PACIFIC COD FISHERIES 401 



their time to the salmon fishery. The fact that the cod found on 

 these banks are very small has militated heavily against their sale 

 in a dry-salted condition, in which trade only large fish are of 

 much value. In 1909 the Alaska Commercial Co., at its Kodiak 

 station, purchased from the native fishermen and dry-salted a con- 

 siderable quantity of cod, but they were so small that they could 

 be marketed in San Francisco only at a loss, with the result that the 

 fishery was abandoned for the time being. During the last eight 

 years the fishery has been renewed and is now quite important, the 

 fishermen now resorting to the deeper waters, where larger fish 

 are to be found. 



In Chignik Bay cod are found frequently. At Mitrofania the 

 natives cure considerable quantities for their own use, while in 1912 

 some stockfish was prepared by a number of the natives. In 1912 

 I investigated the ground off Ivanof Bay. Good, large cod are to 

 be found here, but the vessels have never found it necessary to resort 

 to this ground, while a shore station could not operate, as, should 

 the wind from the ocean suddenly shift to the land, a dory would 

 be blown straight out to sea. A vessel would find Kupreanof Harbor 

 a very safe and convenient refuge. 



On Herendeen Island, on Northwest Harbor, a small island to the 

 northward of Little Koniuji Island, are located two shore stations, 

 which are operated during the winter and spring months. During 

 the summer months the cod are mostly on the offshore banks, too 

 far away for the dories to take them. Several vessels have operated 

 with marked success on this offshore bank, which is really a pro- 

 longation of Shumagin Bank, but as the bottom is rocky, anchors 

 frequently are lost. 



In the Shumagin and Sannak groups, shore stations to operate 

 on the inshore banks have reached their greatest development. 



In the Shumagins these banks are very numerous, spots where cod 

 can not be taken at some time during the year being exceedingly 

 rare. The best known banks are in West Nagai Strait and Gorman 

 Strait. The majority of the Shumagin Island stations are on the 

 former sheet of water, it forming virtually one continuous bank. 

 On the western side fishing is carried on throughout the year, while 

 on the eastern side fishing generally is begun in May and ended in 

 August, June and July being the best months. The stations on the 

 western side find the cod most abundant from March to October, 

 the former month being the best. It is probable that they are just 

 as abundant during the rest of the year, but the weather generally 

 prevents much fishing. A considerable part of this bank, lying in 

 the middle of the strait, has been fished but little, as the dories can 

 not work that far from shore. During the last few years, however, 

 the number of power fishing boats has been increased considerably, 

 and as these can go much farther from shore than the dories, which 

 are propelled by oars or sails, the middle ground is being worked 

 more thoroughly. Occasionally the smaller vessels, with head- 

 quarters at the stations, have frequented the outer banks in West 

 Nagai Strait. Around the Haystacks is an especially good fishing 

 ground for a power fishing vessel. This ground extends from the 

 pinnacle off East Head and the eastern point of Porpoise Harbor 

 north to the southeast end of Andronica Island, and is said to extend 



