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U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Certain losses were reported iii the herring industry in 1927. In 

 southeastern Alaska seines and gear valued at $6,000 were lost and 

 one transporter died of disease. The Donna Lane, a floating plant 

 operated in the central district by the Utopian Fisheries Co., was 

 damaged by fire just before leaving Seattle for Alaska, the loss being 

 estimated at $40,000. The power boats Trio, valued at $5,000, 

 and Minneapolis, which with gear was valued at $6,500, were lost, 

 the former by fire and the latter by foundering near Yukon Island 

 in Cook Inlet during a storm in late October. Other losses of fish- 

 ing gear and small boats amounted to $1,825. Two shoresmen met 

 death by accident. 



Further investigations were carried on by George A. Rounsefell, 

 scientific assistant of the bureau, in connection with the study of 

 Alaska herring which has been in progress since 1925. 



STATISTICAL SUMMARY 



The herring industry in Alaska employed 2,110 persons in 1927, as 

 compared with 2,101 in 1926, and the number of plants increased 

 from 61 to 68. Products were valued at $2,850,823 in 1927, as 

 compared with $3,554,489 in the precedmg year, a decrease of 

 $703,666, or about 20 per cent. Scotch-cured herring declined from 

 15,629,230 poimds in 1926 to 14,542,390 pomids, or slightly less 

 than 7 per cent, while herring for bait increased from 2,234,938 

 pounds in 1926 to 8,041,905 pounds in 1927. Meal or fertilizer 

 decreased approximately 36 per cent in quantity and 32 per cent in 

 value and oil about 31 per cent in quantity and 35 per cent in value 

 from the production in 1926. 



Persons engaged, wages paid, and operating units, Alaska herring industry, 1927 



