, 1886-03-11
Puget Sound Fisheries

Co, IN this city. asking fGr lntoTma
ton about our fisheries. Application
was made to Judge Jas. G.. Swan,
who furnished letter from which we
take the following aspublished in the
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Herald:
As get, the United States Fisher
les Commission have not done much
to develop or fisheries, as their Ia
bors have been mostly devoted to the
fishing interests of the Atlantic,
where they have produced great and
valuable results. Our information,
therefore, regarding the fisheries of
the north Pacific ocean has been de-
rived from the vessels which have
been engaged in the codhshing busi-
ness in the Okohtsh Sea and around
the Schuniagin Islands in Alaska.
from the various Salmon canneries
from the Columbia river north to
Alaska, and from the observations of
assistants to the United States Fish
Commission in California, Oregon,
Washington and Alaska.
have acted for L. S. Fish Com
mission for Macy years III assisting
to collect information regarding the
fish and other marine food products
of Puget Sound and the coast north
from the Columbia river to Sitka.
The banks for cod fishing are north
of Fuca Straits, where a few cod are
taken, bat not IN sufficient numbers
TO warrant lucrative return The
grounds where they are plentiful are
In the Alaskan waters, between so >
and 60o north latitude, where they
abound. Halibut are plentiful off
the entrance to Fuca Strait and in all
the northern waters. With the ex-
ception of cod and halibut, none of
the other fish of the north Pacific
ocean are identical with those of the
Atlantic, although the fishermen give
them the names of those varieties
which they nearly resemble. One of
these is the OphiodoR elORgdtuS.
which resembles the true cod Gddus,
in its mottled appearance. but differs
in many other respects. 1t has no
barbel under the mouth; the dorsal
fin extends from head to tail; there is
no oil in the liver, but some in the
flesh, which makes it an excellent
table fish fresh, but when salted soon
rusts. This fish is sold in the San
Francisco market as cod, but it is not
it Is, however. an excellent fish and
attains large size. BY far the best
fish in our waters is the AneplOpOma
fp6rid or black cod This most
delicious fish resembles the pollock
in general appearance, but its flesh is
permeated by fatty substance of a
peculiar delicate flavor, which the
Indians extract for food When cold
it resembles soft lard. This fish,
split and dry salted. will keep a long
time without rusting. and is eagerly
sought after by epicures. 1t attains
size OF 20 to % pounds. The black
cod is taken in all fiords and straits
from Cape Flatt-ry to the Artic
ocean, but it lives in the deep water
from so to 100 fathom5, where the
tides are very strong, hence but a
moderate supply is taken and that
almost exclusively by Indians who do
not put it on the market; they use it
themselves for grease, lam satisfied
that when white fisherman devise
some method of catching this valua-
bic food fish in the deep wafer which
it inhabits that q lucrative industry
will be created.
All the waters of the rivers of the
North West coast are full of salmon
il the spring, and incredible quanti-
ties are taken by the natives for
their winters food supply, and by
the whites for canning and sailing
These salmon differ from the true
salmon of the eastern coast: they are
called Oncorhynchus, or hook jawed.
a Greek derivation which distin-
guishes them from the true salmon
of the Eastern States and Europe.
During the winter months these sal
mon are taken in Port Townsend bay
and other bays and harhorS of Puget
Sound by trolling, a hook baited with
herring, or with spoon bait. They
are finer favored when taken from
the salt water than when they com
mence moving up the river to spawn.
There are great quantities of rock
fish, the most numerous which are the
sebnStiehthys, no less than % varie-
ties. These range from the Red
Grouper-S Ruber to the S Niger
improperly called bass. They are all
excellent food fish.
The fish of Puget Sound are mark
ct fish and supply the markets of
Victoria and New Westminster, Brit
1sh Columbia, and all the cities and
towns on Puget Sound and Portland.
Oregon, and by means OF refrigerator
cars can be carried fresh to all the
cities of the interior and to the New
York and other Eastern markets.
During the past summer and fall,
parties on the Columbia river have
demonstrated the fact that deep sea
trawl nets can be used to advantage
all the way from Cape Fiattery to
the Columbia River-the travis net
bringing up halibut, skate. founders.
turbot and variety of other fish.
The quantities of all kinds of fish
native to the Pacific ocean are simply
enormous, and the reason hitherto
why more fish have not bean taken is
simply that there has not boon a suf-
flcient market. but the completion of
the Canadian Pacific and Northern
Pacific and the extension of the Un-I
ion Pacific and Central railroads
in the very near future to Port Tow
send bay will give means of transpor-
tation to the interior which has never
before beon had, and will open up
MAJ kets fof our fish which hitherto
have been unknown.
The question OF bait supply is an
one, and can be readily
answered. Herring abound and are
largely used for making oil and
Suano. CLANS are plentiful in every