DISTRIBUTION AND DESCRIPTION OF FISHERIES 33 



Tuna is now the basis of the Cahfornia fisheries. It is practically all 

 canned and accounts for California ranking first by states in value of 

 fish production. Current packs represent about 30 per cent of the nation's 

 canned food fish. The fish are caught largely off central and South 

 America or are imported. 



Mackerel production rose rapidly from the 1920's to the late 1930's, 

 then declined. Fish of lesser consequence include sea basses, rockfishes, 

 lingcod, flounders, sablefish, crabs, squids, and many others of still lower 

 importance. 



Oregon and Washington. Washington ranks 8th and Oregon 15th in 

 value of production by states (Table 3.5). and their fisheries are impor- 

 tant to the economies of these two states. Landing centers include Astoria, 

 Oregon and Seattle and Bellingham, Washington. 



The adjoining shelf is not wide and the bottom and surface habitats 

 only moderately productive. There is a modest trawl fishery and 55 per 

 cent of the 1959 catch, chiefly flounders and rockfish, came from the 

 more extensive and productive shelf off British Columbia. 



The fishery economies of the two states are based largely upon five 

 species of anadromous salmon destined for many rivers, particularly the 

 Columbia and Fraser. Also, most of the salmon processed in Alaska is 

 transhipped through Washington. About 45 per cent of the United States 

 halibut catch taken chiefly off Alaska or British Columbia is landed in 

 Washington. Also, most Alaska-landed halibut is transhipped frozen 

 through Seattle. 



The introduced Pacific oyster makes an important contribution to 

 Washington fisheries, and the production of Dungeness crab in both 

 states is normally substantial. Sablefish and lingcod, the former of high 

 fat content, provide small but consistent supplies for the smoking and 

 fresh fish trades respectively. 



Alaska. One-half of the 3600-mile coast of Alaska is largely icebound, 

 the remainder bordering more productive temperate to subarctic seas. 

 The shelf is very wide at places, at others very narrow. Demersal fisheries, 

 except for halibut and king crab, have not yet been developed except by 

 Japan and Russia in the eastern Bering Sea. 



Salmon, which comprise five anadromous species, dominate the fish- 

 eries of Alaska since first exploited 90 years ago and led the nation in value 

 until shrimp and tuna recently assumed first and second places respec- 

 tively. Salmon yields are declining either induced by man or by man and 

 natural factors. 



Salmon are canned at many isolated places, but Ketchikan, Petersburg, 

 Juneau, Sitka, and Pelican are important centers. 



Halibut, herring, and to a minor extent shrimp and crab comprise the 



