ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 323 
Products of the whale fishery were 666,100 gallons of whale oil, 
valued at $249,787; 193,350 gallons of sperm oil, valued at $46,790; 
789 tons of fertilizer from meat, valued at $28,404; and 395 tons of 
bone fertilizer, valued at $9,480—a total value of $334,461, as com- 
pared with $390,384 in 1935. 
CLAMS 
Clam canning was carried on at seven plants in the Prince William 
Sound-Copper River region, the most important clam-producing area 
of Alaska. As usual, operations were extremely limited in the first 
3 months of the year because of weather conditions. Exceptionally 
good weather prevailed during April, and 90 percent of the pack was 
prepared in that month. The catch limit specified by the regulations 
was reached on May 1, and the closed season extended from that 
date until August 16. Operations were not resumed, however, because 
of a shipping strike, and the production for the year was somewhat 
below that for 1935. The output in this region amounted to about 
70 percent of the total Alaska clam pack. 
The age composition of the commercial catch in the Prince William 
Sound-Copper River region was again determined by Paul EK. Thomp- 
son, special warden assigned to clam patrol duty. In 1936 more than 
95 percent of the clams taken were mature, and 54 percent had spawned 
more than once. The 1936 catch, therefore, was similar in composi- 
tion to that of 1935 and other recent years. 
Clams were canned at three plants in the Kodiak area, where the 
bulk of the pack came from Kukak Bay. No production of clams 
was reported in Cook Inlet or southeast Alaska. 
Operations in the clam industry were largely in conjunction with 
other branches of the fisheries. The following operators handled 
clams during the season: Alaska Icepak Corporation, M. C. Dale 
& Co., W. R. Gilbert Co., Inc., E. A. Haltness, Pioneer Canneries, 
Inc., Scotty’s Packing Co., and 8S. E. Smith Packing Co., in Cordova 
and vicinity; Pacific American Fisheries, Inc., at Alitak; Sandvik 
Hand Cannery at Uganik; and the Surf Canneries at Kukak Bay. 
There were 393 persons employed, of whom 321 were whites, 59 
natives, 7 Japanese, 3 Chinese, and 3 Filipinos. The total production 
amounted to 30,959 cases, containing 780,264 pounds of razor clams, 
valued at $201,887. This is a decrease of about 12 percent in quan- 
tity but an increase of 2 percent in value, as compared with the sta- 
tistics for 1935, when clam products amounted to 889,302 pounds, 
valued at $197,581. 
Products of the Alaska clam industry in 1936 




Item Cases Pounds Value 
Minced: 
He=NOUNdICAnS) (48i60)\CAS0) ass a= ake ee ee en ee 26, 404 633, 696 $167, 812 
10-ouncelcans.(48' to) Case) 22 0k ee tk er Se eee 3, 487 104, 610 23, 950 
T-poundeans (48''to (Case) 222222532 = 2255-54 5 aaa 106 5, 088 1,060 
20-olmee cans! |(241t0 CaS) & = =- secs ee eee 20 600 120 
‘Whole: 
TOsoumncecans|(48\ to \CASG) 22 Bees s ee aoa ee 497 14, 910 4,011 
J=pound cans’ (48:0) CAS@) sso eee ee ee 445 21, 360 4, 934 
No tales = se co nnn san Sos eee ae eee eo wee ee 30, 959 780, 264 201, 887 
