The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-08-10

Among the Fish Traps.
Last week the Editor was accorded
the opportunity of trip among the
fishtraps of the lower Sound, and an
inspection of several of the largest
canneries on the Sound. One who
has never seen the preparations made
to take the salmon, or a big cannery
in operation has no appreciation Of the
magnitude of the industry, but he will
no longer have any reason to wonder
where the fish have gone. There are
probably no less than 800 fish traps
now ready for operation on the Sound
prepared to take IN countless thousands
of the "sock-eyes,' which have just
begun to run. At every point Of van
tage among the numerous San Juan
islands, in fact everywhere that the
fish can be trapped, extend the long
rows of piles, over which the net is
hung, and ending in sink or box from
which the fish are taken into scows
and sent to the canneries. In the
Georgian Gulf, looking North past
Point Roberts, it appears as though
the bay was piled clear across. and
traps are located in the middle, fully
three miles from shore. Some of the
locations have sold for over 100000,
and they were well worth it, taking
that much value in fish in single sea-
son. In that section the fish traps
hold full sway and even obstruct navi-
CATION, by their encroachments on the
good fishing grounds of the channels.
1t is estimated that the licenses from
the fish traps this season will amount
to $4,000. On the whole trip we did
not see single seine fisherman, and
it is matter of some regret that the
traps have practically taken away the
occu patton of the small fisherman, of
whom several thousand might find
profitable employment in hauling their
seines.
An interesting hour was spent in the
Immense canneries of the Pacific
American Fisheries concern, which
has about eight acres of floor space,
and employs about 1000 hands. The
fish are brought from the traps in
scows, in tow of tugs, aud are raised
to the cannery f1oor.by buckets or belts.
There they are taken in hand, cleaned
and placed on revolving cylinder
which passes the fish through knives
which slice the whole fish at one mo-
ton. Then to the packing tables,
where hundreds of operatives deftly
pack them in tins. The tins are cap
ped and soldered by machinery and
cooled on an endless chain. Then the
cans are handled in crates, the vent
soldered, dipped in I've for cleaning
and placed in ovens for cooking by
steam. Wrapping, labelling aud box
ing completes the operation aud the
salmon is ready for market. The
work is SO rapidly done that in the
large cannery visited, over 5000 sal
mon were put up in less than an hour
and half. Cinnamon mainly are EN-
ployed in cleaning the fish and hand
ling the cans, but as many women and
girls as eau be secured are employed
in the packing, being paid by the
"pi ece." There are ten large fish
cannerics on the Sound aud the mag
nitude of the, industry worked up in
the pas four years can be imagined by
the brief outline we have given.
Ten millions of dollars is far short of
the amount of money already invested.
The trap question. however, is one
that must be met at no distant day.
Not that there is dispo sition to ham
per the industry of fish canning. but
that the goose that lays the golden
egg" the salmon, must be protected
more than at present, if the industry
maintains its present. proportions.
The "sock-eye" does not come into the
waters of the upper Sound, but other
varieties do, and have in the past
come in great numbers, now fast de-
creasing each year. Results from the
hatcheries already in operation will
not be apparent for several years TO
come, and their sources of supply seem
to require greater protection. Traps
should at least be kept from this end
of the Sound, and the ranchers and
others having their money invested in
seines and small flshiug outfits have
interests that deserves some consider
alton, as we'll as the fact that some
fish must be allowed to reach the
hatcheries for propagation purposes.
Licenses also require more equable adj
justinent, according to the catch.
Representative Gunderson, of Mason
County, introduced the law now in
force on this point, but his bill was
considerably mutilated before it came
through the legislative mill. The bill
originally placed tax of So. so on each
one thousand fish caught in trap, In
ADDITION to the regular license, but
this sum was reduced to one dollar.
Fifty dollars is the fee for a fra, soa
OF winch will catch more than a hun
ored thousand fish in single season.
Inc traps ard canneries should pro-
vide the FUNDS to build and o,er,+a
hatcheries or every suitable stre,.
moving into the Sound, because they