REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 37 



Strait of Canso and including Nantucket Shoals, South Channel, and 

 Georges Bank. The increased demand lor swordfish and the good 

 prices received by the fishermen have caused a large fleet of vessels 

 to engage in this fishery in recent years. 



PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 



The taking of halibut has become the most extensive branch of 

 the vessel fisheries of the Pacific coast, and, next to the salmon 

 industry, is the most valuable fishery of the Pacific States and Alaska. 

 The size of the halibut fleet out of Seattle is steadily increasing; new 

 and larger steamers m addition to sailmg and power schooners are 

 bemg added each year; and m the spring of 1912 two modern-type 

 vessels belonging in Gloucester, Mass., joined the halibut fleet of the 

 Pacific as possible precursors of a considerable transference from the 

 east to the west coast. 



The halibut catch in 1911 was over 35,000,000 pounds landed at 

 Puget Sound ports, a much larger quantity than was ever taken in 

 the New England fishery. Owing to the growing demand for halibut, 

 a much larger area than formerly is now fished over and gi^eater 

 efforts are put forth to supply the markets. In 1911 the banks of 

 southeast Alaska were assiduously fished by steamers, while a con- 

 siderable number of schooners that had heretofore resorted to that 

 region confined theb* operations cliiefly to Flattery Bank, where 

 large catches were made. It is generally reported that the banks 

 of southeast Alaska have been overfished, and the results of over- 

 fishing have become evident within a few years; some of the most 

 productive grounds show signs of depletion, and the search for newer 

 gi'ounds is in progress. 



The Pacific cod fishery suppHes to the markets a considerable 

 quantity of salt fish from grounds in Bering Sea and along the central 

 Alaska coast from the Shumagin Islands to Unimak Pass. The 

 business is in the hands of 9 firms having 20 vessels, 13 of which sail 

 from San Francisco and 7 from Puget Sound ports. The yield in 

 1911 was about 10,770,000 pounds, valued at $325,000, an increase of 

 nearly 50 per cent over 1910. 



This fishery is capable of large expansion. Cod are plentiful on 

 offshore grounds of Alaska from Portlock Bank westward, but up to 

 the present time fishermen have not found it necessary to resort to 

 the more remote grounds. Eventually, with the increashig demand 

 for fresh fish, it is probable that special vessels will be built and a 

 fresh-cod fishery estabhshed with headquarters at Seattle. 



Within a few years seining for salmon in and oft' the Strait of 

 Juan de Fuca and on Flattery Bank has developed into a fishery of 

 considerable importance, the fleet now consisting of 150 boats. 



