18 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 



As soon as the buc^-line anchor has reached the bottom, the trawl is 

 thrown from the side of the dory, and considerable skill is then neces- 

 sary in order to place the trawl so that it will cover as much ground 

 as possible and at the same time not get tangled up and crossed. In 

 lifting the trawl the buoy line, with anchor, is taken in first and 

 then the trawl. Sometimes a hurdy-gurdy (small windlass) is used 

 in this work in order to facilitate matters. The fish are hauled to the 

 surface, hit on the head with a club, unhooked, and thrown into the 

 dory. Various other species besides the halibut are secured, but 

 nearly all are thrown away. One of the greatest pests in the halibut 

 fisheries of the Pacific, as well as of the Atlantic, is the dogfish, many 

 of which get caught on the lines. They range in weight from 8 to 20 

 pounds, and are utterly valueless to the fishermen. 



In the dory fishing from the regular Alaska shore stations the 

 fishermen generally use 6 lines of about 150 feet each to each skate of 

 gear, and 2 skates are used to a dory. Generally one skate is set out 

 in the morning and the other in the afternoon. As a general thing 

 the lines are set from one and a half to two hours and then taken up 

 in the manner described above. 



Hand lines, occasionally employed by the white fishermen, are 

 nearly always used by the natives, who attach hooks of a very primi- 

 tive but quite effective shape. 



On the steamers the fishermen are generally paid from 20 to 25 

 cents apiece for the fish caught, the owner of the vessel furnishing 

 everything necessary for carrying on the fishery, including provisions. 

 The fisherman receives the same price for a small fish as for a large 

 one. On the schooners the fishing is generally done on shares, the 

 vessel as a usual thing taking one-third and the crew the balance. 

 Under this plan all the living expenses are taken from the returns 

 before the division is made. The boat furnishes the gear. 



PREPARATION OF THE CATCH. 



In shipping fresh fish the entrails are removed and the fish packed 

 in ice in boxes holding about 500 pounds net weight. The ice used 

 is gathered from tne neighboring glaciers, and is in the best form for 

 use if ground in a mill made for the purpose, but often it is merely 

 broken into fine lumps with a club. 



The large halibut and those secured where the opportunities for 

 shipping are infrequent are fletched. In this process the two sides 

 are taken off in two complete pieces, which are then put into bins and 

 buried in salt so that the brine will run off. Here they remain from 

 eight to ten days and are then repacked, being resalted if necessary, 

 and allowed to remain until cured, when they are packed in boxes for 

 shipment. A considerable part of this work is done during the sum- 

 mer months when it is not profitable to ship halibut fresh. 



