The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-08-05
SEA PIsHERIEs OF THEPACIPIC,

The following i. from the Alto Of
July 2sth:
The American sea fisheries ia the
North Pacific are in their infancy, ex-
cepting whaling. which is in its decline
The introduction Of petroleum, the con-
seQueut fall in the price of whale-oil,
the destruction Of ~hslers by the reb-
ell cruiser Shenandoah, the loss Of many
vessels in the Arctic ice fields in 1871
and 1876, and the decrease in the num-
ber Of whale, have contributed to re-
duce the Pacific whaling feet from 600
vessels in 1855, 10 40 in 1879. OF these
only Is ale now in the North Pacific.
and recently they have made their
rendezvous in San Francisco harbor.
whereas. formerly. Honolulu was the
port where they discharged cargo. re-
fitted, and spent the winter. They em
ploy about 700 men and the average
catch may be set downat $4,000 barrels
Of oil and 70 toAs Of whale bone. The
whales are scarce, and shy now south of
Behring Straits, and most Of the vessels
venture into the Arctic Sea. In fair
season vessel will take five whales
the Northern Right whale yielding l25
barrels and the Arctic 80 Of oil, and
zach about 1900 pounds Of bone. II
the whales are not found. the vessel fre
quently devotes itself 10 the walrus,
each Of which gives 90 gallons Of oil
and i've pounds of ivory. ba, three out
Of four killed are lost; and rs thy are
the chief dependence Of the Esquimaux
for subsistence. some whaling mns,ers
will not kill them SO long as there is
any hope of finding whales. The in
PRODUCTION Of an improved bomb lance
gun will probably make the business
less dangerous ana more profitable.
There are half dozen whsling sta.
tions on the coast Of California. where
q lookout is kept On shore andwhen no
tice 10 gwen that " hale is in sight, men
put off 10 row boats for the prize There
are % men at Punta Banda, and II at
Sant1 romas, in Lower California. and
10 at Ballast Point in the American
Territory, all belonging to San Diego;
q company at Monterey; one Of % men
at Pigeon Point; and one or two IN
Mendocino county Most "f the whales
taken are the CAllforni. grayb.cks
whic. arc u, ,ith,r rich in oil n"r r.-ilv
tak-u Some seasons more ;hin bali of
tho" killed are lost. They migrate
whru tat tu the southw.rd from No
yembcr IT, February. keeping near 'hr
land, sni 90 the northwari m May 10
October. when lcar running llt,l-
far her ou'.
San Francisco had Is coifishing vcs-
sells with more than 80 men in 1879.
Two cf the vessels measure between
800 aud 400 tons; l between 300 and 800
tons; q between 100 aud 300; and un-
der 100 tons. The business finctuates
with the demand for fish. and the num-
Der of vessels have never been the same
for two CT usecutive years. There were
- in 1870. aud only D in 1873. The to-
tai catch was 1000 tous in 1870; 1900 IN
1871; $50 in 1872; $50 in 1873, $50 III
1874; $50 in 1875; 1900 in 1876; 1900
in 1877, aud 1900 in 1873. The cod
fishing firms of San Francisco are
Lynde & IIough. McColleam & Co. n.
The cod fishing grounds are south of
the Aleutian Islapds--especially the
Choumagin Group, and IN the Ochotsk
Sea The latter. though 2OOO miles
further aud q month in sailing time.
is preferred because the area Of
known fishing ground is greater. the
whole sea 200 miles long by 500 wide.
being one immense cod bank, with wa
ter from 25 to so fathoms deep. where
the largest vessels can anchor and
cruise; whereas the banks Of the Aleu-
tiAn Islands. 50 far rs examined. are too
near the islands. or too small for large
vessels to venture with safety. Behring
Sea. twice as large as the Ochotsk. and
from Is to so fsthoms deep, is another
immense cod bank. but is not used now.
There may be extensive cod banks
south Of the Aleutian Islands, but the
American Government has neglected to
have any exploration made.
There are three drying.ysrds for cod
fish north Of the Golden Gate near San
francisco.
The average size # the Pacific cod is
about three and one-half pounds,
though there is no difficulty in getting
larger fish in deep water. All arc
pickle cured. A few Goldfish are brought
to California from Massachusetts,. but
the importation is steadily decreasidg,
and will soon cease. Tho California
fish are sent to Oregon. Washington.
Nevada and few Is far east rs Utah;
and small shipments are made for the
use Of Americans ia China. Japan. and
Mexico-the natives of those countries
not having learned to like salt fish.
One codfishing vessel has been sent
out from Puget Sound, but has been
withdrawn from the business. Oregon.
British Columbia and Alaska have. and
have had. no sailing vessels occupied
regularly in codfshing. but the fish are
caught off Vancouver Island and Alaska
aud eaten fresh. All the cod brought
in codishing vessels to San Frsncisco
are pickle cured; few caught near the
hsrbor are brought III fresh.
A recent telegram from Berlin says
that the American Minister at St. Pc
tersburg has been negotiating with the
Russian Government in reference to
fisheries in the North Pacific; and ii Is
suprosed that he has been trying to
obtain permission fer the American
codfishermen to fish within three miles
of the shore in the Ochotsk. OF land in
KAmtschatks, and use the same free
dom as il they were on the coast OF
their own. We have not heard that
auy of the coifshermen have solicited
.sh ..;-;,.as ap3 vary little has been