ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1926 301 
Employment was given to 324 whites and 31 natives, and 581 whales 
were taken, consisting of 179 finbacks, 383 humpbacks, 15 sulphur 
bottoms, 2 sperm, and 2 right whales. 
The investment in the whaling industry of Alaska was $871,024, 
and the products were as follows: 1,001,950 gallons of whale oil, 
ralued at $601,171; 5,150 gallons of sperm eal valued at $2,060; 
929 tons of fertilizer from meat, valued at $55,740; 481 tons of bone 
fertilizer, valued at $14,43( ; 101.278 pounds of pickled meat, valued 
at $5,063; and 21,000 se of whalebone, valued at $1,350, a total) 
ralue of products of $679,814 and an increase of about 9 per cent over 
1925, when products were valued at $624,959. 
CLAMS 
The forecast of a reduction in the output of clams in central Alaska 
because of depletion of the beds, made by H. C. McMillin, scientific 
assistant of the bureau, who was engaged in surveys of the Alaska 
clam beds in 1924 and 1925, was fulfilled in the pack of 1926. Oper- 
ations were carried on only in central Alaska. Four plants were 
engaged exclusively in canning clams and four salmon canneries 
also handled clams. With the exception of one plant at Kukak Bay, 
all of these were in the so-called “Cordova” district. 
The clam investigation, under way for some time, was continued 
in the season of 1926 byaelenC- MeMillin in Alaska Me elsewhere 
on the Pacific coast. Dr. F. W. Weymouth, of Stanford University, 
has been identified with this undertaking. Observations indicate 
a decreasing daily production on beds that were subject to heavy 
commercial digging before authority was secured by law to apply 
adequate conservation regulations. 
The investment in the industry i in 1926 was $354,288, and the num- 
ber of persons engaged was 409, of which 392 were whites and 17 
natives. The investment in 1925 was $672,244 and 623 persons were 
engaged in the industry. The output in 1926 was 38,422 cases, con- 
taining 985,056 pounds, valued at $254,236, a decrease of about 52 per 
cent in quantity and 48 per cent in value from 1925, when 75,279 
cases valued at $492,051 were packed. 
Products of the Alaska clam industry in 1926 








Items Cases Pounds Value 
Minced: 
So POUNCeCAns) (45 LO;CASO) == 2 ae ae 2 eset sees 28, 240 677, 760 | $174, 376 
IN GHTHCeICANS 4S ‘to case) eae) 322) 2a) Sash tes ke 10, 080 302, 400 78, 771 
ASPOLINIG CATISHCASILOICHSE ee a 5 ne ae Se ee ee ee 7 336 49 
Whole: 
ApBOUTICICATSIASLOICASC) esses = ang eee oe eee 95 4, 560 | 1, 040 
Totals se ee hh, AS Se Be eh: SS pee ee PN 38, 422 985, 056 254, 236 
SHRIMP 
Some attention had been given, in both 1924 and 1925, to the study 
of the shrimp fishery in southeastern Alaska, but Warden Frank W. 
Hynes was directed to make a thorough investigation during the 
season of 1926. His report has been submitted and, following : some 
further investigations, will be published as a separ ate document. It 
discusses in detail the distribution of the shrimp, methods of taking, 
