60 ALASKA MSHEEIES AND FUE INDUSTRIES, 1911. 



same section of the District, but these have been discontinued. The 

 company at present operating was organized in 1889, but the industry 

 is reported to have been pursued without substantial returns until 

 1909, 20 years later. Now that the herring of Puget Sound and 

 British Coluinbia waters are less abundant, the herring of Alaska are 

 being looked to to supply the deficit, and it is hoped that the next few 

 years may witness a great expansion of the industry in our waters. 

 The chief demand is from the Orient. 



As in other places, the herring of Alaska vary considerably in size, 

 and so far from being a handicap, as is now claimed by some, this 

 should eventually prove one of the most valuable features of the 

 industry by permitting diversity in utilization. In Maine, where the 

 preparation of herring for food has been brought to a high state of 

 perfection, every size is put to a commercial use. The smaller ones 

 are canned as sardines, while the medium and larger sizes are pickled 

 and smoked. At the present time Alaska pickled herring commands 

 as good a price as the corresponding grade of Atlantic herring. 



During July and August the herring </f southeast Alaska, and pos- 

 sibly other sections of the District, feed quite largely upon small 

 crustaceans known as "red feed". If the fish is killed when its stom- 

 ach is filled with the "red feed" the flesh rapidly decomposes, espe- 

 cially the belly, and it presents such a poor appearance when piclded 

 that its value is seriously depreciated. This same trouble is met with 

 wherever the sea herring is caught. In Maine it is not a serious matter, 

 as most of the heri-ing are caught in weirs in which the fish can be 

 retained until they have digested the food. If traps were used in 

 Alaska during July and August for the capture of herring, the fish 

 could easily be held alive in the same mamier as in the weirs and this 

 handicap thus be overcome. During the rest of the year its food does 

 not affect its preservation unfavorably. 



An interesting report has recently been made by the American 

 consul at Stavanger, Norway, on the herring industry of that country, 

 published in the Daily Consular and Trade Reports for April 9, 1912. 

 It is therein stated that further investment is being made in small 

 plants to produce herring flour and oil. The flour or meal is the 

 product from the solid portion of the fish after the oil is expressed. 

 It is used as feed for cattle and hogs as well as for fertilizer. The oil 

 is much used in pamts as a substitute for linseed oil. The establish- 

 ment of these plants is strongly urged to enable use to be made of the 

 surplus fish which can not be marketed as food. Under present con- 

 ditions the markets are overstocked and often large quantities of 

 fresh herring shipped to England are tlirown overboard and wasted 

 for want of a market. 



