Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-25
WASHINGTON CULLINGS.
interesting Report on The Fishing Banks
Of the Pacific.
THE CRUISER CHARLESTON.
Accounts of Surveyors in the United
States Land Office-Nayal
Vessels-Etc.
Especial DISPATCHES TO THE RHooRD-us1os.l
PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES.
Fine Oyster Beds and Cod Banks Along
the Southern Coast.

Fine Oyster Beds and Cod Banks Along
the Southern Coast.
WASHINGTON, August 24th-Lieutenant-
Commander Tanner of the navy has made
an interesting report to the Fish Commits
sion of the work of the steamer Alhatross
from the beginning of the present year to
June 30th last. The actual work of the
Albatross began January 9Th, when the
trawl was cast in 239 fathoms of water in the
Cortez banks, about twelve miles from
Point Conception.
The fish swarmed in great numbers and
variety over the banks, which are the rich
est found so far in the Pacific. Fat-heads,
white fish. yellow tail, rock cod, and four
species of red rock cod took steadily.
San Nicholas island was found rather
barren, but here Professor Gilbert discoy-
cred phenomenon of nature generally
attributed to whirlwinds) in the shape of a
turnpike perfectly straight as far as the eve
| could see, nine feet wide crowned in the
center and with cutters sunk six to eight
inches.
Rich hsuls were made in Beecher's bay,
IN about go fathoms of water. The fish
taken included four species of black cod of
excellent flavor and also deep-water sole,
one of the best sea fishes of the Pacific
coast.
AT Watson's Rock the party set ont from
the ship and captured more than LOCO
pounds of fish in less than two hours.
Guadalupe island and the Amiios rocks
were found to be barren, but around Clar-
ion island the fish swarmed in great num-
bers. Forty-six species, of which twenty
six were edible, were taken. Sharks made
things lively also. Fourteen species of
fish not found on the Clarion island were
taken near Socorro island, the largest of
this group.
Humpback whales constantly ploughed
! through the sea in full sight. Thousands
of seal and coots, men-of.war, hawks, and
| boobies made their home on San Benedicto,
an island upon which neither wood, water
nor even bush could be seen.
The Gulf of California then became the
objective point and in the vicinity of Cape
San Lucas the Albatross investigated the
reports that had long been current of the
islands, rocks and reefs in the neighbor-
hood. Their non existence was established
by souudinge, and it was also demonstrated
that the islands commencing at Guada-
loupe and extending to Los Aliios and Rev
lille Gigardo group are isolated, caused by
volcanic eruptions, and are entirely indie
pendent of the continent and of one an
other.
The gulf was entered on March 18th, and
the ground around San Jose island was
found literally covered with oyster shells,
alive and dead, at a depth of from 100 to
200 fathoms. Numbers of fish were taken
in the gulf, and at George Island plenty of
squeteague and species of sea bass, weigh
ing from sixty to 100 pounds, were taken.
Many sea birds and rookery ofsea- lions
were discovered. At one place the fish
were taken in such numbers that the Can
tain was obliged to put stop to the sport.
Gil-net fishing throughout the gulf was
found to be impracticable on account of
the sharks and dog-fish off San Louis
Island. In the latter part of March sea-
lions, whales and porpoises abounded, the
last named being very wild. Governor
Cervantes and large number of gentle
men who visited the ship were greatly sur
prised to see the great variety of marine
fauna which had been found, many of
which they never had seen or heard of.
Excellent oysters were found to be plen-
tiful of the Algodones Lagoon about the
Yaqui river. At low tide these oysters
are exposed to view and the Indians collect
them by hand. The fishing grounds of
Man-of-War Cove and the Bay of San BALTIC
did not sustain the reputation they have.
Investigations made by Professor Gilbert
and Mr.. Alexander showed that no sbad
existed in the ella and Colorado rivers, the
waters having proved unadapted to the
shad planted there by the Commissioner.
German carp, however, were found to have
thriven WELL
Large numbers of halibut and rcck cod
were found off Cape Flattery, and when
the trswl was set in the water from 475 to
go iathoms deep, many unrecognized
species of fish were taken, besides founders,
deep-sea sole, Norway paddock, macrusus,
and hog fish, sea shrimp, sea urchins, holo-
thurians, ophiuraus, star fish, sea anemones.
crenoids, penatules and hermit crabs were
also pulled up. Black cod were caught at
$50 fathoms depth. AT the greatest depth
in which they have been found a fine
sandy bottom was indicated,