PACIFIC COD FISHERIES. £7 
to the north and northwest of it depths of 50 to 72 fathoms occur. 
The area of Davidson Bank is estimated at about 1,600 square miles. 
The bottom upon the bank consists, in different places, of fine to 
coarse sand, pebbles, and gravel. Green mud is found at a depth of 
95 fathoms near the outer edge of the bank and black sand in 342 
‘fathoms just off the bank. 
Sannak Bank.—The principal bank resorted to by the few vessels 
which fish throughout the season in the North Pacific is Sannak 
Bank. This bank les to the east and southeast of the Sannak 
Islands, is somewhat elongate in shape, and trends in a general way 
northeast and southwest. About the central spot on the bank is in 
latitude 54° 20’ north, longitude 161° 53’ west. To the westward 
it joins Ivavidson Bank, the dividing line being at a point approxi- 
mately south of the middle of the group. The soundings on this 
bank show depths from 30 to 82 fathoms. Much of the bottom is 
rocky; sand, pebbles, gravel, etc., also occur. The estimated area of 
the bank is 1,300 square miles. 
The cod taken on this bank are very large and of excellent quality, 
and are the finest fish taken on any of the Alaska banks with the 
exception of those from Slime Bank in Bering Sea. 
To th2 mariner unacquainted with these waters this is a dangerous 
region, but to one acquainted harbors of refuge are numerous. 
Caton Harbor, formed by Caton, Elma, and Sannak Islands, is the 
chief piace of refuge for the Jarger vessels, as it is easy to get into 
from either the northern or southwestern entrance, and when inside 
there is excellent holding ground and ample protection from all 
winds. Small vessels, especially power vessels, in case of storm gen- 
‘erally anchor close in to the leeward of Caton Island and are safe. 
On the northern side of Sannak Island vessels drawing 14 and 15 
feet can easily enter Pavlof Harbor at high tide, but at low tide 
vessels drawing more than 6 feet would have difficulty in entering. 
The channel is rather tortuous but is buoyed. Inside the anchorage 
is rather limited, as the harbor is small. The Union Fish Co. has a 
large station here, and vessels can lie alongside the dock at all stages 
of the tide, large ones usually resting easily in the mud at low tide. 
Johnsons Harbor, where there is another station of the same com- 
pany, can be entered at any stage of the tide, the entrance being 
unusually free from obstructions, but the harbor is so shoal through- 
out the gveater portion that the vessel anchorage is largely restricted 
to the western part, a little inside the entrance. Farther to the west- 
ward are Moffets Cove and Company Harbor, on both of which are 
shore stations of the Alaska Codfish Co., and which are available to 
all cod-fishing vessels at high tide. 
