122 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



operations of 5 experienced diggers, was 348 pounds, as compared 

 with 306 pounds in 1936 and 226 pounds in 1935. These figures 

 indicate the satisfactory condition of the clam beds, as well as the 

 generally favorable weather that prevailed during the period in which 

 most of the clams were taken in the last 2 years. 



Very little canning of clams was done outside the Prince William 

 Sound-Copper River region in 1937. Small packs of butter clams 

 were prepared at two plants in southeast Alaska and by an operator 

 on Cook Inlet, and a few cases of clams also were produced in the 

 Kodiak area. The Cook Inlet output was used locally. 



Practically all clam-canning operations were in conjimction with 

 other branches of the fisheries. The following operators handled 

 clams during the season: Alaskan Glacier Sea Food Co., Hoonah; 

 Salt Sea Fisheries, Tenakee; W. R. Gilbert Co. Inc., Point Wliitshed; 

 Pioneer Canneries, Inc., Cordova; Sandvik Hand Cannery, Uganik 

 Village; Scotty's Packing Co., Mummy Island; S. E. Smith Packing 

 Co., Hartney. Point ; and O. G. Tiede, Anchorage. 



There were 384 persons employed, of whom 326 were whites, 45 

 natives, and 13 Filipinos. The total production amounted to 31,800 

 cases, containing 816,942 pounds (804,078 pounds of razor clams, and 

 12,864 pounds of butter clams), valued at $240,392. This is an 

 increase of about 5 percent in quantity and 19 percent in value, as 

 compared with the output for 1936, when clam products amounted 

 to 780,264 pounds, valued at $201,887. 



Products of Alaska clam industry in 1937 



Item 



Cases Pounds Value 



EAZOR CLAMS 



Minced: 



V^-pound cans (48 to case) 



10-ounce cans (48 to case) 



1-pound cans (48 to case) 



Whole: 



10-ounce cans (48 to case) 



1-pound cans (48 to case) 



BUTTER CLAMS 



Minced: 



H-pound cans (48 to case)... 



Whole: 



"/^-pound cans (48 to case) 



1-pound cans (48 to case) 



Total 



23, 201 



7,975 



63 



142 

 15 



250 

 132 



31, 800 



556, 824 



239, 250 



3,024 



4,260 

 720 



528 



6,000 

 6,336 



816, 942 



$161, 181 



73, 985 



630 



1,469 

 150 



132 



2,000 

 845 



240, 392 



SHRIMP 



In addition to the three plants that have been engaged in the 

 industry for a number of years in southeast Alaska, Kayler-Otness 

 (Inc.) entered the shrimp business in 1937 with the establishment of 

 a shrimp-packing department in its crab cannery, located in part of 

 the wharf building of the Trading Union Co. at Petersburg. Opera- 

 tions of the latter plant were terminated for the season when the 

 building caught fire on November 22 and was destroyed. At Cordova 

 the Alaskan Glacier Sea Food Co. handled a small quantity of shrimp 

 in connection with its crab-packing operations. A part of the output 

 of shrimp there was canned. 



I 



