442 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



alongside the vessel the cargo hook is lowered over the side. The 

 four corners of the net have been drawn together at the top and these 

 are slipped over the hook, the vessel's donkey engine started, the net 

 with its contents lifted over the rail and lowered into the hold, 

 where it is emptied by catching the hook in the meshes at the back 

 of the net and starting the engine again. As the net comes up it is 

 emptied, after which it is swung over the side and lowered into the 

 dory, when the operation is repeated with the other net. By this 

 method a vessel is loaded in about one-third the time previously 

 required, while but few fish are lost alongside the vessel owing to 

 carelessness in pewing. Another advantage is that it is not neces- 

 sary to pew the fish after they are thrown into the carts. 



There is a considerable loss of fish in passing them from the dock 

 to the dory, especially in rough weather when the dory bobs up 

 and down like a cork. The use of chutes with closed sides and 

 built-in sections, so that they could be lengthened or shortened as 

 the tide ebbed or flowed, would save a considerable part of the 

 present wastage from this cause. 



If the net method is not employed, the best way would be to have 

 medium-sized scows for transporting the fish from the dock to the 

 side of the vessel. With these the waste would be almost negligible, 

 as they would be so much larger than the dories that practically no 

 fish would be lost overboard while the scow was pitching and rolling 

 in the swell alongside the dock ; and owing to the greater weight and 

 size of the scow the work of loading could be carried on in weather 

 too rough for dories to work in. 



WASTAGE IN THE INDUSTRY 



There is much more waste in the Pacific fishery than in the At- 

 lantic, due mainly to the different methods of arranging the fishing 

 lay. In the Atlantic fishery every man has an interest in the catch 

 and it is to his advantage to utilize every portion of the fish, thus 

 increasing the total value of the fare, which means a larger share 

 for himself in the final division. In the Pacific fishery the fishermen 

 are paid a certain sum per thousand for fish running over a certain 

 size and a smaller sum for fish under that size. On the vessels the 

 fishermen have nothing to do with dressing the fish, which is done 

 by a separate gang paid regular monthly wages. At the shore 

 stations the fishermen dress their own fish and are paid a certain 

 sum per thousand for all caught. As a result of this arrange- 

 ment the Pacific crews resent doing more .than merely catching 

 and dressing the fish, and they even skimp the latter operation all 

 they possibly can. 



Livers and tongues. — As they receive no pecuniary benefit from the 

 saving of livers and tongues, the fishermen naturally make no effort 

 to do so unless compelled to by the owners. In dressing the fish at 

 certain stations the header is expected to tear loose the liver and drop 

 it into a bucket, which, when full, is dumped into the liver butt. 

 Even at such stations, however, probably not one-fifth of the livers 

 available are saved. At some stations and on certain vessels an extra 

 boy is engaged whose business it is to cut out tongues, for which he 

 is paid from $3.50 to $5 per barrel and his board. 



