34 REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



MILD CURING. 



Mild curing is a very desirable and popular way of handling the salmon and makes of it a most 

 palatable food. The process consists of lightly salting the fish and keeping them at a low temperature 

 until ready for the consumer or for smoking, as is often the method of treatment before they are finally 

 marketed. The mild-curing business has reached considerable proportions and the popularity of the 

 product has extended over two continents. The industry is confined to the utilization of king salmon 

 and, to a small extent, to cohos. 



In Alaska during the past season there was trouble between the mild curers and the fishermen. It 

 reached such proportions in May and June that it threatened to demoralize the entire business. The 

 fishermen charged the mild-curing establishments with refusal to accept a large part of their catch. On 

 the other hand, the mild curers warned the fishermen in many instances that they could not use over three 

 red-meated kings per boat per day, and that if they brought in more they would not be received. This 

 created discontent and disorder, which resulted in the waste of many thousands of king salmon, both red 

 and white meated. In some cases it was proved conclusively that after fishermen had brought their catch 

 to the dock they were offered 30 cents for the red kings under 20 pounds, $1 for reds over 20 pounds, and 

 nothing for the white king salmon. To some extent, however, matters were adjusted temporarily and work 

 continued. Of course, this situation must not occur another year. 



There is something to be said on both sides of the controversy. Irrespective of whether the fish 

 caught are of large or small size, the fishermen must not catch more than the total number they are 

 instructed to bring in for each day's catch, and on the other hand the fishermen must be assured that all 

 fish brought in to make up this daily quota will be accepted. The success of a fisherman's efforts thus 

 becomes a matter of chance, for his profits will be in proportion as he catches large fish. 



One of the things that caused great dissatisfaction during the season was the fact that many of the 

 fishermen were instructed to bring in only three red kings a day. If all were small, it might mean only 

 90 cents for a whole day's work. This would encourage them to throw away all small fish as fast as 

 caught, in anticipation of taking three larger ones that would bring $1 apiece. On the other hand, the 

 buyers of king salmon must and should take care of both red and white king salmon, of all sizes, brought 

 to them on contract; and if they are not willing to do this and to thus utilize the small red-meated fish, 

 and all the whites, they should not be allowed to operate. 



As a matter of information, it may be well to give an idea of the sizes of sides obtained from some of the 

 fish used in mild curing. For example, a 25-pound salmon will make two 8-pound sides, and an 18-pound 

 salmon will make two 6-pound sides. Sides under 6 pounds are not profitable in mild curing and, it is 

 said, will not stand smoking. 



The question of cold-storage operations applies here, and while it is understood that king salmon 

 under 1 8 or 20 pounds do not produce sides that can be profitably mild cured there is no sufficient reason 

 why red kings under that weight, and all white kings, should not be accepted for freezing purposes. It is 

 imperative that none of these valuable fish shall be wasted either by the fishermen or mild curers. 



POWER-BOAT TROLLING. 



Power-boat trolling is a new feature, comparatively speaking, in Alaska waters. It is confined chiefly 

 to the capture of king salmon during the spring and early summer. There is no question but that these 

 boats have worked great harm and have been injurious to the fishermen's interests, as many of them now 

 realize. On account of the speed of the boats, the fishermen necessarily troll with lines high in the water, 

 and for this reason a large percentage of the catch consists of small fish. The larger fish are found at 

 lower depths. The large proportion of small fish was the cause of the unfortunate controversy between 

 the mild-cure buyers and the fishermen this year. Another unfortunate feature is that the fishermen 

 on power boats lose many of the fish which are hooked and which afterwards die. This applies especially 

 to the large fish. It is impossible to play them as from a rowboat, and this playing is sometimes very 

 necessary in order to save these gamy fish. 



There were about 200 power boats on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island and vicinity during the 

 early part of last June. While some fishermen use these boats only as a means of transportation, fishing 

 from their dories when they arrive on the fishing grounds, almost all of them fish directly from the power 

 boats on account of the saving in manual labor. The result is that they are injuring and permanently 



