700 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



SALTING SALMON 



By far the greater part of the salmon catch of Siberia is either 

 pickled or dry salted. This was the earliest commercial method 

 initiated on the coast and has been followed for a nmnber of years, 

 mainly by the Japanese. The coast is dotted with, concessions worked 

 hj Japanese, while there are large numbers in operation along the 

 rivers, these being restricted to Russians. An idea of the extent of 

 this branch of the industr}^ may be gathered when it is stated that in 

 1915 there were 50,000 barrels of pickled salmon prepared in the 

 Amur region, while the Japanese dry salted about 6,000,000 chum 

 salmon, including also a few reds, and 80,000,000 humpbacks, or 

 "salmon trout, "as they are called in Japan. 



In piclding salmon the fish are split down the back, the sides being 

 held together by the belly. The roe, gills, and viscera are removed 

 and the fish are then washed, and after salting are placed in large 

 tanks for seven or more days, or until they are thoroughly struck, 

 after which they are packed in barrels, flesh side up, except the two 

 top layers, which have the sldn side up. To about 700 pounds of 

 fish 180 pounds of salt are used. 



The dry salting, next to drying, is the most primitive method 

 emploj^ed in preser\ang salmon. The process consists simply in 

 splitting the fish up the belly, removing the gills and entrails, and 

 then filling the belly with salt. The fish are then placed in rows on 

 matting and covered with salt, and other rows are placed on top of 

 them until the pile is from 8 to 10 feet high, when the entire lot is 

 covered with matting and left for about seven days, after which they 

 are relaid and again covered with salt. For shipping, the fish are 

 packed in mats. 



A very odd feature in connection with the operation of most of 

 the Japanese plants is that the salt to be used in curing the fish is 

 usually dimiped loose onto some level spot, with absolutely no cov- 

 ering over it and exposed to the elements. 



The Japanese consume enormous quantities of these drj^-salted 

 salmon. During the Russian- Japanese war the latter countiy's fish- 

 ermen were cut off from access to their usual fishing grounds, with the 

 result that they were forced to look elsewhere for fish. During 1905 

 and 1906 large quantities were prepared in Alaska, British Columbia, 

 and Washington for this trade, but as soon as the war ended and the 

 Japanese got access once more to their old fishing grounds, the Jap- 

 anese duty on salt fish, which had been suspended during and for a 

 short period after the war, was reimposed. As a result our fishermen 

 soon quit the business, and since then operations on this coast have 

 been almost wholly restricted to Japanese operating in British 

 Columbia waters. 



At the height of the production on this coast Mr. King, the Amer- 

 ican consular agent at Hakodate, Japan, made the following sugges- 

 tions to preparers and shippers of dry-salted salmon for the Japanese 

 trade: 



The salmon should arrive in Japan by December 1. Most of these fish are used 

 among the Japanese for New Year's presents. After the new year the price 

 invariably declines 20 to 30 per cent, and for a month or two the fish are difficult 

 to dispose of, as the consumers always stock up before the new year. 



The salmon should weigh not less than 5 {)ounds when thoroughly cured. They 

 should be free from spots, which are usually found on the salmon if caught in fresh 



