Pacific American Fisheries Company waterfront, Bellingham, WA. The "PAF" was one of the world's largest salmon canning operations. Originally organized as the Franco-American North Pacific Canning Company in 1898, it was purchased the following year and renamed the Pacific American Fisheries Company. PAF holdings increased over the next several decades as it expanded into Alaska and Washington, processing tremendous quantities of salmon. The company went public in 1928 and reorganized as Pacific American Fisheries Inc. In addition to salmon processing, the company diversified over the years to include processing of oysters, cod and dabbled with producing and packing berries and vegetables. After Alaska banned fish traps in 1956 company profits began a downward slide. By 1965 most of the company's assets had been liquidated. The last chapter was written in 1966 when the Port of Bellingham purchased PAF's property on the Fairhaven waterfront. That area is now the site of the Alaska Ferry terminal.
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