274 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



LOSSES AND DISASTERS 



In southeastern Alaska the plant of Libby, McNeill & Libby at 

 Karheen. which had not been operated since 1930, was destroyed by 

 fire on Auaiist 18. Other property losses in that district included 

 motor boats, miscellaneous fishing gear, and equipment, valued at 

 $28,805. 



Reported losses in central Alaska were a pile driver, small boats, 

 and fishing gear valued at $16,827 ; and in the western district, small 

 boats, fish nets, and damage to buildings, amounting to $25,068. 



Twenty-two lives were lost — 9 in southeast Alaska, 7 in central, 

 and 6 in western Alaska. In the southeastern district 5 fishermen 

 were drowned, and 2 fishermen and 2 shoresmen were killed in acci- 

 dents. One fisherman and 1 transporter in central Alaska were 

 drowned, 1 fisherman and 3 shoresmen died of disease, and 1 trans- 

 porter met death by accident. In western Alaska 2 fishermen and 

 '2 shoresmen were drowned, and 2 fishermen died of disease. 



STATISTICS 



There were 91 canneries operated in Alaska in 1933, or 4 more 

 than in the previous year. Employment was given to 17,130 persons, 

 as compared with 15,738 in 1932, an increase of 1,392. \^^iite em- 

 ployees increased 408; natives, 648; Japanese, 165; Filipinos, 230; 

 Mexicans, 12; Negroes, 5; and miscellaneous (Kanakas. Koreans, 

 and Puerto Ricans), 11; while Chinese decreased 87. 



The total ]:)ack of canned salmon was 5.225,604 cases, valued at 

 $28,376,014. This was a decrease of 28,879 cases, or about one-half 

 of 1 percent, from the pack of 1932, but an increase in value of 

 $6,660,213, or about 31 percent. The output in southeast Alaska 

 decreased from 2,208,053 to 2,087,951 cases, or 5 percent ; and in cen- 

 tral Alaska from 1,624,598 cases to 1,485,994 cases, or about 9 per- 

 cent; while in western Alaska there was an increase from 1,421,832 

 cases to 1,651.659 cases, or 16 percent. In Alaska as a whole the 

 pack of reds increased from 2.103,081 cases to 2,180,283 cases, or 

 4 percent; pinks increased from 2,113,145 to 2,182,551 cases, or 3 

 percent; and cohos from 148,175 to 162,568 cases, or 10 percent; while 

 chums decreased from 820,556 to 658,789 cases, or 20 percent; and 

 kings from 69,526 to 41,413 cases, or 40 percent. 



Data are included in the following tables to show comparison of 

 the 1933 pack with the average for the 5 preceding years, 1928 to 

 1932, by cases of each species and by districts. Only one species — 

 red salmon — shows a gain over the 5-year average, and this gain is 

 entirely (jffset by the declines in the other species. By districts, 

 the pack in western Alaska increased 44 percent, while in southeast 

 and central Alaska the pack decreased 18 and 14 percent, respectively, 

 making a net decrease of 4 percent from the 5-year average. 



