46 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



of 320 tons burden. The vessel, including equipment, was valued at 

 $175,000. Employment was given to 20 whites and 1 negro, to 

 whom $15,334 were paid in wages. A catch of 79 whales was made, 

 consisting of 1 California gray, 2 finbacks, 1 sperm, and 75 hump- 

 backs. From these 57,000 gallons of oil were obtained, valued at 

 $19,950. 



The shore stations of the United States Whaling Co., at Port 

 Armstrong, and of the North Pacific Sea Products Co., at Akutan, 

 did not operate in 1921, owing to the unsatisfactory market for 

 whale products. 



SHRIMPS. 



The shrimp fishery of southeast Alaska is attaining increased 

 importance as a distinct industry, four companies at Petersburg and 

 Wrangell having exported shrimp products in 1921. Those at Peters- 

 burg were the Alaskan Glacier Sea Food Co., the Petersburg Sea 

 Products Co., and the Ness Fish Co. T. A. Heckman operated the 

 floating plant of the Olympic Fisheries Co., at Wrangell. Shrimp 

 canning has not been undertaken except experimentally. The ex- 

 ported product is called "fresh shrimp meat" which is processed by 

 steaming sufficiently to enable easy removal of the shells, after which 

 the meat is packed in tin containers holding about 6 pounds each. 

 Owing to the perishability of this product it must be marketed 

 promptly. Inadequate facilities for shipment caused a loss of shrimp 

 meat at Petersburg, valued at $4,400. 



The investment in the shrimp industry in 1921 was $147,814, as 

 compared with $76,100 in 1920, and 111 persons were employed as 

 against 20 in the previous year. The products in 1921 were 344,986 

 pounds of fresh shrimp meat, valued at $132,077, as compared with 

 112,045 pounds in 1920, valued at $49,123. 



Investment, persons engaged, and products of the southeast Alaska shrimp fishery in 1921. 



CRABS. 



The wide distribution and probable abundance of crabs in Alaska 

 has been referred to in earlier reports on the fisheries of Alaska by 

 the bureau, and the possible successful utilization of them for export 

 has been repeatedly suggested. Perhaps the most promising develop- 

 ment of the shellfish industry of Alaska in 1921 was the. canning of 

 crabs as a commercial enterprise. In previous seasons the use of 

 these crustaceans was limited to supplying them in the shell to mar- 

 kets in Alaska and Seattle and to experimental canning, the latter 



