S02 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
and the processing of the product, and aiso contains a brief history 
of the development of the industry in Alaska. The fishery has been 
carried on for but little over 10 years, the first commercial operations 
having been begun in 1915; only one company operated until 1918, 
when three additional concerns entered the field. No great expan- 
sion has occurred in recent years, but it seems probable “that the in- 
dustry may continue satisfactorily on the present basis. Three small 
plants were operated in 1926—two at Wrangell and one at Peters- 
burg, in the vicinity of which places the more important grounds are 
situated. 
The investment in the shrimp industry in 1926 was $315,752, as 
compared with $318,353 in 1925. Of the total, $7,200 represents the 
value of plants, $233,557 the cost of operations and wages, and $74,995 
value of boats and apparatus. Employment was given to 163 per- 
sons, of whom 31 were whites, 85 natives, 1 Chinese, 30 Japanese, 10 
Filipinos, 5 Mexicans, and 1 negro. Products consisted of 490,185 
pounds of shrimp meat, valued at $195,828, as compared with 519, 000 
pounds, valued at $207,315, in 1925, a decrease of approximately "BY 
per cent in both quantity and value. 
CRABS 
Crab products were prepared at two plants in southeastern Alaska 
(the Alaskan Glacier Sea Food Co., which handled chiefly shrimp, 
and the Northern Sea Food Co., both at Petersburg) and one (the 
Cordova Shellfish Co.) at Cordova, in central Alaska. The invest- 
ment totaled $38,274, and 28 whites, 1 native, and 2 Filipinos were 
employed. Products consisted of 159,645 pounds of cold-packed 
meat, valued at $59,897; 1,168 dozen crabs in the shell, valued at 
$1,419; and 25 eases of ‘%-pound cans, valued at $300. The total 
value of products in 1926 was $61,616, as compared with $53,357 in 
1925, a gain of 15 per cent. 
TROUT 
Trout operations (except at one plant 1 in central Alaska, having an 
investment of $3,296 and employing 7 whites and 1 nativ e) were in- 
cidental to other branches of the fisheries. The products were as 
follows: Dolly Vardens, 32,377 pounds frozen, valued at $3,447: 
36,652 pounds fresh, valued at $5,303; and 2 barrels pickled, valued 
at $32; a total of 69,429 pounds, valued at $8,782; steelheads, 10,135 
pounds frozen, v alued at $852, and 5,030 pounds fresh, valued at $629, 
a total of 15 165 pounds, valued at SI, 474. The total production of 
both species was 84,594 pounds, valued at $10,256, an increase of 59 
per cent in quantity and 67 per cent in value. 
MISCELLANEOUS FISHERY PRODUCTS 
Minor species of fish are taken in small quantities, chiefly in con- 
nection with the halibut fishery. In 1926 such products were as fol- 
lows: Sablefish, 170,004 pounds fresh, valued at $7,635; 495,836 
pounds frozen, valued at $22,668; and 16,584 pounds pickled, valued 
at $930; rockfishes, 16,857 pounds frozen, valued at $511; flounders, 
11,5382 pounds frozen, valued at $326; "and smelt, 14,228 pounds 
frozen, valued at $1,7 07. All of these products were from southeast- 
ern Alaska. 
