398 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



the greater part of which cod are to be found in varying abundance, 

 although this ground is not much frequented, owing to the absence 

 of convenient safe harbors in its western half and the presence of 

 the dangerous Sandman Reefs to the northwest. In the eastern 

 portion vessels can easily find shelter among the Shumagin Islands. 

 Occasionally a few vessels fish in this region for a short portion of 

 the season. This area shows depths of 38 to 74 fathoms and is, 

 roughly, about 1,800 square miles in extent. The bottom is exceed- 

 ingly variable, consisting in various places of sand, mud, pebbles, 

 gravel, and rocks, the latter occurring only near Sannak Bank on 

 the one side and near the Shumagin Islands on the other. 



Shumagin Bank. — Shumagin Bank lies to the south and southeast 

 of the Shumagin Islands, with its outer margin following approxi- 

 mately the trend of the coast line formed by the adjacent islands. 



Fig. 3. — Union Fish Co.'s Pavlof station, Sannak Island, Alaska 



On the westward the bank has been traced to about longitude 159° 

 52' west, but undoubtedly extends farther in this direction. East of 

 the Shumagin Islands it reaches north to the latitude of the upper 

 end of Big Koniuji Island. Its width within the 100-fathom curve 

 to the south of the group varies from 15 to 35 miles to the nearest 

 outlying island, while its area has been estimated at about 1,800 

 square miles. The depths over a large part of the bank are less than 

 50 fathoms, the bank not being separated from the islands by deep 

 water. The character of the bottom on the bank varies greatly, sand, 

 pebbles, gravel, broken shells, mud, and rocks being found in various 

 places. Rocky patches are of frequent occurrence, even in compara- 

 tively deep water. These rocky patches are a grave source of danger 

 to vessels anchored on the bank, as they chafe and break rope cables. 



