10 HALIBUT FISHING GEOUNDS OF TPTE PACIFIC COAST. 



the distance from land is less than 5 miles and in a few places is 

 within 2 miles. 



These fishing- banks thus surround the Queen Charlotte Islands, 

 beginning at a point outside 20 miles south of the northwest end and 

 continuing in through Dixons Entrance and southeasterly through 

 Hecate Strait to and around the west and southwest sides of Van- 

 couver Island. Only a small proportion possesses any great value 

 for fishing and those areas are for the most part more than 3 miles 

 from land. They have been found usually after diligent search, and 

 have been known to supply to the fishermen millions of pounds from 

 a single spot. 



One of these places is near the west end of Queen Charlotte 

 Islands, an area 1 mile wide and 6 miles long, which was frequented 

 from 1906 to 1909; little has been found there since. One place off 

 Naden Harbor, 2 miles wide by 6 miles long, was frequented from 1905 

 to 1908 ; very little has been found there since. One place near the 

 north point of Queen Charlotte Islands, 5 miles wide, 15 miles long, 

 frequented from 1895 to 1908, and undoubtedly the most prolific 

 spot of halibut fishing ground in the world, has not since 1908 pro- 

 duced any great quantity, although when first visited the fishing 

 was always good except, perhaps, during a period of two or three 

 weeks at a time each year in June and October. 



The first gi'ound discovered at the west end of Banks Island, an 

 area 3 miles Avide and 10 miles long, was frequented from 1892 to 

 1909 with varying success, usually best during April and August. It 

 is very rarely visited now. 



The largest place on the coast, 10 miles wide and 25 miles long, 

 and reaching from Skiddigate Inlet southward along the east side 

 of Queen Charlotte Islands, lies 4 to 14 miles from land, except at 

 Beef Island point, where it passes about 2 miles from shore toward 

 the east end of Banks Island. This area, which has produced the 

 best quality of fish taken, seems nearly exhausted. Very good catches 

 were made on the eastern part in August, 1911, but they were not 

 equal to the catches made when first, discovered in 1903. 



Another spot near Queen Charlotte Sound, discovered in 1903 and 

 called Goose Island Bank, reaches from 10 to 50 miles southwesterh;^ 

 from Goose Island, which is on the continental side of Hecate Strait. 

 It is a bank spreading over an area of 20 by 30 miles, and since its 

 discovery in 1903 has furnished an abundance of fish of small size, 

 averaging in weight from 9 to 18 pounds each, not considered desir- 

 able for shipping long distances, but otherwise of good quality. This 

 bank still furnishes its usual catch in July and August. 



These are all the known spots of value on the British Columbia 

 coast until Cape Scott is reached. The bank at the west end of 

 Vancouver Island near Cape Scott and those near the ocean side of 



