The Nome daily nugget., 1917-08-23
SHARK CATCHING IS
 UNIQUE ALASKA INDUSTRY

Alaska have many interesting in- dustries and practically all of these closely related in some way or an other with the use of motor boats. In fact motor boats furnish the pre- dominating method of transportation in the north because of the lack of railroads and highways, and the great maze of inland waterways that reach the coastline sections in which most of the industrial development has taken place. Few industries depend : ing on motor boats, however, are so unique and interesting as that which has developed at Pleasant Beach, near Seward, where plant has been built that tans leather and manufacturers oil from sharks which are caught and lowed in by outbound motors.
 This business has been built up by J. F. La Varne. Anchored off the beach is the little 1S-foot skiff DOW cred with an Evinrude outboard motor which is used to put out the lines that catch the sharks and also to tow in the fish after they are caught.
 Long lines, called set lines, are used by La Varne for this fishing, these being 1-2 inch Manila and about 50 feet in length. Fastened to the main line at intervals of six feet are shorter lines about l-2 feet long, on which are placed the 5-inch hooks. These hooks are baited with salmon heads. One end of the ,ong line is held doN
 with a heavy anchor and the other end is fastened to a substantial, buoy and the lines a number of which are set at once. are left out for a number of hours. Then the little outboard mo- tor boat comes chugging along and the fne is gradually taken in. By the time the boat comes the sharks are usually dead, and if not, they are dis patched by q blow on the head with an aX. By the time they have been on the line for a few hours they sel- dom show any fight. although on one occasion La Varne had an exciting time when he returned within an hour or two after the line had been set and found three live sharks on a short line. The three sharks started to swim off in the same direction and for a time they lowed the ntte boat all over the bay, almost swamping it d number of times. The occupants finally, however. managed to get near the beach, and jumping out in shal- low water. they made the line fast |, the shore and let the sharks tire themselves out .~> lew hours, after which they were pulled in without difficulty The supply of sharks seems To be almost unlimited and as many as nineteen have been caught on one line at time. It is no uncommon task for the little Evinrude boat to tow five or SIX sharks to the beach at time.
 When the sharks are brought ashore they are skinned on the beach, every skin being carefully preserved in two pieces for treatment at the tannery. Oil is extracted from the liver, ten to forty gallons being taken from each fish. The oil is valuable for a great many purposes, among them Icing softening of leather, for fabrication Tn grinding and for general chemical purposes. The skins make up into a very fine grade of leat'Itr extremely tough and at the same time very pliable ard canable of taking 9 good polish, and believed to be especially suitable for shoes. Under the pres ent conditions of leather shortage new sources of supply of raw material are being eagerly sought by manufactur- CTS, so that La Varne has no difficulty