The Alaska salmon-freezing industry provides the equivalent of one 

 trip a year for tuna boats » Table 67 sho'ws that the large vessels 

 averaged about four tuna trips in 1950 and about three in 1951 ■> Therefore, 

 salmon-freezing is at best a partial substitute for tuna fish-Lngo 



EFFECTS ON SALMON INDUSTRY 



Undoubtedlj'^ if expanded on a large scale., freezing activities 

 would cause substantial changes in the present Alaska salmon industry 

 and, indeed, in the economy of the Territory. At the present time 

 nearly all of Alaska's saljnon are canned in shore canneries located 

 in various places in the Territory^ These canjneries are a source of 

 jobs and payrolls for the local i:nhabitantsa In addition, numerous 

 other businesses rely upon the Alaska salmon industry^ for exanple. 

 machine shops, transportation companies, stores, and sv-pplien-j , etc. 

 To the extent that the freezsr-ahips transfer from -ohe Territory the 

 raw material which creates jobs and payrolls x^i-thin th.e T^rrrltcry, 

 they injure the Alaskan economyo Any benefit to taria vessels from 

 participation in the Alaska salmon fisheiy would appear to be at the 

 expense of the existing Alaska salmon-canning indiastry and the 

 Territory's economic welfare- 



Possibility of Engaging in the Gulf of Mexico and... AtIantio_ Coast 

 Shrimp Industry 



EXPERIENCE AMD FlfTTTRE POSSIBILITIES 



The outlook for using any substantial part of the tuna fleet in 

 the shrinp industry is poor. The high investment and operating costs 

 render their emplosrment in'.practicalo BoMa'Jer^ the shi~j.;{iip l.»?uustry is 

 in a period of rapid change with an increased us-j of fishirig grounds 

 at greater distances from home ports. The advantages of groatei' cruis- 

 ing range and larger pay load characteristic of tuna vessels h:111 become 

 more important if this trend continues » In the event that future explora- 

 tions in distant areas open highly productive sh-i'imp grounds;, several of 

 the smaller tuna vessels might find profitable employaient as shrimp 

 trawlers . 



Freezer-ships In operation on the Campeche fisiiing grourds have met 



231 



