42 HALIBUT FISHING GROUNDS OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



In the evening of August 12 the Albatross arrived at Sitka and 

 preparations were made for coaling ship. Scattering halibut are 

 caught near Sitka at all seasons, but no banks of commercial impor- 

 tance have been reported or found in the near vicinity. Indians 

 usually catch all that they require for home consumption among the 

 islands of Sitka Bay, but the amount is not large. 



In the evening of August 20 we left Sitka and the following morn- 

 ing began a line of soundings off Coronation Island, toward Forester 

 Island, for the purpose of ascertaining the depth of water and char- 

 acter of the bottom, where it had been reported that the water was 

 comparatively shallow, and also to mark the outer margin of fishing 

 banks in this region. 



The first sounding was in latitude 55° 57' 30" N., longitude 135° 

 27' 00'' W. In this position no bottom was found at 250 fathoms, 

 and the vesesl steamed 5 miles in an E. by S. f S. direction and 

 sounded in 134 fathoms. Four other soundings were taken on this 

 line 3 miles apart, the depths varying from 103 to 110 fathoms. 

 After this soundings were taken 6, 10, 14, and 11 miles apart, cover- 

 ing a distance of 41 miles, and in depths of 116, 138, 110, and 116 

 fathoms. The general character of the bottom was hard sand. From 

 4 to 6 miles farther offshore it drops off into profound depths, 400 

 and 600 fathoms. We were on the western edge of the bank. Be- 

 tween this ridge and Baranof Island and the outlying islands is 

 assumed to be good halibut ground. The depths range from 50 to 

 85 fathoms. 



No attempt was made to make a practical test of ground covered 

 by the line of soundings, the depths of water and general character 

 of the bottom being considered sufficient knowledge concerning this 

 region, lying as it does in close proximity to the banks, where fishing 

 is extensively carried on. Fishermen in possession of the above 

 information will have no difficulty in determining for themselves the 

 value of the ground. 



Coronation Island ground. — One of the first localities investigated 

 between Dixon Entrance and Sitka Bay was around Coronation 

 Island, where in several places known to fishermen large catches 

 have been taken in the last two years. A considerable body of fish 

 has also been located about 40 miles south of Cape Ommaney, situated 

 on the southern end of Baranof Island at the entrance of Christian 

 Sound. Fishermen have made little or no attempt to locate fishing 

 grounds offshore from Coronation Island. A location is generally 

 exhausted, or at least greatly depleted of fish, before the possibility 

 of new banks in the same region is seriously considered. 



It is only when fish are scarce on the inshore grounds that attempts 

 [have been made to find new places, and it was in this way that the 



