutthroat, rainbow, and lake trouts, but the steelhead is the only one shipped, a small quantity being frozen each season. The lake trout (Cristivomer namaycush) is abundant in the Yukon River, and large quantities are caught and sold fresh in the mining towns along the river. Other fresh-water species are the com- mon pike (Hsox lucius); the arctic grayling (Thymallus signefer) ; seven species of white-fish ( Coregonus), nearly all of which are impor- tant articles of food to the natives living along the rivers entering Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean, who generally catch them with gill nets set under the ice and in traps; the inconnu (Stenodus mackenzi1), which attains a length of 5 feet and a weight of 50 pounds; smelt (Hypomesus olidus), which are very abundant and used as food both fresh and dried; burbot or losh (Lota maculatus) ; sucker ( Catostomus longirostris), and the lamprey (Ammocetus aureus), of which a vast quantity is captured through the ice on the Yukon River each season by the natives and frozen for future use. The eulachon, or candle- fish ( Thaleichthys pacificus), is one of the best known of the anadro- mus species, but appears to be abundant in Alaskan rivers only at. 44 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905, infrequent periods. It has been reported at times as occurring in great abundance in the Stikine, Unuk, and Chilkat rivers, and in the rivers entering into Cook Inlet. It is much prized by the natives because of its oiliness. In the (for Alaska) densely populated delta between the mouths of the Kuskoquim and Yukon rivers a small black-fish (Dalla pectoralis) is exceedingly abundant and forms the principal food of the natives during the winter months. This fish does not exceed 5 or 6 inches in length, but is very fat, and, in addition to using it whole as food, the natives try out from it a pellucid oil of which they are excessively fond. Among the sea fishes not described elsewhere in this report and at present of commercial importance to the natives along shore or to the whites living in the vicinity of the fisheries are the fol- lowing: Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius), which are not mackerel at all, merely resembling them in flavor, are quite abundant along the southern shore of the Aleutian chain, especially around the island of Attu. They run from May to December, being most plenti- ful in June, July, and August, and are found in greatest abundance among the kelp in from 3 to 40 fathoms. They retire to deep water in the winter. In length the fish average about 18 inches, with an average weight of about 2} pounds. They are an important article of food to the Aleutians, who also salt a few barrels annually which they sell to vessels calling at Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. The North American Commercial Company has experimented with these fish for some years and reports them as good food fish. In 1903 the Alaska Attu Mackerel Company was formed at Seattle, Wash., to engage in fishing for and curing this species, and during the same year put up 400 half barrels as an experiment. There is no record of any subsequent operations of the company. The fishery will doubtless be a very important one some day. Black cod (Anoplopoma fimbria) and the cultus cod (Ophiodon elongatus) are very common in Southeastern Alaska and the Gulf of Alaska, and are excellent food fishes. The well-known redfish of Sitka (Sebastodes melanops) is one of several other species of rockfish found in Alaskan waters, and is exceedingly abundant in the Gulf of Alaska. Flounders seem to be abundant nearly everywhere. Scul- pins, capelin, and lance, or lant, are exceedingly .bundant along the shore and make excellent bait for the better species. Along the shores of Norton Sound occurs the tomceod ( Microgadus proximus), or wachna of the natives. This fish, which is very abun- dant in the fall and spring, is of immense importance to the natives, as they depend quite largely upon it for their winter’s supply of food. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 45 At first it is caught from boats anchored close to the shore, but when the new ice becomes strong enough to hold them the natives erect stakes with mats hung between to keep off the wind, and fish through holes cut in the ice. The fish are allowed to freeze, and in that con- dition are stored away in suitable receptacles until needed. They also form an important article of dog feed. Throughout Southeastern Alaska clams are quite abundant. In 1898 and 1899 the North Pacific Trading and Packing Company packed each year several hundred cases of clams and clam juice, but then abandoned the business for some unknown reason. The clams were packed in September, usually, as they were then in the best condition. In 1903 the Alaska Packing and Navigation Company built asmall can- nery at Wrangell and put up about 20 cases that same year, but owing to lack of capital the cannery has not been operated since. In 1904, 42 cases were put up by the Alaska Fish and Halibut Company on Wrangell Narrows. There is an excellent opening in this line for experienced persons with a moderate amount of capital. Along the Alaska peninsula and the Aleutian chain mussels, crabs, and shrimps are very abundant, and squid, octopus, and béche-de- mer are quite numerous. All of these are at present utilized as food by the natives and a few of the whites, and large quantities are used as bait in the other fisheries. It is probable that when shipping facilities become better a trade in these products with Puget Sound ports can be built up. The natives also gather certain varieties of alge and, after drying them, store them away to be eaten in winter. FISHERIES CARRIED ON IN ALASKAN WATERS AND CREDITED TO PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT. @od.—In addition to the cod fisheries carried on from the shore sta- tions there is a fleet of vessels which operate on the Alaskan banks, but as they hail from ports outside of Alaska they can not be credited to the district. The table below gives full data in regard to the opera- tions of these vessels during 1905. Their methods of work, etc., have already been described in full elsewhere in this report. Cop FisHing ConpUCTED IN ALASKAN WaTeERS In 1905 By VESSELS FROM OUTSIDE Ports. Vessels. Salted codfish. Home port. Li Num-| Ton- POPE: - ber. | nage. Value. | Crew. Pounds. Value. Ban lerancisco, Caleccocc..c.c.csecose 6] 1,382] $88,380 201 | $1,260 | 2,800,000 $85, 460 ATIBCOTLOS UWS. cco cccleccse cee cote 4 849 46,096 93 4,600 | 2,528,000 76, 904 DEAULIG WES occ pace ccics cc cccemes 4 422 31, 552 70 950 948, 000 28, 694 PUACOMS=) WARM. cme ccc sccccucees noses 1 195 8, 512 24 1, 200 240, 000 7, 320 Vancouver, British Columbia........ Bees 8, 512 24] 1,200 312, 000 9, 516 WDObAl sem siaeenenccess sass ciec sce 16] 2,848} 183,052 412 | 9,210] 6,828,000 207, 894 46 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905, Halibut.—The above remarks on the codfish fleet from ports outside of Alaska apply equally well to the Puget Sound fleet operating in the waters of Southeast Alaska for halibut. Full information in regard to this fleet is given elsewhere in this report. The table below shows the number of vessels engaged in the fishery and the catch, together with all other necessary data. The catch of the sail and auxiliary power vessels in Alaskan waters has been taken from the custom- house records at Juneau, but the catch of the steamers had to be esti- mated, as these vessels return to their home port with their catch and lump the catch taken in Alaskan waters with that obtained outside. Hauisut Fisaine Conpucrep In ALASKAN WATERS IN 1905 By VESSELS FROM OUTSIDE Ports. Sail and auxiliary - Steamers. power vessels. Fresh halibut. Home port. - a = x Crew. | Lines. um-| Ton- um-| Ton- ber. | nage. Value. ber. | nage. Value. Pounds. | Value. Port Townsend, @SDS 33 ess slooc eRe lesceeeclens cases 4 40 | $2,710 16, 4$1, O50) | chat eemmealaeeeece Seattle, Wash..... 1 128 | $45,600 28 503 | 38, 340 AS7> | TS; 180"| ee ee a eee Tacema, Wash.... 2 274 80, 000 1 17} 1,030 Sl be Gy S50) |< on Stine tel eae Vancouver, Brit- ish Columbia.... 2 130 GOLOOOH | wa ceer teen alpeemee as BS 15 Sey Oy etaecpear ctacorsl| pare Total: Lai 5 532 | 185,600 33 560 | 42,080 342 | 23,480 | 5,367,422 |$161, 023 5 08 - We , é i : ? 7 : 1% 4 7) & . Par, ee if : } 7 ¥ i% *f | a ny eh ¥ 7 ; ’ 4 } G ‘ ia ore " > 4 y ; . lng ‘S rows 1) ne Son ip ae ot nil i ta a a i a aa 3 Btu = a - A = p= rs - sy } ee ~~ oe pec eve ae e a ~ *. Bato Vs ao ae aL ea aD ae Stee a-# a nf . a Hd SFE Rigpeasa.= ot <- ~ - = < *