CII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 

 COASTS OP CiALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON. 



The recent marked development of the fisheries of southern Cali- 

 fornia, more especially those carried on with lines for bottom hsh like 

 the rock-cods, made it desirable that the location, extent, and resources 

 of the principal fishing-banks should be determined, and the Albatross 

 was assigned to the work. About eight years ago the vessel spent a 

 few months on a preliminary examination of the fishing-grounds off the 

 southern coast of the kState, but has done practically nothing of a like 

 nature since that time. The grounds then vsurveyed were principally 

 off Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Diego counties. The territory 

 selected for the present inquiry comprised grounds off Los Angeles and 

 Orange counties, particularly the vicinity of Santa Catalina Island. 

 The investigation, which was carried on during part of the month of 

 April, was curtailed by the necessity of preparing the vessel for the 

 inauguration of inquiries in Alaska about June 1. A renewal of this 

 work is contemplated. The examination of the waters consisted of the 

 usual hydrographic work and the setting of various appliances to show 

 the abundance and nature of the animal life. Trials for fish were made 

 with travvl lines, hand lines, deep-water gill nets, beam trawls, seines, 

 and dip nets in combination with electric light. 



On the way to San Francisco after the conclusion of the foregoing 

 work the vessel spent a short time in setting deep-sea gill nets and 

 beam trawls off Monterey Bay and in the vicinity of the Farallone 

 Islands, with a view to ascertain the presence of salmon or other 

 anadromous fishes. Similar experimental trials for salmon were made 

 oft" Cape Flattery and in the Straits of Fuca as the vessel was on the 

 voyage to Alaska. 



A detailed account of the foregoing work will be found in Lieut. 

 Commander Moser's rejiort of the operations of the Albatross. 



SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 



In the spring of 1897 arrangements were made to have the Albatross 

 visit southeastern Alaska for the purpose of conducting fishery inves- 

 tigations. The vessel started north from San Francisco on May 8, 

 arrived in southeast Alaska on June 6, and immediately began inquiries. 



The principal subjects determined on for investigation were the 

 salmon industry and the halibut fishery. The magnitude of the salmon 

 fishery in Alaska and the absence of accurate information concerning 

 the various streams made it very desirable that the Commission should 

 begin a systematic survey of the waters frequented by the salmon. 

 This fishery is prosecuted along 3,000 miles of the Alaska coast. Inas- 

 much as the regulation of the fisheries of the Territory is vested in the 

 general government, an important object of the investigation is to 

 ascertain the conditions prevailing in the different sections, in order 

 that suitable protective laws may be provided, since no general law 

 will meet all the conditions or be applicable to all regions. 



