REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 37 



Strait of Canso and incliuling Nantucket Shoals, South Channel, and 

 Georg:cs Bank. The uicreased demand for swordfish and the good 

 prices received by the fishermen have caused a large fleet of vessels 

 to engage in this fishery in recent years. 



PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 



The taking of halibut has become the most extensive branch of 

 the vessel fisheries of the Pacific coast, and, next to the salmon 

 industry, is the most valuable fishery of the Pacific States and Alaska. 

 The size of the halibut fleet out of Seattle is steadily mcreasing; new 

 and larger steamers in addition to sailing and power schooners are 

 being added eacli j^ear; and in the spring of 1912 two modern-type 

 vessels belonging in Gloucester, Mass., jomed the halibut fleet of the 

 Pacific as possible precursors of a considerable transference from the 

 east to the west coast. 



The halibut catch in 1911 was over 35,000,000 pounds landed at 

 Puget Sound ports, a much larger quantity than was ever taken in 

 the New England fishery. Owing to the growing demand for halibut, 

 a much larger area than formerly is now fislied over and greater 

 efforts are put forth to supply the markets. In 1911 the banks of 

 southeast Alaska were assiduously fished by steamers, while a con- 

 siderable number of schooners that had heretofore resorted to that 

 region confined their operations chiefly to Flattery Bank, wliere 

 large catches were made. It is generally reported that the banks 

 of southeast Alaska have been overfished, and the results of over- 

 fishing have become evident within a few years; some of the most 

 productive grounds show signs of depletion, and the search for newer 

 grounds is in progress. 



The Pacific cod fishery supphes to the markets a considerable 

 quantity of salt fish from grounds in Bering Sea and along the central 

 Alaska coast from the Shumagin Islands to Unimak Pass. The 

 business is in the hands of 9 firms having 20 vessels, 13 of which sail 

 from San Francisco and 7 from Puget Sound ports. The yield in 

 1911 was about 10,770,000 pounds, valued at $325,000, an increase of 

 nearly 50 per cent over 1910. 



This fishery is capable of large expansion. Cod are plentiful on 

 offshore grounds of Alaska from Portlock Bank westward, but up to 

 the present time fishermen have not found it necessary to resort to 

 the more remote grounds. Eventually, with the increasing demand 

 for fresh fish, it is probable that special vessels will be built and a 

 fresh-cod fishery estabhshed with headquartei-s at Seattle. 



Within a few years seining for salmon in and off the Strait of 

 Juan de Fuca and on Flattery Bank has developed into a fishery of 

 considerable importance, the fleet now consisting of 150 boats, 



