394 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



No estimate ever lias been made of the extent of the inshore banks, 

 which are very extensive. It is probable that these would be from 

 one-third to one-half the area of the offshore banks, possibly more. 



No one knows the extent of the cod banks along the Asiatic shores 

 of the Pacific Ocean, but they can not be much smaller, if any, than 

 those on the American side, and it is possible that more extended 

 investigations will develop that they meet the American banks at 

 certain places. 



OFFSHORE BANKS IX BERIXO SEA 



Owing to a lack of good harbors in Bering Sea, the offshore banks 

 are the only ones frequented at present by the fishing vessels, and 

 these are among the most productive in all Alaska. As the holding 

 ground on these banks is good, a properly equipped vessel finds little 

 difficulty in riding out all ordinary gales. All cod banks so far 

 found are situated mostly to the eastward of a line connecting Cape 

 Newenham with the northwest cape of Unimak Island and off the 

 northern side of Unalaska Island. 



Slime Bank. — The first cod bank to be reached by a fishing vessel 

 after entering Bering Sea is Slime Bank. As delineated by the 

 Albatross, it begins directly off Cape Sarichef, the northwest cape 

 of Unimak Island, is elongate in shape, and follows approximately 

 the trend of the adjacent coast to within a few miles of Amak Island, 

 its inner margin lying only a short distance off the land. It is about 

 85 miles in length and 17 miles in average width, broadening some- 

 what at the eastern end ; its total area is estimated at about 1.445 square 

 miles. The depths found on the bank range from 20 to 50 fathoms, 

 while the bottom consists generally of black sand and gravel, fre- 

 quently intermingled with pebbles, and sometimes of gray and yellow 

 sand, rocks also occurring near the shore. 



The deep water lying off the northern entrance to Unimak Pass 

 forms the western end of the bank, 70 fathoms being found near the 

 edge and depths exceeding 100 fathoms a short distance farther away. 

 Off its northern edge the depths determined by the soundings of the 

 Albatross range from 53 to 62 fathoms, with muddy bottom at three 

 of them. Toward the eastern end, however, on the northern side 

 sand and gravel occur, and in this locality the precise limits of the 

 bank are still undefined. 



There are no harbors suitable for cod vessels along the adjacent 

 shore, although protection may be found in several bays, notably 

 Dublin and Shaw Bays, during southeast to southwest winds. Amak 

 Island, which lies about 11 miles off Izenbeck Bay, also furnishes 

 some protection during the prevalence of southeast and southwest 

 winds. 



The bank derives its name from the presence of immense numbers 

 of a large jellyfish, brownish or rusty in color, measuring G to 18 

 inches across the disk and provided with long slender tentacles 

 having great stinging powers. It is said by the fishermen that the 

 jellyfish never are observed upon the surface of the sea. but seem to 

 occupy an intermediate zone toward the bottom. They claim that 

 these animals sometimes interfere with the hooks that reach bottom 

 and by covering the bait render it unattractive to the fish. When 

 brought to the surface they are uncomfortable objects for the fisher- 



