20 FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST STATES IN 1904. 



have gradually replaced the Chinese, outnumbering them 100 to 35 in 

 1904. 



The squid catch is made during June, July, and August, with small 

 purse seines, at night, the seine being placed on a large scow, which is 

 preceded by a small boat carrying a torch and connected with the scow 

 by a line. The torch is used to attract the squid to the surface that 

 the seine ma3^ be thrown around them. Of late years squid have been 

 of small size. Large squid as soon as captured are opened, scraped, 

 and salted, very little salt being used, however; the small ones are 

 cured whole. After being salted the squid are spread on flakes in 

 fields, to remain until they have dried hard. The dried catch in 1901 

 amounted to 251,360 pounds, worth $10,054, a large amount of which 

 was exported to China. 



Algse is torn from the rocks at low tide, dried and shipped to San 

 Francisco. There were 10,410 pounds shipped in 1904, also 17,000 

 sea-urchins weighing 3,719 pounds. The latter were taken by Japan- 

 ese, who dive for them without armor and pick them from the bottom. 



CRABS. 



Washington.- — The crab catch has increased from 274,696 pounds, 

 valued at $11,119, taken in 1899 to 723,080 pounds, valued at $22,692, 

 taken in 1904. The latter catch was divided among the following 

 counties: Whatcom, 212,000 pounds; Clallam, 250,080 pounds; Jeffer- 

 son, 15,000 pounds; Snohomish, 126,000 pounds; Pacific, 120,000 

 pounds. 



Most of the crabs are taken in pots with an iron frame H feet high, 

 2i feet wide, and 3i feet long, which is covered with twine netting and 

 has a funnel at each end. The bait is suspended in a small wire recep- 

 tacle from the inside of the pot. The old style of drop or hoop net is 

 also used to a limited extent. Of the crabs taken by the fishermen of 

 Whatcom County 34,510 were taken in the waters of British Columbia 

 and entered at the United States custom-house free of duty. 



The demand for crabs is large and constantly increasing. The 

 average gross weight of one is from 3 to 5 pounds and many are much 

 heavier. 



Oregon. — Crabs of large size are very plentiful near the mouth of 

 the Alsea River a few miles from Yaquina. The quantity shipped in 

 1904 was 241,885 pounds. 



California. — In this state also the output of crabs has greatby 

 increased, and the demand is increasing. The yield in 1904 was 

 5,110,560 pounds, valued at $154,739, compared with 3,676,680 pounds 

 valued at $85,784 in 1899, an increase of 1,133,880 pounds and 

 $68,955. The increase may be largelj- accounted for by the more ex- 

 tensive use of gasoline boats. There were 33 of these boats in 1899 

 and 109 in 1904; 16 of them also fished with hooks and lines for bay 



