62 PACIFIO COD #ISHERIES. 
WASTAGE IN THE INDUSTRY. 
There is much more waste in the Pacific fishery than in the At- 
lantic, and this is due mainly to the different methods of arranging 
the fishing lay. In the Atlantic fishery every man has an interest 
in the catch, and it is to his advantage to utilize every portion of the 
fish, thus increasing the total value of the fare, which will mean a 
larger share for himself in the final division. In the Pacific fishery 
the fishermen are paid a certain sum per thousand for fish running 
over a certain size and a less sum for fish under that size. On the 
vessels the fishermen have nothing to do with dressing the fish, this 
being done by a separate gang, who are paid regular monthly wages. 
At the shore stations the fishermen dress their own fish and are paid 
a certain sum per thousand for all caught. As a result of this ar- 
rangement the Pacific crews resent doing more than merely catching 
and dressing the fish, and they even skimp the latter part all they 
possibly can. 
Livers and tongues.—As they receive no pecuniary benefit from 
the saving of livers and tongues, they naturally make no effort to 
do so unless compelled to by the owners. In dressing the fish at 
certain stations the header is expected to tear loose the liver and drop 
it into a bucket, which, when full, is dumped into the liver butt; but 
even at these stations probably not one-fifth of the livers available 
are saved. At some stations and on certain vessels an extra boy is 
engaged, whose business it is to cut out tongues, for which he is paid 
from $3.50 to $5 per barrel, and his board. 
Sounds.—Several times efforts have been made to cut out and save 
‘the sounds, but the men have always asked such a high price per 
hour for the work, and so few would be secured in an hour’s time, 
owing to the difficulty in cutting them loose and the general disin- 
clination of the cutter to work, while their thinness made it neces- 
sary to cut out a large number in order to fill a barrel, that the cost 
of obtaining them was out of all proportion to the selling price. 
Cod roe——During the winter and spring the cod are spawning in 
Alaska, and as large quantities are captured by the station fishermen 
at that time, cod roe is exceedingly abundant. The roe of the cod 
is an excellent food product, but except for a few served to the men 
in the mess houses no use is made of them. They could be preserved, 
either by pickling or freezing, and a possible market found for them 
in this country. 
In the Atlantic fisheries large quantities are prepared as “ rogue ” 
and shipped to France, where it is used as bait in the sardine fisheries. 
In preparing “rogue” the roes should be soaked for some days in old 
brine and then packed in strong casks holding about 25 gallons each. 
