Fishing and canneries

Japanese Americans found work at salmon canneries along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, and their labor was welcomed in Alaskan towns such as Ketchikan and Petersburg as early as the 1890s. They traveled by ship to the cannery towns, where they slowly developed small communities whose population swelled with the yearly arrival of workers. Issei (Japanese immigrant) entrepreneurs started the oyster industry from scratch in Puget Sound. Japanese American oyster farms became thriving businesses before World War II.

Industry and employment (437)
Fishing and canneries (252)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Takahashi v. Fish and Game Commission

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252 items

img New Years celebration (ddr-densho-123-3)

New Years celebration hosted by Mr. Mamizuka, a labor contractor at the Alaska fishing and cannery company. His friends/co-workers are seated around the table. (L to R): unknown, Mr. Saburo, Mr. Masaki, Matsujiro Mamizuka, Mrs. Mamizuka, Bette Inui (who lived upstairs), Mr. Taoka, unknown, Mr. Ueno (?).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-123-3/

img Friday Harbor Canning Co. (ddr-densho-128-118)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-128-118/

doc May Bring Trouble. Indians Say the Japs Must Not Fish for Salmon. (July 6, 1901) (ddr-densho-56-22)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 6, 1901, p. 4

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-22/

doc Japanese Cunning. Their Tricks Outwit the White Fishermen at Steveston. (July 2, 1900) (ddr-densho-56-15)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 2, 1900, p. 11

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-15/

Japs are Depleting the Herring Supply. Work of Oriental Fishermen at Nanaimo Calls Forth Indignant Protest From the Whites. (December 30, 1905) (ddr-densho-56-58)

doc Japs are Depleting the Herring Supply. Work of Oriental Fishermen at Nanaimo Calls Forth Indignant Protest From the Whites. (December 30, 1905) (ddr-densho-56-58)

The Seattle Daily Times, December 30, 1905, p. 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-58/

doc Oyster Industry is Safe -- Kincaid (March 27, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-722)

The Seattle Daily Times, March 27, 1942, p. 32

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-722/

Dynamite Plot Against Japanese. Thirteen Sticks, With Fuse Attached, Found Concealed in Blaine Cannery -- Sheriff Investigating. (August 10, 1915) (ddr-densho-56-271)

doc Dynamite Plot Against Japanese. Thirteen Sticks, With Fuse Attached, Found Concealed in Blaine Cannery -- Sheriff Investigating. (August 10, 1915) (ddr-densho-56-271)

The Seattle Daily Times, August 10, 1915, p. 7

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-271/

doc The Jap Tidal Wave. (May 4, 1900) (ddr-densho-56-9)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 4, 1900, p. 9

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-9/

Japanese Fishermen Barred From License. Attorney-General Gives Opinion Which May Keep Sons of Mikado Out of Local Waters. (June 30, 1908) (ddr-densho-56-129)

doc Japanese Fishermen Barred From License. Attorney-General Gives Opinion Which May Keep Sons of Mikado Out of Local Waters. (June 30, 1908) (ddr-densho-56-129)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 30, 1908, p. 5

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-129/

doc Oyster Raisers Lose Jap Help (April 19, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-761)

The Seattle Daily Times, April 19, 1942, p. 8

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-761/

doc Jap Ouster Hits Oyster Industry (March 5, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-667)

The Seattle Daily Times, March 5, 1942, p. 14

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-667/

doc Indians Discharge Japanese From Oyster-Opening Jobs (March 18, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-693)

The Seattle Daily Times, March 18, 1942, p. 5

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-693/

doc Wily Japanese Engage in Salmon Industry (July 21, 1913) (ddr-densho-56-237)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 21, 1913, p. 11

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-237/

doc Cannery Men Asked to Oust Japanese. Demand Made on Anacortes Employers to Give Orientals' Places to Whites. (July 21, 1915) (ddr-densho-56-268)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 21, 1915, p. 20

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-268/

doc Chinaman Being Displaced. Japanese Labor at Fish Canneries Now Said to Be Preferable. (June 11, 1904) (ddr-densho-56-43)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 11, 1904, p. 5

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-43/

Canneries Shanghai 200 Japs! Steal Japanese Coolies From Railway. Cannery Bosses at Tacoma Make Away With Nearly Half a Shipment of Four Hundred Men From Hawaii. (July 29, 1905) (ddr-densho-56-56)

doc Canneries Shanghai 200 Japs! Steal Japanese Coolies From Railway. Cannery Bosses at Tacoma Make Away With Nearly Half a Shipment of Four Hundred Men From Hawaii. (July 29, 1905) (ddr-densho-56-56)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 29, 1905, pp. 1, 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-56/

doc Japs Win at Steveston. (July 17, 1900) (ddr-densho-56-17)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 17, 1900, p. 8

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-17/

doc Fishing Licenses To Be Denied Japanese (June 6, 1943) (ddr-densho-56-926)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 6, 1943, p. 4

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-926/

img Shucking oysters (ddr-densho-15-93)

These Japanese Americans are shucking oysters on a table. Unshelled oysters were stored behind the wall shown here. The workers grabbed the oysters through an opening in the wall, opened them, placed the oysters in buckets, then deposited the shells on a conveyor belt below the worktable. Shuckers were paid by the bucket.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-93/

img Oyster farmer (ddr-densho-15-115)

Mr. Mukai steering oysters into a box, where they were steamed open for canning.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-115/

img Unloading oysters from a bateau (ddr-densho-15-105)

These two farmers are unloading oysters from a bateau for processing. Left to right: Chuck (last name unknown) and Jack Tanabe.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-105/

img Men on ship's deck (ddr-densho-15-33)

These Japanese Americans are on their way to work in the Alaskan canneries. The man lying down on the far left is Mike Hirahara. The three men closest to the camera from top to bottom are Min Kanazawa, (first name unknown) Sano, and George Nojiri.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-33/

img Scow (ddr-densho-15-119)

The scow was used to gather oysters. A winch-operated dredge was dragged across the oyster beds at high tide, and the harvested oysters were then emptied onto the scow or a bateau. In order to deliver the oysters to the processing plant, both the scow and the bateau had to be towed.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-119/

img Two men washing canned salmon (ddr-densho-15-90)

Fred Kosaka (left) and (first name unknown) Takehara wash cans of salmon that have just been cooked. Washing was necessary to remove debris produced during the cooking process.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-90/

img Two men fishing for trout (ddr-densho-15-91)

Fred Kosaka (top) and (first name unknown) Sano fish for Dolly Varden, a type of trout. The two men were in Alaska to work in the canneries.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-91/