Cobb. — Fisheries of the Pacific. 67 



The present insignificance of the local fleet may be gauged 

 by the fact that the cod banks in the Atlantic off the Ameri- 

 can continent are less in extent than ours, and yet they give 

 employment to over 2,000 vessels, and this in despite the 

 fact that thev have been fished continuously since 1502. 



Trout. — The fresh and salt waters of the Pacific Coast 

 are infested v/ith hordes of Dolly Varden trout, and some 

 day the preparation of these for market in a fresh, frozen, 

 pickled and canned condition will be a big industry. At the 

 present time but little use is being made of this species. 



Miscellaneous Fish. — In our waters are to be found 

 many species but sparingly, or not at all, used as food and 

 among these may be cited silver hake, atkafish, various 

 species of flatfishes, ''ling cod." Sitka "black bass," white- 

 fish, Alaska pollock, the various rock-fishes, etc. 



Fish Offal. — Thousands of tons of fish offal are thrown 

 away every season at the fish canning and other plants in 

 Alaska. A very small fraction of this valuable material is 

 at present saved, and oil, meal, and fertilizer prepared, but 

 this production could be increased a thousandfold were an 

 effort made. 



Included in this offal are tons of salmon eggs and salmon 

 melt. These, if properly prepared, would make excellent 

 food. 



Clams. — The clam resources of the North Pacific are 

 enormous and it is only within the last 8 years that any se- 

 rious attempt has been made to exploit them, and this only 

 in one or two small areas. Most of the clams utilized were 

 canned, some thousands of cases being so prepared this year. 



Oyster's. — The oyster production of the Pacific Coast 

 ought to be almost as great as that of the Atlantic. As a 

 matter of fact it is not more than a fraction of the quantity 

 produced in the latter region. This is due largely to the 

 fact that the growers have received almost no assistance 

 from the federal government in working out the problems 

 peculiar to this coast. 



Shrimp and Praiun. — The shrimp and prawn industry of 

 Alaska at present is centered around Wrangel Narrov/s, 

 and produced in 1921 products to the value of $132,077. 

 Shrim.p may be found in many other sections of Alaska and 

 as time goes on these supplies will be used quite extensively. 

 They are also said to be exceedingly abundant off the Sibe- 

 rian coast, and are only occasionally used for food. 



Aquatic Mammals. — The north Pacific has always been 

 a favorite resort for aquatic mammals, and many whales, 

 (finbacks, sulphur-bottoms, humpbacks and belugas) are to 

 bo found in their season, while porpoises, hair seals, sea 



