222 rp:pout of commissionek <>f fish and fisheries. 



Tlic iiatiiralists wi'ic anxious to make liiither exaiiiiiiations of the 

 .shores of Monterey J>ii.v, ami to j;ive them an o|)])<>rtunity to <h) so we 

 ran in and aiiehored olf the town at 1:1*0 p. m., reniaininj;- until 8:40 on 

 the 11th, the time beiug- utilized iu shore colleeting, seininj^-, ete. Leav- 

 m}X the harbor at the time mentioned, we sounded an hour later in 881 

 fathoms, roeky bottom, Point I'inos bearing- E8K. i^ K., distant 8] 

 miles, Avith deereasing depths and soft mud bottom in every direetion. 

 (Subnuirine eurrents nuist sweep across this station with sutlicient force 

 to ex]>ose the bedrock. Two hauls of the trawl were nuide in the sub- 

 marine valley off Monterey Bay, and we then steamed into Sauta (Jruz, 

 anchoring: at 7:30 p.m. Getting under way at -1:45 uext morning, 

 April 12, we steamed out to the 200-fathom line and made a series of 

 dredgings, working to the northward. The coast Mind was blowing- 

 very fresh, with a heavy sea, which seriously interfered with our work. 

 The results, however, were quite satisfactory. The last haul was tin 

 ished at 5:37 p.m., when we started for port, ariivingat.theiuivy-yard. 

 Mare Island, at 5:o0 a. m., April 13. The return of the vessel to the 

 yard completed the work on the California coast for the season, and 

 preparations were at once begun for the northern cruise. 



Ixcsnlts of operations on the coast of California. — Active operations off 

 the California ceast continued from March 10 to April 13, and while 

 the total results can not be given until the scientitic branches are Avorked 

 u]), we can state in a general way Avhat has been ac(iomj)lished. In 

 hydrography, 230 soundings were taken, between Point Arena ancl^the 

 Santa Barbara Channel. Many of them Avere for the sole purpose of 

 ascertaining ocean depTlis outside of soundings given on the Coast Sur- 

 vey charts, Avhile others Avere preliminary totraAvl or dredge hauls. It 

 has been our purpose to establish the 200-fathom line as the maximum 

 depth in Avldch dee[)-sea fishing- can be profitably prosecutexl, and Avithin 

 Avhich are located the fishing-grounds of the Pacific coast. 



Commencing at Point Arena-, the 200-fathom curve lies almost 12 

 miles from shore, and extends in nearly a straight line to 14 miles oft* 

 Salt Point, 20 miles ott'liussian liiA-er, and 26 miles off Tomales Point. 

 The bottom is composed of alternating patches of black sand and green 

 mud, the latter extending almost invariably between 100 and 200 

 fathoms. The otherwise smooth bottom is obstructed by occasional 

 stony i)atches, usually between depths of 40 to 70 fathoms, seldom 

 indicated by the lead but encountered by the beam trawl. From Point 

 Ivcyes to the 200-fathom curA^', outside of Cordell Bank, it is 21 miles. 

 Tliis same depth is found 3 miles outside of Noonday Kock, 4 miles 

 from North Farallon and 5 miles from South Farallon, increasing ab- 

 rni)tly tiom the 100-fathom line. The curve gradually a])proaches the 

 c(>ast to the southward of the Farall(>nes, and from 25 miles off Pillar 

 Point it narrows to 10 at Pigeon Point. The line sweeps iuAvard 

 alnnptly at Ano Nuca^o, and at El Jarrow Point it is but 8 miles from 

 shore, nuuntaining this distance until off Sauta Cruz. 



