PACIFIC COD FISHERIES 



435 



future the machine will be used principally in the salmon and halibut 

 fisheries of Alaska. With one of these machines placed upon the 

 deck of a cannery tender, a crew of not more than live or six men 

 could set out and haul in from 5 to 10 miles of gill netting in a work- 

 ing day, and do this in weather too rough for a Columbia River 

 boat. The gill nets at present in use would have to be reduced in 

 depth about one-half in order to work in the machine, and the work 

 could then be carried on much more cheaply than is the case under 

 present conditions, provided no legal obstacles were placed in the 



Fig. 11. — Cod gill nets on drying reel 



way. With the use of a large power vessel gill netting could be 

 carried on in the open bay or sea if the owners so desired. 



If the lifter were used in the halibut fisheries, all the long-line fish- 

 ing could be done from the deck of the vessel, and dories could be 

 discarded. Fishing could be carried on Vith it at all times except 

 during the more violent storms. Since the above was written a simi- 

 lar device for hauling in long lines has come into use on our halibut 

 vessels. 



Trawl nets. — In 1919 and 1920 tentative experiments were under- 

 taken to test trawl nets on the cod banks, but these were unsuccessful 

 at the time because of the rocky patches on the banks and because the 

 local fishermen are either passively or actively against the introduc- 



