580 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Mason and Thurston counties.—These two counties are at the extreme 
southern end of Puget Sound. Their fisheries yield among other things 
the small Puget Sound oysters, and Hoods Canal, in Mason County, 
at times furnishes salmon in considerable quantities. The oyster busi- 
ness of this section, formerly of considerable importance, has been 
reduced from overfishing, with little or no care of the beds, so that 
the products of the two counties in 1895 amounted to only $17,152 in 
value. During that year legislative action, disposing of lands suitable 
for oyster culture and protecting the same, led to an increase of size 
and improvement in quality of the oysters with a large increase in the 
yield, which in 1899 amounted to 29,636 sacks, or 49,272 bushels, of 
S80,067 value. 
The oyster-grounds are located in Oyster Bay, which produces the 
largest amount, and Mud Bay, Oakland, or Shelton Bay, Swindels 
Cove, North and South bays, all being in Mason and Thurston coun- 
ties. ‘The products are marketed chiefly at Olympia. The oyster and 
clam business gave employment to 128 men, and yielded 6,825 bushels 
of clams of $2,700 value. A small cannery at Olympia made a limited 
pack of clams and fish. 
In 1899 there were five establishments at Olympia handling oysters 
andclams. Their fixtures, machinery, etc., were valued at $11,575, and 
their cash capital was $11,300. They employed 39 people, who received 
$8,600 in wages. 
The following table shows the products handled and their value: 
Products. | Lbs. | Value. 
OVaters  DUSUEIS 000.6 22 2 222s n ee cere ae clot ee riceieess Giek aie -oeicie aie ioe See 540,000 | $16, 444 
Oysters. Pallonsy 1hi400) eo seis oc. ck gees co awe See tes Sec cena cars Oana ete ee ee 107,800 | 29, 260 
UB INS® VISTI] S de a oem errs i ne a nis See 286,975 | 3,800 
Clams Canned Ozens xl 200. roe tere era cosas eterete © ae sie eters oh creer ee rete een ee 25,296 | 14,640 
Glammectar dozens, 4000 422 2 645 Se sect acc e cdemes ween cneat ek Sees ee eee eee 9, 600 500 
FING Ul kes ee Re ese, he See en ee ee it A Se 2 | 969,671 | 64,644 
| 
Clallam County.—This county, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan 
de Fuca, and the northwestern extremity of the State, has important 
halibut and salmon fisheries, together with fisheries by Indians at Neah 
Bay, a salmon cannery at Port Angeles, and the crab fisheries of Dun- 
geness. The Indians, in 1899, caught, by trolling with spoon hook, 
15,926 silver salmon, which they disposed of to canneries at 10 cents 
each. They continue to use canoes and paddles in all their fisheries, 
and also in pursuing whales, 12 of the latter being taken during 1899. 
The largest part of the whale is cut up into strips for drying, and, 
with smoked halibut and salmon, forms a large portion of their winter’s 
food supply. These Indians were formerly quite largely interested in 
the fur-seal fisheries, and had a number of sealing vessels, in which 
they followed the seals northward to Bering Sea. As this is now 
prohibited, they have disposed of their vessels. 
