68 PACIFIC COD FISHERIES. 
Large quantities of cod are sold after having been water-horsed 
and packed in bundles weighing 50 and 100 pounds. These fish are 
not skinned. A considerable trade in this grade of fish is had with 
the Hawaiian Islands. 
Skinned fish are also put up in strips and middles. The strips 
consist of one-half the fish split down the middle and are cut to suit 
the trade—some left whole and some with more or less of the nape 
and thinner portion at the tail cut off in order to get heavy pieces. 
These are put up usually in 20 and 40 pound boxes. The middle is 
the whole fish after being skinned and the nape and tail cut off; 
how much of the nape and tail is cut off depends upon the number 
of middles permitted in a box of a certain size. They are quoted 
usually by the size—8 to 10, or 10 to 12, in a 40-pound box. They 
are also packed in 60-pound boxes. Frequently each individual fish 
is cut transversely the width of the box and folded over itself. Thick 
fish are sometimes cut transversely and each piece split and folded 
over in such a manner that the clean cut appears outside. The fish 
are also sometimes cut transversely across the fiber and tightly 
packed in boxes with the fiber running perpendicularly. 
The trade in brine-salted codfish on the Pacific coast is small, and 
is confined exclusively to the small fish or snappers. In pickling, the 
fish are dressed, split, washed, and salted in butts in the same man- 
ner as has been heretofore noted in preparing dry-salted cod. When 
shipment is to be made the fish are removed from the butts, cleaned 
with brushes, and placed in tight half barrels, flesh side up, except 
the top layer, which is placed back up, the fish being bent to follow 
the curve of the half barrel. It is important that the fish be not 
repacked until thoroughly struck, otherwise the flesh will be marked 
with yellow spots caused by contact of the imperfectly cured fish 
with each other. Salt is placed at the bottom of the barrel and over 
each layer of fish, from one-half to three-quarters of a peck being 
used to each half barrel of fish. The barrel is then headed and strong 
brine added through the bunghole. About 38 medium-sized snappers 
are required to fill a half barrel. Most of these fish are sold to coast- 
ers plying up and down the coast and are fed to the crews. 
The station fishermen frequently prepare a cod delicacy which 
they enjoy very much. Selecting a suitable cod stomach, the fisher- 
man will carefully clean this inside and out. Several fresh, healthy 
cod livers are then picked out, chopped fine, and mixed with a little 
flour and vegetables; the stomachs are stuffed with this mixture, after 
which they are cooked like sausages. 
Stockfish—Of recent years a considerable business has developed 
in the preparation of stockfish. Two small shore stations in the 
Shumagins devote a considerable portion of their energies during 
