The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-07-19
COAST FISHERIES.
Report of the L. s. Steamer
Alhatross.
air,nrr ssss carr rIarrrsr
Fishing Near 1ai>meek Rs~k-
reeastsT Cea.t Fnrmatian ~
the C.saamtisss a.ash

W&ulSspoS, luls Is. The last con.
sreSS neglected 10 order the printing
81 once OF the repcr; ef the operations
Of the fish eommission's steamer
AlhsiFess. ea the Pacific coast. for
/ 1855, and il has "a swai: its surn in 4
long iinc of oiAciai documents now in
/ the hands Of the public printer. Ii is
expected il will be published before
fsil. and II win be given wide cireula-
{ ton on the facit.e coast. Ii is accom.
/ panied by several large maps showing
in detail the eouFSeos the explorations ;
and the positions and outlines os sll
/ fishing grounds 50 far discovered.
SYNOPSIS 80 rnE RErogr.
The following Is a synopsis Of that
parf of the report covering the ex.
/ psorationS on the coasts OF Oregon aud
Washington territory
Returning south from her explorations
Of the 2lsskaa siSainS grounds ig Sepfents
hcr. isss. tsfe AlhssiroSS hegsn at euee nm
examination ui the eatcf coasts OF ,sfexpa
sud Agshssgsoa tcsritory, whsea v as con
tinusd anIi octosST - when ssormv
wessheF snserferca with further cl@ys-
tions - far nosta. White undergoing Ys.
paisS NJ seattle. and again wniie calging AZ
astoria, stEdiss were a. 50 maze of ssisson
sAd other fuSaore fisheries IA those two
important lov vAisflex. General Instructions
had hs ca Issued e. the Albsssoss which
calsed fer continuous ana comprehensive
SsseFsiioa ~ she ensisn eoass frem the
straits ct faCa soatlswaFa, bat ~
tse asoa WAS somewhat iimisets aud
wVaid not permit ol the entire eoass being
corcr%i hsfcve winter In accordance With
this pan, u was determined in part 10
Sake the advice Of persons scqasinsed with
the rertan and visit special locations
ich were Supposed to offer good aelyan-
ag fog fishing, Annns ihose consulted
Il tsts n1auueF wee James q. swan. OF
Fcst !ownss issss p e. Reed, state fish ssofn.
missioner ~ oregon, ion. J. II. u. Gray,
and other prominent eltlxeas OF Astoria.
Unfortunately, the season proves au-
favorable suf fishing trials as SHARKS and
tSn na1 tskea poscsssiun of mosf 81 the
grs1Hcs. and had driven away the edible
species of hsh, hni iha hanks were laratssi
along nearly the entire coast. ana their
eatiiDss ana aepfhS we're dstesmlaed.
csrE FLArFEaS uAsKs KIca is HAt1Brr.
The halihn, hanks oif Cape Flattery and
hetNNea that cape aaa slatlsry rocks
WpFa first eaamiaevf. bolh tspse banks
saSe been kaowa 81 Indians for a long
ume. The former extends portawVsterly
fram Cape fial cry about ngteea mites zud
is very rich IA halinat, bat daring he
prsng and early summer u II capable vf
supporting large vessel fishery, as was
proved hy tte experience ot the Glonsces-
Ter smatks during ISIS During the yisis
of shg Alhatsoss IN september, although
The sharks aud aogHsh were pres sicnt.
splendid species of hsilbut ruaia have
Aren obtained IN a c~opafaiiyeiy short time.
The bank between the casse Rnt flaitery
{ rocks is smaller in size and does not ar.
{ pear ID have "a many balsbHt og IT, Ii Il
( doubtful II u FoUld be valuable ground tor
large vessels 81 re- ort 90. hai acjaal trial
might prnVe IL othsrwise. The reported
/ bank sixty or seventy I've niles south Of
Care tiauery was searched lsar bat could
Rot iws found
Follow ng thence scwu the coast ucnr.y
uniform fspitsm ot gray sand was foufsd Ia
extend - say south a. Grays harhos with
eua Aay indication oi SPECIAL fshery re-
sources. rn TIE southwest ei Trays hsr-
tsgr. however. a small hank reported by
ne Indians was locxt aud surveyed. lss
I tune cfixc T. about ffs.eso miles southwest
from fosnt ClehalsS and Il extends about
tHeaiy miles SoHihwcs; and northeast,
with an sxlseae width of twelve nsles aud
degth OF from forty 30 Gfty fafhoms. The
ooigagn consists ci rocks mud and sand
aud was found to be no fish food bat on y
RID roek FISH. few black cod and sharks
could be taken ON hooks south OF this
( locaity the only favorable grounds that
could be found were In the neiEhbnrheod
of flilamook rock and oa Hecta bauk.
oFF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
A thorough examination vas made Of
the region near the mouth Of the Columbia
river without discovering any banks, but
il is interesting 10 note that u submarine
trough extends scawArt from this river
m4uih. probahlly ali intefseciing exieu-
sion ~ the led of the river at some time
when the continents border stood ai
I higher level than it does today.
Z The Heeiion ot the coast between Tiiia-
nook rock and Hscta bank has Rot yet
Z been thoroughly examined, and II II possl.
{ bie that some banks may be discovered
snere. but Ds indications of such an sls-
walton wsrc DISCOVERIES la the hastg sur
Yey made.
FgsHfSa KKAm rlLLANooK ROCK.
only y few fish were csptured on travis
about Itiiamoos rock. IL has been
rlaiued tint the Indians take a large nun.
Der 81 haiibut in tafs region, but inquiry
az Aston Ia ievelore the tact that the Hat
ash actually there ia sueh abundance IL
the suftsat dfhersaffs sfaaffns assd not the
haiihut. although the latter SPECIES nsy
occur sparingly. u is customary with Pa-
q ia coast rshermen to speak ~ sll large
founders a. hailbuf, which has led to
many srrars with regard 20 the dls'ribu
gspf uf that slsecfes
Hecta hauk Is an important fishing
gfoaud Is ing in latitude "a degrees north
s anu hiftsAA fNsFtf ft4fh ihittN Ekf tftE sbsftf
E IL is shout twenty miles iang and tea niies
/ side, the bottom consisting OF focks with
alternating patehes uf clay and pebbles. It
+ il xery rich IN the lower iorns OF lie. but,
although several long trs.i lines wsre set
K iof some iifuv. only four fish were cap
tsresi, namely. hssibut weighing ten and
aues hall POUNDS, a blsck cod, shark, and a
T dog fab The fact thst genuine halihut
+ Wss taken on the grounds led to the exper.
tation that Hscia bank would prove the
I moi important fshiHg ground on the
coast Of sshiugtru territory aud Dfseoa
s south oi Flaisafy roe ks. bat the hank 10 Lot
now resorts q 80 by fishing yesfets.
During the month 81 June OF the present
I year the Aibaifuss again passed thfesgh
I ibis n ei0n, bat as complete reports Of her
Z operations ars not ret complied. II Is inn
I roexibie 10 gixe faB account os sef dis
! t0yef.es.
ONLY ssE sFEetAEN eF HALfEtr
Was eaptnrtd on the Oregon coast. aud
ta9f wEs taken etf Tilisnoak rock. tHed
/ reek aud founders we're found to i,e very
( abundant Oft Cape Flatterg, bet the espsos-
afian II the Aba ifos~ thus faf lend no en-
faaragefaCut 20 these who look faf an ex-
I seasies halsba; fishery If that region.
There f. 10 reason, however. why the
E Important fshefisz a; the North should not
I BE- made gaffiy tributary 90 oregon ports.
Nhlch 6se oBly a few hours farther sailing
Z from tho grounds thaa the~e OF Fssges
Z sslfsIld The ha ibu1 dstaeFies Ell the straits
OF Fuca the haiibuf and essi fisheries ~
Fritish colufshta snd AiAssa ali hold out
/ Inducements to capitalists and sailing sra*-
sssfS along the eafife cor ~ and beth fresh
/ and Fetched haitbgs can be landed ~
chcapsy at Astoria IS NJ seattle or faeDftia.