The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-08
THE PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES.


While approaching the Alaskan coast.
soundings were begun in q depth of z, $50
fathoms. latitude 81 dogs. Is min. north.
longitude 156 degs. 81 min. west, and were
continued thence to Kiiiuluk Ray on the
south side of Unalaska island. From this
point the Investigations were carried
northeastward parallel with the coast line
as far as Middleton island, the most time
being spent In those localities where banks
had been reported by the fishermen, or
where their existence was conjectured from
other evidence. The results in a general
way indicate that the entire submerged
plateau in this region is one immense fish
ing ground of irregular outline, not usu-
ally separated from the adjacent shores by
deep water. but limited on the outer side
by the abrupt slope beginning in about 100
fathOms. Although of much less extent,
this important tract can best be compared
with the Eastern otfshore banks, extend-
ing from Massachusetts to Newfoundland,
and, as with the latter, equally good fish,
ing does not exist in all places. some lo-
calities being much more favorable in that
respect than others. Whenever the ship
was detained in port by stormy weather or
for the purpose of coaling, attention was
Three lines of soundings were made off
the south side of Unalaska island, and
while they were not sufficient to demon
strate the existence of defined bank it
was estimated that an area of about 1000
square miles in that region is suitable for
fishing. The outlines and surface con-
tours OF Davidson bank, discovered about
twenty years ago by Prof. George David
son, of the United States coast survey.
were established with considerable &C
curacy. This bank lies south of Unimak
island, extending eastward from Off the
southern entrance to Unimak pass as far as
the shoal water surrounding Sannak
islands, and has an estimated area of !. 900
square miles. Sannak bank lies to the
east and southeast OF the islands of the
same name, and is elongate in shape.
trending in general way northeast and
southwest. Its total extent is about 800
square miles. Between Sannak bank and
the Shumagin islands, an area of about
1,SOO square miles. more or less adapted to
fishing, was partly surveyed, the depths
ranging from thirty-eight to seventy-four
fathomS
Directly to the south and southeast Of
the Shumagin islands is an important
bank, to which the same name has been
given. Its outer margin was ascertained
to follow approximately the trend of the
coast line as formed by the adjacent
islands, but its eastern limit was not de-
termned. The part examined has .
width Of fifteen to thirty-tive miles and an
area of about 800 square miles. Between
there and kadiak island an extent of over
1000 square miles was also partly devel.
oped. although not many fishing trials
were made upon it.
Albatross bank, named after the fish
commission steamer. lies Oft the south
eastern side of kadiak island, extending
its entire length. and also in front of the
Trinity islands. Its eastern end 10 practi-
cally continuous with Portlock bank, and
its total area was found to be about
800 square miles, the I00-fathom curve
being distant twenty-five to forty-five
miles from land. Portlock bank Is the
largest single bank that has yet been dis
covered on the Alaskan coast, having an
area inside of the 100-fathom curve of about
$500 square miles. or only about !, 800 miles
less than Georges bank, the second in size
in the Western Atlantic ocean. Itextends
northeastward from Kadiak island in the
direction of Middleton island. distance
of about. 100 miles. and is very ir..
the Alaskan fishing grounds ex-
nmined amounted to moro than $1,000
square geographical miles. The beam
trawl and naturalist's dredge were fire.
quently used upon all the banks for the
purpose Of determining the characteristics
and conditions Of the bottom as feeding
ground and its comparative richness in
different places. The assemblags of ami
mails collected strongly recalls the fauna
of the great fishing banks of east
ern North America, and many of
the species from both regions will
probably prove to be identical. The more
conspicuous features of the hauls were the
fishes. crustaceans. mollusks and echino-
derms. Edible fishes, crabs and shrimps
were frequently taken, the last mentioned
often in great numbers. The regular
trials for fishes were made entirely with
hand lines, cod and halibut being the
principal species taken. Six to nine lines
were generally used at each trial. which
occupied from fifteen minutes to an hour
or more, according to circumstances.
Salt clans and salmon were chiefly en-
ployed as bait, and pollock, sculpins and
cod occasionally. The depths in which
the fishing was done ranged from twenty
seven to eighty-four fathomas. and every
variety of bottom observed upon the
banks was tried. A careful record was
kept of the number of cod and halibut
captured at each trial, and of their weight
and size. The trials were usually made
during the progress of, or subsequent to,
a sounding or dredge haul, the steamer
often drifting with the tide and
changing its location before the hooks had
touched bottom. The results were, there
fore. not as satisfactory as they would
have been had the steamer anchored and
remained for some time in each position,
as the fishermen consider that the large
cod, as q rule, are the last to be attracted
by the bait.
The cod taken off Unalaska averaged
from q to 2S34 inches in length; on David
son bank, 2411 to % inches; on Sannak
bank. 1871 to Is inches; Off Unga. one of
the Shumagin islands. 30 inches; on
Shumagin bank. 26H inches; and near the
Chirikoff islands. % As inches. The best
captures were made. however. on Aibatross
and Portlock banks. On the for.
mer, sixty-seven cod, averaging 2s1
inches, were caught in the space
of thirty-eight minutes off Tugidak island,
and sixty-nine cod. averaging 30s4 inches,
in fifty minutes of Dangerous cape. In a
depth of thirty-six fathome on PortIock
bank thirty cod, averaging q inches, were
secured in eighteen minutes. The bait
question presents no difficulties on the
Alaskan coast, and the fishermen generally
have no trouble in obtaining what they
need during the progress of their work.
A halibut bank, resorted to by the In
dams, begins close to the shore in the vi
entity of Cape Flattery and extends thence
northwestward about fifteen miles with
depth Of thirty-hve to seventy-iive faith
oms. Halibut are said to be abundant
there from early in the spring until the
middle of June, when the bank becomes
infested with dog fish and sharks The
bottom is exceedingly variable and was
found to be very rich IN life. North Of this
bank as far as Barclay sound, Vancouver
island, the bottom is smoother and less