PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. Bis 
The salmon should weigh not less than 5 pounds when thoroughly cured. They 
should be free from spots, which are usually found on the salmon if caught in fresh or 
brackish water. No Japanese would think of giving a salmon with red and black 
spots to a friend for a New Year’s present, and spotted fish never realize more than 
half the price obtainable for clean white fish. The salmon should be split up the 
belly and should be salted with fine salt. Coarse salt always tears the flesh of the fish 
when being rubbed in. Care should be taken that the salmon are not oversalted. 
Semga salting is a more improved and sanitary method than that 
of straight pickling and is used when the fish are being prepared for 
the European market. Selected fish are cut open along the belly and 
the viscera and gills are carefully removed. In order that the salt 
ray penetrate the flesh more thoroughly, the flesh on the inside is 
scored several times. The fish are then carefully washed and rubbed 
with brushes, after which they are kept on ice for 24 hours. The 
brine is carefully prepared and very strong. When properly struck 
the fish are repacked into barrels. 
‘‘Kolodka” is a very crude and cheap method of salting. The fish 
are half salted and half dried without being cut open, and are sold at 
the place where prepared. 
The natives prepare a great many salmon for the winter use of 
themselves and their dogs, the same as do the Alaskan natives. The 
fish are dried without the use of salt. The product is known as 
“vyoukala.” 
Some salmon bellies are also cut out and salted, although this has 
never attained to prominence. 
Some fresh salmon, as well as salted, are smoked for local con- 
sumption. 
Barrels, or tierces, for packing salmon are made from cedar, larch, 
or fir, with a net capacity of 900 to 1,000 pounds of fish, and are 
bound with wooden and iron hoops, 
