30 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 

 Summary of products of the Ala aku fisheries in 1921. 



1 These figures represent the value of the manufactured product, 

 catch to the fishermen is approximately $7,000,000. 



It is estimated that the value of the 



SALMON INDUSTRY. 



In SO far as the salmon industry of Alaska is concerned, the opera- 

 tions of 1921 were conspicuous in at least two particulars, namely, 

 (a) the marked reduction of activities in the southeast and central 

 districts, and (6) the increased production of red salmon m the 

 western district over the two years immediately preceding. 



The chief cause of lessenedf operations in southeast and central 

 Alaska, where a large part of tne pack each year consists of the 

 cheaper grades of salmon, was no doubt the unsatisfactory market 

 for such products, brought about by a surplus of canned humpback 

 and chum salmon from the packs of 1919 and 1920; also, the antic- 

 ipated light run of salmon in those districts was an important 

 factor in discouraging financial outla3^s for unpromising results. 

 This suspension of operations by several packing companies may 

 ultimately be beneficial to the fisheries, as a larger escapement of 

 spawning salmon resulted than would otherwise have been the case. 



In western Alaska the run of red salmon increased and the pack 

 was larger than in 1919 and 1920, notwithstanding the voluntary 

 limitation of operations by the companies established in that district. 



