142 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



As the season for carrying on fishing' in this northern region is lim- 

 ited to a few months of each year, it will probably be a long time before 

 much more is known of the winter habits of the cod which inhabit this 

 locality; at least not until the time shall come when it will be expedient 

 to send fishing vessels to these banks in winter. The high latitudes 

 in which these fishing-grounds are situated practically jireclude the 

 possibdity of this until a superior class of vessels is built. The vessels 

 now engaged in the fishing industry of the Pacific coast are far from 

 what would be required to carry on winter fishing with success. Even 

 with a superior type of vessel a great deal of doubt is entertained in 

 the minds of fishermen as to whether such an undertaking would be 

 feasible, owing to the heavy gales which prevail. Not more than two 

 or three fishing days could be expected out of a month. This, together 

 with the heavy masses of ice which are swept over the fishing-grounds 

 by wind and current, would make it a very hazardous calling, particu- 

 larly so as the best fishing-grounds are comparatively near the coast, 

 with but few available harbors in which to find refuge. Everything con- 

 sidered, Bering Sea offers no great inducement to fishermen during the 

 winter months. 



On the morning of July 15 the AJbotross came to anchor in Ikatan 

 Bay. This bay is situated close to the southern entrance to Isauotski 

 Pass, which separates Unimak Island from the Alaskan Peninsula. 

 While here, salmon, both large and small, flounders, sculpins, and a 

 large quantity of sand lance, were taken with the drag seine. The 

 beaches, however, are not very good for carrying on fishing with seines, 

 there being many sunken rocks covered with sharp barnacles, which are 

 very destructive to nets. Cod are plentiful in all parts of the bay; also 

 small halibut. The hand lines took ten of the latter species, which 

 averaged 5 pounds in weight and 23 inches in length. 



Fishing and shore collecting were carried on at New Morzhovoi 

 anchorage. Flounders, salmon, sculpins, and crabs were numerous. 

 The best place for collecting is near the village, where nearly all species 

 desired by the natives can be had within a stone's throw of their doors. 

 The village is situated about 11 miles from the southern entrance to 

 the pass, and has a population of about 150 persons. Like all other 

 villages in Alaska, the occupations of the peojole are fishing and hunt- 

 ing. Mne bidarkas, carrying two men each, started out in the spring 

 of 1894, and at the time of our visit had only captured nine sea-otters, 

 one to each bidarka. The people here predict that, in a few years at 

 the most, sea-otter will be exterminated, or so nearly so that it will not 

 pay to hunt them. 



In the spring, before the hunters start off on their annual hunt, and 

 also on their return in the fall, they lay in a supply of cod and halibut, 

 which are quite plentiful in and off the mouth of the pass. While 

 these fepecies play an important part in the way of food for these people, 

 the amount cured for winter use is small as comi)ared to the quantity 

 of salmon stored away. After winter sets in, cod become very scarce 



