REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 35 



apparatus used is now largely beam trawls, in water ranging from 10 

 to 25 fathoms in depth. It is stated by the fishermen that the amount 

 of shrimp taken has not been as large as was expected, and as yet the 

 catch is barely sufficient to supply the local demand. Only a small 

 portion of the ground in Puget Sound has been exploited for this 

 product, however, and further trials may develop profitable areas. It 

 is thought by fishermen that the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or the north- 

 ern part of Puget Sound, in the vicinity of the San Juan Islands, may 

 yield good results. 



The crab fishery of Puget Sound is of considerable importance. 

 Large numbers of crabs are taken annually in Semiahmoo and Belling- 

 ham bays and in waters adjacent to Dungeness. Smaller quantities 

 are caught also in other parts of the sound. Wire pots, baited and 

 buoj'ed in the same manner as lobster pots, arc the principal means of 

 capture. Most of the crabs taken are sold fresh, the chief market 

 being Seattle, from which point the}' are shipped to various parts of 

 the coast. The annual catch now amounts to nearly 300,000 pounds, 

 with a value to the fishermen of approximately $12,000. 



A few years ago the abundance of crabs in Semiahmoo Bay attracted 

 the attention of cannerymen, and a crab cannery was established at 

 Blaine, Wash. , with a capacity of about 100 cases per da}\ The plant 

 has been operated for several seasons, always at a loss, but there 

 seems to be no reason why this product should not meet with a steady 

 demand. It has been shipped in carload lots to brokers in various 

 parts of the country, but only small quantities have reached the public, 

 which is not aware of the existence of this excellent preparation. 



Export trade in frozen and mild-cured salmon. — In the general 

 expansion of the Pacific coast fisheries the salmon industry, the most 

 important, has likewise undergone changes in the last few years. The 

 major portion of the catch, as formerly, is canned, but with the grow- 

 ing demand for salted salmon the output of this product has increased 

 until this branch of the industry has attained great importance. There 

 has arisen also a considerable demand for mild-cured and frozen 

 salmon, both finding a market in Europe, and the latter being sold in 

 the United States also. 



For a number of years the frozen salmon shipped to Europe were 

 lightly smoked by the continental dealers, who thawed the fish and 

 cured them in the usual way. It was found, however, that salmon 

 which had been frozen for some time were not in as good condition 

 for mild-curing as those cured shortly after being caught, and recently 

 the curing has been done at cold-storage plants in the United States 

 and the smoking has been done in Europe. Since 1892, when the 

 shipping of fresh salmon to Europe in quantities began, the cold-storage 

 plants have been improved, and the product now exported is of much 

 better grade than that ten years ago. 



