Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-12-14
FISH,.

Seattle's fish trade is IA growth OF only
the last four or five wears, but has al
ready attained very considerable pro-
portions employing more than a thous-
and men during the last season, and
promises far greater development in the
near future The trade is being devel-
oped i'll Il very satisfactory manner 10y
those interested. Puget Sound fish are
rapidly working their way into new
markets, and already several ears OF
halibut have been shipped to Boston,
where they entered into successful COM
petition with the product of the New
England fisheries The fisheries OF the
North Pacific are the most valuable in
the world, so far az known, and Seattle
is their natural distributing point. Con-
siderable alarm has been expressed by
those interested in the New England
fisheries in regard to the serious compe-
tition threatened from the Pacific coast.
Dried fish are already being shipped by
the carload to New York, and thence to
the West Indies and Central and South
American markets: and with the de-
vclopment OF our direct trade with
Central and South America we will be at
still greater advantage. Cod can be
caught in Behring Sea, brought to Seat
tie and dried or cured for a cent pound
less than on the Atlantic coast, and at
the present rates can compete with the
New England fisheries in their own ter
ritory. The North Pacific Goldfish is
destined to take front rank. 1t is
plump and heavy meated, and makes an
admirable fish for curing for market.
A similar business might be worked up
in shipping smoked halibut East. The
trade is now controlled by Gloucester,
Mass, but fish are more abundant on
this coast, and can be caught and smoked
more cheaply. Heretofore, smoking and
curing fish has only been conducted in Il
very desultory fashion on Puget Sound
the greater part of the fish, outside Of
the salmon canned, Icing shipped either
fresh, sailed or frozen. Several houses
are making preparations to engage in
smoking and curing halibut, salmon and
herring on an extensive scale next
season, and this will soon be very I'M
portant part of the fish industry.
The native oysters are small but very
fine in flavor. Successful attempts have
been made to transplant the Chesapeake
Bay Oysters in Washington waters, but
the lack of laws protecting the propa-
gators prevents capital from engaging in
it to any extent
According to Fish Commissioner Craw-
ford's report to Governor McGraw :. 033,
600 salmon were caught in the Puget
Sound district in 1893, the total pack be
ing l05, 600 cases or zoos, 900 salmon
valued at $269, 900. The pack was greater
than that of any previous season. Oys-
tiers and CLANS valued at 500, $50 were
shipped last year, Puget Sound shipping
1889 sacks and Willapa harbor &c, 80
sacks of oysters Resides the salmon
the species caught in the Puget Sound
district last season were, in pounds ::
,300,0W of halibut, 100000 of smelt
$4,000 of cod, 10000 Of black cod, 4O, 900
OF rock cod, 50,OOO of ling, 100000 of
perch and founder, 10000 of herring,
and 800 900 OF other fish, the latter be-
ing valued at f. 900
Willapa and Grays IIarbor catches
amounted to about 800 salmon, or
2,429, Pa pounds, the canneries paying
fishermen $23,439
There were 10000 sacks of CLAIMS,
valued at 81 per sack, sold in this dis
trict.
The State salmon canneries reported a
total catch OF 6,72l ,435 pounds, paying
fishermen 1886 07l,75, they receiving
$50 900 additional for sales to Oregon
canneries, The spring catch was valued
at S7@' ,432 20. The fall pack was $4,000
cases, fishermen being paid about S35,-
600 Fish dealers and cold storage plants
bought about 81, 200 worth "f salmon,