14 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 



Certain of the vessels do nothing but ply between the stations and 

 the home ports, bringing up supplies and carrying back the salted 

 fish. These vessels make from three to four trips a year. 



But few of the tongues, sounds, and livers of the cod are saved, 

 either in shore or vessel fisheries. 



STATISTICS. 



The table below shows, by years, the condition of the fishery since 

 its inception, in 1863. An interesting feature of this table is that 

 while the average cured weight of a codfish was slightly over 2f 

 pounds in 1868, in 1905 the average had risen to 4 pounds. This 

 is due to the fact that the vessels now work largely on the outer 

 banks, where the fish are larger than on the banks close to shore, 

 which were the ones from which most of the fish came in the early 

 days of the fishery. For some years the fishery was almost sta- 

 tionary, owing to the lack of an expanding market for Pacific cod, 

 but during the past five years the demand has been quite heavy and 

 has resulted in a considerable increase in the fleet and a correspond- 

 ing increase in the catch. 



Vessels Engaged in Cod Fishing in Alaskan Waters, Together with the Quantity 

 and Value of Cod Taken, 1863 to 1905. 



a First vessel to fish for cod in Bristol Bay. 

 b Beginning of the Shumagin Islands fishing. 

 c Shore fishing station established at Pirate Cove. 

 d One vessel lost. 



* Schooner Nagay lost in the spring. 



/ Schooners General Miller and H. L. Tiernan lost. 



g Schooner Wild Gazelle lost. 



ft Schooner Isabel lost with 14 men. 



i Schooner Dashing Wave lost. 



i Schooner John Hancock lost. 



* Schooner Anna lost with full cargo. 



'Includes schooner Blakeley, of Vancouver, British Columbia; 2 Seattle (Wash.) firms began this 

 year; schooner Mary and Ida lost with 78,000 fish. 

 "» Schooner Pearl lost with 30 men; schooner Nellie Coleman lost with all on board. 



