Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-09-29
FISHERY FIGURES.
Business Is Thriving on The
Pacific Coast.
ALASKA'S SALMON SUPPLY.
Character OF Those Who Handle
the Hook and Net.

bLOUCEslEl MASS, sept. @-lhrougn
the courtesy Of Captain J. WuSISlins of the
United States fish comb ga advance
sheets OF the report OF Mr. MN. Wilcox,
who was detailed by the .Anmission 10
collect data regarding the river, shore and
SET fisheries OF the Pacific coast. have been
furnished TO the Associated Press. Mr.
Wilcox began work az San Francisco in
November. 1888; later he went 10 san
Diego, and, beginning there, travelled
north TO Puget Sound, visiting nearly all
the fishing stations along the coast and on
the rivers, encountering many difficulties.
In 1880 there were In operation on the
Pacific coast 1872 canneyies, ~ being in
United States territory and "A on British
soil, and of the former 20 we're in Alaska.
OF the total pack of salmon Alaska pro-
duccd the largest, and although In tho
number Of canneries that territory cx-
cccded Oregon by only one establishment,
the output was more than double that OF
tho state named.
The number Of cases put up was: United
States, l.2S7 ,0GO, valued at 81, ,O93 $50, Brit
ish Columbia, it4,0 900 cases, valued at &C.
072, 600. The pack during the fourteen
years ending with 1880 on the western
coast
Amounted 10 I2.SO3, ,Oss Cases,
with au estimated value Of f75,01C, ,0O0.
The weight OF the salmon consumed in the
preparation Of this enormous pack was
over $40 000, 900 pounds, equivalent in point
Of weight to 100000 head Of cattle. and
greatly exceeding the latter in economic
Importance and food value.
Although OH only seven years existence
the salmon canning industry OF Alaska
has become more important than that of
any other region, the increase in growth
the past few years has been phenomenal,
especially III 1882 when the pack Of 615, 900
represented an increase of 1000 over the
previous year. The shipment and distribu-
tion, according TO the figures given, were
~ follows: From British Columbia 30
london. 1888 cases; to Liverpool, l5s, ,66si:
from the Columbia river TO London, 2aG06
cases; to Liverpool. 100, sS5; eastern states,
2l2. 49, from San Francisco 10 Australia.
~, l3l cases; 10 London, 65,OSi; TO Liver
pool, 2G3, ,t3l; To Hamburg, 800; 20 the 0ri.
ent 1892; to Pacific islands, 4lol, Co Span
ish America, 1881; to eastern states, l52, 25l;
total shipment, l,204,89 cases Note is
made OF the variation In the llshing of the
three Pacific coast states, both as relates
20 their character and the value.
The aggregate lumber Of men employed
Oh vessels was 1879, on boats ss04, sh6fs
men and factory hands 8l07, making a
total Of 10, $50, not including 753 men EN-
ployed on whaling vessels belonging to
New Bedford, Mass, and making their
headquarters at San Francisco. The value
OF apparatus and capital employed in
these fisheries is found to be Sc, ,46s 239, and
the products of all kinds In 1888 were
valued OF 90, 3s7 ,8o3
The commission calls attention to the
Improvement of Fishing Vessels
aud boats, and says 10 no other direction,
perhaps can certain Qshcyics be benefited
to a creator cxtont than by the fntrodQc-
tion Of improved types of fshing craft,
small, properly rugged auxiliary steam
vessels Of suitable model being the most
essential. Meytion is made Of the mackerel
fishery, and there seems 10 be an oppor-
tunity for the establishpcnt tthIs fishery
on the coast Of California, south Of Monte.
roy
There Is remarkable similarity Of
statement as 10 the abundance OF the bulls
eye rnackcrel along the California COAST,
and il would seem 70 be entirely feasible
TO make catches with comparatively small
outlay for vessels aud Equipment Tho
common mackerel is found TO be scarce in
the western Atlantic, and perhaps may
not be abundant form series Of years The
Atka maokorcl, or yellow fish, occurs iu
considerable nunfRJs In the western part
Of the Alentian Archipelago, about Atka
aud other islands, during May, Juno aud
July. II Is said that the first Of May the
fish como at 0rst in . struggling manper,
the first being usually adult males They
arc not fat on arrival, but soon become 80
from the abundance OF small crustacea 70
tina; i,' rly swarm among the patches Of
-caN9d " May 10, at Which time tho fish
arr tolcrobly numerous by Jnpo 10 thou
sd. IS of tho fish con be seen In the shall
low - I'cr.
The Fishing Population
on tho Pacific coast Is very heterogeneous
In its character At the port of San Diego,
ont Of q total Of l59 dshermen, only 10
were Americans, 50 were Cinnamon, "a
Portuguese, 0 Italians, s Swedcs and l3 Of
other nattonnllties. The United States
fish commission steamer Albatross dlscov-
cred In 1859 and made a thorough explore
ton Of Tanner bank, which lies directly
westward Of San Diego, about 95 milA
distant This bank Is seven or eight miles
long and about two miles wide A COM
prehensive Investigation was also mode af
Cortez bank. which iips about twelve
miles south Of Tspper benk, and hos y
length Of q miles ano vidtp q from to
.milea Tbese weJe found 10 be i'm
porspnt fishing grounds.
1.-THE report contains o very intarcsting do
scription Of the methods of ashing, which
arc somewhat different fr9nl that of the
New Englapd fshermen. II dlso CONTAINS
the namds Of the mapy varieties Of ilsh dis
covered on the Pacific coast, most all OF
which are dt for food. 10 sepe localities
the only occupation the inhabitants have
is fishing and hunting.