Asian market and herring roe on kelp, long a Native delicacy, became very lucrative as a commercial harvest. Herring kelp pounding became a unique undertaking with fisherman building floating ‘pounds’ that would suspend the long pieces of kelp enticingly for the herring to deposit roe on. The kelp was then easily harvested, boxed and shipped to an Asian market; willing to pay top dollar for this specialty product. It was a huge boon to Cordova’s economy. Fishermen could partake in the early spring herring harvest and then still have time to ready their boats and nets for the return of the salmon and the commercial harvest in May.
This photo came from the archives and collections of the Cordova Historical Society.
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