112 DESCRIPTION OF IMPORTANT FISHERIES AND THEIR PROD UCTS 



The pack in this district is put up in one-pound tall, half-pound, and 

 quarter-pound cans. A small part of the production is also mild cured 

 and salted. 



The quality of the fish in this production district is interesting. The 

 color of the reds, chinooks, and chum salmon is very good, while the 

 oil level is below that of most other districts producing these species of 

 prime quality. The quality of the pink salmon from this area is slightly 

 below normal for the species, but the fish are usually rich in oil. The 

 major part of the chinook salmon pack from Cook Inlet is put up in the 

 early season and has very good color characteristics. 



Prince William Sound and Copper River. This production area has 

 two distinct fishing seasons. In late May and early June there is a run 

 of chinook and red salmon into the Copper River which produces a very 

 high quality canned pack for the market. The red salmon has a good 

 color and is very rich in oil. The chinook salmon is usually slightly pale 

 in color but has high oil content and a very good flavor. This pack is 

 taken by gill nets, and as the canneries are close to the fishery, the 

 problem of transportation to the canneries is not difficult. 



The second fish production period in this area during July is primarily 

 a pink and chum salmon run with the other three species being taken 

 incidental to these two major species. There is also a small coho salmon 

 pack in the fall in this district. This second catch is made with purse 

 seines and gill nets. This catch is wide spread in the Sound and typical 

 fish packers, scows, and tenders are used to transport the salmon from 

 the boats to the canneries. These boats and scows use chilled brine, 

 refrigerated sea water, and ice to preserve the quality of the raw salmon. 



The production from this area is usually canned in one-pound tall and 

 half-pound cans. 



Southeastern Alaska. All five species of salmon are fished commercially 

 in this production district. Purse seines account for the greater part of 

 the catch, and the balance is taken by fish traps, gill nets, and by trolling. 

 The pink salmon constitutes the major species in numbers in this area 

 with chum salmon also taken in fairly large quantities. Red, coho, and 

 chinook salmon make up the remaining portion of this fishery. 



The southeastern area is a large geographical district, so the transpor- 

 tation of the catch to the canneries is the major consideration. 



British Columbia. The salmon fishery in the northern part of the 

 province of British Columbia is very similar to that of southeastern 

 Alaska. The predominance of the species is the same. The biggest dif- 

 ference is that in this fishing area the canneries are few and the problem 

 of the transportation of the salmon is more difficult. 



The southern portion of British Columbia has salmon runs which are 

 primarily based on the spawning grounds of the Fraser River system 



