REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 37 



by law with duty toward the fisheries, to the end that the imiqiie 

 fishery-products laboratory in Washinoton and the temporary lab- 

 oratory on the California coast be oj^erated for the solution of various 

 technoloofical problems, that statistical canvasses showini; the condi- 

 tion and trend of the fisheries may be prosecuted more frequently and 

 more promptly, and that numerous field inquiries and investitrations 

 concerned with methods of takintr. handlinir. preserving, and market- 

 ing fishery products may be carried on. A special appropriation is 

 requested for the conduct of investigations in the development and 

 standardization of methods of preservation of Pacific coast fishes. 



"When provision is made for enlarged investigations of wider 

 scope, there will be required also such a readjustment of salaries as 

 will enable the Bureau to secure and retain the services of persons 

 properly qualified in the various branches and for an increased per- 

 sonnel that will include an assistant in fishery trade practices, three 

 fisher}" technologists, a technical machinist capal)le of operating and 

 caring for the highly specialized equipment of the fishery-products 

 laboratory, and at least three additional statistical agents. 



ALASKA FISHERIES SERVICE. 

 EXTENT OF THE ALASKA FISHERIES. 



The 1920 salmon season had as its outstanding features a dimin- 

 ished catch in southeast Alaska and an increased catch in central and 

 western Alaska as compared with 1919; an increase in tlie number of 

 canneries operated but an output of canned fish that was less than in 

 each of the five preceding years; a decline in the business in mild- 

 cured, pickled, and fresli salmon ; and a very dull market for canned 

 salmon, espec ially the cheaper grades, many lots of which were sold 

 for less tlian the cost of production. 



The salmon taken in the Alaska fisheries in 1920 numbered 

 65.080,539 fish, of which 82,112,611 were humpback or pink salmon, 

 20,187,925 red or sockeye salmon, 10,113,677 chum or dog salmon, 

 1,890,859 coho or silver salmon, and 775,467 king or spring salmon. 

 Apportioned by geographical districts the catch in southeast Alaska 

 was 33,096,640 fish, central Alaska 19,574,332 fish, and western 

 Alaska, 12,409,567 fish. Comparing these figures with the returns for 

 1919, it appears that there was a net increase of about 12 per cent; 

 roho, chum, and king salmon were taken in less numbers and hump- 

 bark and red salmon in greater numbers. 



The canneries, which consumed the principal part of the salmon 

 catch, numbered 146, an increase of 12 over 1919. The pack of canned 

 fish was 4,429,463 cases, with a market value of $35,602,800, a decrease 

 of 154.225 cases and $7,662,549 from the previous year. The pack 

 both of red and king salmon was larger and that of the other species 

 was smaller than in 1919. 



Other salmon products were 1,857,800 pounds of mild-cured fish, 

 valuerl at $364,219: 964.400 pounds of pickled fish, valued at $104,873; 

 1,916.595 pounds of frozen fish, valued at $161,143; 3,248,081 pounds 

 of fresh fish, valued at $263,264; 244,840 pounds of dry-salted, dried, 

 and smoked fish, valued at $40,785; 39.052 gallons of oil, valued at 

 $16,370; and 1,778,000 pounds of fertilizer, valued at $88,382; giving 



