o 
98 FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
mercially as far north as Washington. The total catch of rockfishes 
for the State in 1915 was 101,351 pounds, valued at $2,995, as com- 
pared with 82,700 pounds, valued at $3,498, in 1904. 
Sole.—Sole are found in only small quantities as far north as 
Washington. Practically the entire catch was made with beam 
trawls, a few men in Kitsap County making a special fishery of it. 
This species is taken commercially in only four counties of the State, 
all on Puget Sound. The catch increased from 9,000 pounds, valued 
at $180, in 1904, to 68,062 pounds, valued at $1,951, in 1915. 
Carp.—No commercial fishing for carp is followed in any of the 
streams of Washington, except the Columbia River, and in only one 
locality on that river. The total output in 1915 amounted to 200,000 
pounds, valued at $4,000, which were shipped mainly to Seattle and 
Portland. Some were sent as far east as Butte, Mont. It is likely 
that the output could be increased were the markets to justify it. 
Clams.—There has been quite a decline in the output of hard clams 
in Washington since 1904. The catch in 1915 was 21,968 bushels, 
valued at $12,191, as compared with 96,821 bushels, valued at 
$54,512 in 1904. The counties leading in the production of hard 
clams are, in the order of their importance, Mason, Thurston, Kitsap, 
and Jefferson. Several other counties produced small quantities. 
Olympia is the center of the hard-clam industry of the State. The 
hard clams are packed there in hermetically sealed cans of many sizes 
from 1 pint to 5 gallons and shipped as far east as Chicago. They 
are always shipped raw. The output of soft clams in the State in 
1915 was insignificant. In the report for 1904 razor clams were 
tabulated with the soft clams, but in this report they are separated. 
The output of razor clams in 1915 was 37,275 bushels, valued at 
$56,446. While the returns for 1915 show a substantial increase as 
compared with 1904, it is likely that the industry has been over- 
worked, as some firms have dismantled their canneries and moved 
the machinery to Alaska for operation there. 
Razor clams are found caper: along the ocean beach of Grays 
Harbor and Pacific Counties. In Oregon they are found for only a 
short distance along the ocean beach from the mouth of the Columbia 
River south. They are taken between tides at extreme low water, 
the width of the beach on which they are taken being about 50 yards. 
The fishing can be done only on ‘‘minus”’ tides; that is, tides runnin 
below mean low water. Considerable skill and dexterity are require 
in capturing them, as they are very quick in their movements. If 
the first effort with the shovel to catch one is not successful, all 
chances of getting it at that time are gone. The method followed is 
to insert the shovel quickly in the sand below the clam and make a 
uick upward movement, the fisherman placing his hand under the 
shovel to catch the clam in its efforts to retreat. The legal season 
for taking razor clams is from September 1 to May 31, the remainder 
of the year consti a closed season except for family use. But 
it is not always possible during the open season to catch them, as 
the particular stages of the tide when they can be taken occur at 
only certain intervals. 
A brief description of canning razor clams follows: The clams are 
first put in a hot bath to loosen the shells. After Sonee noes the 
bath, the shells are removed either by hand or by a shelling machine, 
consisting of an endless chain or pulley. Both methods are fol- 
