280 REPORT OF COMMISSIONEK OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 BERING SEA, SUMMER OF 1890. 



lUUSTOI, KAV. 



Since 1882 from one to fonr vessels have lislied each year in the shallow 

 waters of Bristol Bay. The fish inhabiting this region do not run as 

 large as in the North Atlantic Ocean, and vessels of large tonnage, 

 therefore, find it inipracdcablo to depend entirely upon these grounds 

 for a season's work. Small vessels are more profitable, as they do not 

 exhaust the bottom so quickly, and (consequently have to change their 

 berth less frequently. 



The fishing vessels entering Bering Sea sometimes make trials in the 

 vicinity of Uuimak Pass and tlie Northwest Cape of Unimak Island, 

 the latter being located near the western end of Slime Bank. It is 

 not unusual in the spring that they find comparatively good fishing off 

 Akutan, Akuu, Tigaldi, and Avatanak islands, but full fares are never 

 obtained in those places, and a large catch is never expected. The size 

 and quality of these cod compare fairly well with those of Bristol Bay, 

 but, finding them much less abundant, the vessels remain here only a few 

 days. The imtives of the region, however, find no difliculty in obtain- 

 ing all the cod, fiounders, etc., which they require for their own use. 



Slime Bank has been so named by the fishermen on account of the 

 great numbers of jellyfishes which occur upon it. It extends from the 

 northwestern extremity of Unimak Island, parallel with the coast, to 

 within about 10 miles of Amak Island, and has a total area of about 

 1,445 S(iuare miles; its average width is about 17 miles. The bottom 

 consists of gray, yellow, and black sand, with occasional small rocky 

 patches. The water is usually comparatively shallow, the greatest 

 depth discovered being 75 fathoms. 



After leaving the Akutan and Uuimak grounds, the fishermen next 

 anchor on the western part of Slime Bank, and thence work gradually 

 to the eastward. Up to the nnddle or latter part of June the jellyfishes 

 are not sufficiently abundant to be considered a nuisance, but immedi- 

 ately after that time they increase rapidly and soon become a serious 

 obstacle to fishing operations. Their soft tentacles not only cover the 

 baits on the hooks, making them unattractive to fish, but they also 

 adhere so tenaciously to the lines that the latter can oidy be handled 

 with difficulty. They also produce much irritation and at times cause 

 severe sores to break out (m the hands of the fishermen. By the 1st of 

 July the nuiss of " slime" has become so thick and troublesome that it 

 is almost useless to remain longer on the bank. Otherwise, Slime 

 Bank is well adapted to fishing during the summer months, as cod are 

 very abundant upon it. Tlie largest and most thrifty fish are found 

 some (> or 8 miles off shore, a large percentage of those caught near the 

 land being small and of inferior quality. 



Although we had previously passed over Slime Bank, our first actual 

 work upon it began on June 24, lOight trials with hand lines were 

 made in the vicinity of Cape Lopiu and the Northwest Cape, the catch 



