50 THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 



tliat coast. Tho attempt was abandoned after several months, how- 

 ever, having j)r()ved unprofitable. Accordmg to the reports of the 

 masters of these vessels, the halibut was too cunning a fish for them, 

 and would avoid the trawl without much apparent efl'ort. This was 

 especially noticeable when the trawl was being operated in the vicinity 

 of the dory fishermen. While the latter would be making good 

 catches, the trawls would make hauls containing but few halibut and 

 a quantity of small fish of other kinds, for which there is no market on 

 the Pacific coast. Both of the steam trawlers are now being fitted 

 out for dory fishing. 



No halibut was canned in 1900. Several firms on the Pacific coast 

 are experimenting, and if a market can be built up there is almost no 

 limit to the quantity which can be packed. A few cases packed in 

 Alaska in 1904 and 1905 met with a very favorable reception, but 

 sufficient capital has not yet materialized to push the in(histry. As 

 halibut are especially abundant in Alaska during the winter months, 

 when saluKm are very scarce, it would be an easy matter to utilize 

 one of the many salmon canneries then idle for the })acking of this 

 product. 



One Seattle firm which secures a considerable part of its fresh hali- 

 but from Alaskan waters has just ])erfected a fish jelly which is made 

 from the choicest cuts of halibut steaks. A form of smoked halibut 

 put on the market is thin strips ])acked in half-pound paper cartons. 

 These make very neat and convenient packages for lunches or picnics, 

 and in this shape the product has met with a ready sale. 



STATISTICS. 



During 1906 there were 304 perstms employed in all branches of 

 the fishery. In 1905 there were 276. In 1906 there were 246 fisher- 

 men, 39 shoresmen, and 19 transporters, while the total investment 

 that year was $106,702, against !ii;95,9S0 in 1905. The halibut mar- 

 keted fresh in 1906 amounted to 3,347,578 pounds, valued at $125,607. 

 The quantity nuirketed fresh in 1905 was 3,144,614 pounds, valued at 

 $85,326, over wliich 1906 showed a gain of 202,964 pounds and 

 $40,28 1 . The quantity of frozen halibut prepared m 1 906 was 529,550 

 pounds, valued at $21,047, against 316,341 pounds, valued at $12,641, 

 in 1905, a gain of 213,209 pounds and $8,406 for 1906. In 1906 the 

 quantity of hahbut salted, or fletched, was 321,803 pounds, valued 

 at $11,554, against 1,213,845 pounds, valued at $48,554, in 1905. 

 This large decrease — 892,042 pounds and $37,000 — was due, as already 

 stated, to the strike at one of the large plants during the summer 

 months, the season of the year when halibut are salted. There was 

 also a large decrease in 1906 in the quantity of halibut smoked, 

 46,713 pounds, valued at $2,382, being prepared in 1905, and only 

 1,100 pounds, valued at $110, being the output in 1906. No halibut 

 were canned in 1906. 



