The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-06-08
ALASKA'S FINE FISH.
Government Experts Expect VAL
liable Industry to Grow.
POSSIBILITIES NOT REALIZED.

Many Varieties Found In Abundance
In the Sea and Fresh Water-loWer
Forms of Marine Life to Be Seen In
Great Numbers-Five Distinct Spe-
cies of Salmon.
The United States governments
fishery exhibit at the Alaska Yukon
exposition in Seattle Wash, has been
designed to call attention to the riches
Of the great northwest territory in the
products Of the sea. 1t should appear,
indeed, that Alaska is a paradise not
only for the big game hunter, but for
the fisherman.
By those who have eaten it the
Alaskan candlefish is said to be in
comparably the most delicious of fish.
The candles begin running in Alaskan
waters about March and swarm into
the river and estuaries by the mill
lions for several weeks. The sole, so
highly esteemed in England, is found
at its best in the waters of the Alas
kan coast and. strange to say, has no
correspondent on the Atlantic side of
this continent Alaskan cod has prov
ed revelation to the epicure, being
fer superior to the Newfoundland cod.
The color of the sailed fish when
cooked is bright golden yellow.
Halibut are taken Ia great numbers
in deep water off the coast of Alaska
these fish often weighing 500 pounds
each. The Indian natives are adopts
at catching halibut and use hooks of
their own manufacture made of bone
or of wood and iron, which are said
to be far more efficient than any shop
rig. White fishermen who have tried
them will use no other, for a fish
which once has bitten seldom gets
away. Sturgeon also exist In great
numbers as well as anchovies. had
dock, founder, tomcod and whiting or
kingfsh. There is a fish caught in salt
water alongshore where weeds and
kelp grow which is the counterpart In
color and structure Of the black bass
of eastern inland fresh waters and af-
fords equally good sport for the troll
ing spoon.
The richness of marine life along the
coast Of Alaska has called forth the
wonder of veteran scientists of the
fisheries bureau In the coves at low
tide starfish of many patterns pave the
bottom like cobblestones-star Of
five, eight. ten, eighteen and twenty
%yxyn Gyg inf, nd ~ j,,s;.r
crimson, pink, dark red, yellow. drab
and gray hues. All of the crabs and
prawns left by the ebb climb and skip.
over their motioniess bodies, seldom
provoking them to stir the least bit
out Of position. On all the piles of
the wharfs and wherever there are
sunken logs or trees anemones of pink
and purest white grow in clusters.
Then there are many kinds of hideous
octopus cuttlefish and inkfsh. The
sea cucumber is plentiful also. When
cured and dried it makes the article of
commerce known as 'beche-de-mer.
highly priced in China for food. where
it is called trepang 1t is said by the
bureau Investigators that a valuable
industry might be built up by prepar-
ing this commodity for market In
deed, it is urged that the possibilities
Of the fisheries of Alaska are, outside
of the salmon and one or two other
enterprises. scarcely realized at all
The inland fisherman in Alaska has
plentiful variety. among which are
the salmon ard sea trout. the lake
trout. two ssfrts CT stream trout pike.
sturgeon perch. GELS aud Il very SUI
perior whitefsh OF salmon alone
there are five distinct species. all diff
ferfng very materially from those of
the Atlantic coast The ql,innat. or
king salmon. is a gecd deal heavier
than his Atlantic. congener and in the
rivers of western Alaska averages sc
pounds, while individuals often run
up to 100 pounds
DR.. Tarleton 81. Bean of the Smith
sonian institution, who has devoted
many years to the study of fish and
fishing grounds Of Alaska, enumerates
1876 species, 1913 of which live In the
sea and q permanently or temporarily
in fresh water.-New York Sun