ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1931 



67 



Persons engaged, wages paid, and operating units, Alaska herring industry, 1931 — 



Continued 



Products of Alaska herring industry in 1931 



1 1,910,242 gallons. 



2 242,464 gallons. 



HALIBUT 



3 2,152,706 gallons. 



Several factors, the most important of which was the continued un- 

 settled market, contributed to bring the production of halibut in 

 Alaska substantially below that for 1930. During the first month of 

 the season landings were neghgible because of a dispute between vessel 

 owners and fishermen over terms of the working agreement, and the 

 suspension of operations pending its settlement, together wdth the 

 shortening of the season in the fall in accordance with new treaty pro- 

 visions, resulted in greatly reducing the time spent in fishing as com- 

 pared with former seasons. 



An interesting feature of the 1931 season was the organization of an 

 association composed of vessel owners and fishermen to market their 

 product independently. Doing business under the name of the United 

 Pacific Fisheries, the association based its operations on a cooperative 

 plan to pay the members for their fish at a fixed minimum price, with 

 a pro rata distribution at intervals of any profit accruing from the 

 sales. The experiment at first gave promise of being successful, op- 



