20 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 
SUMMARY. 
Along the edge of the continental shelf, in depths from 80 or 90 to 
120 fathoms, good or favorable halibut bottom is found in many 
small patches. Between Grays Harbor and Flattery Bank these 
patches are more numerous than in the region south of the Columbia 
_ River. South of Tillamook Bay there are very few spots of good | 
bottom. These patches do not hold the schools of fish for any length 
of time, and the largest of them can be cleared of halibut in a few 
trips by the fishing fleet. 
In the region under consideration the schools of halibut appear to 
arrive at the banks from a westerly or northwesterly direction, and | 
this, taken into consideration with the rumors of shoal water off- | 
shore, would seem to indicate the possible presence of banks farther 
out to sea than any now known. The discovery of Gibson Bank 
would seem to lend support to such a belief. It is desirable that a 
thorough survey be made. 
Black cod occur in great numbers along the coast of Washington 
and should support a large fishery if a demand can be created for this 
species. Rock cod should also be marketed. Dogfish occur in large 
numbers and might be utilized as fertilizer. The smaller flatfishes, 
flounders, sole, sand dab, etc., are also found in great abundance. 
EXPLANATION OF CHARTS. 
The charts accompanying this report are sections of those issued by 
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, to which have been added all the sound- 
ings made by the steamer Albatross in the years 1914 and 1915. Near 
the figures representing the depths obtained, and near many of those 
contained in the original chart, have been entered the bottom char- 
acterizations for that locality. The positions of these soundings are 
accurate, as in most of the cases at the time of sounding land was in 
sight from which bearings could be secured. All doubtful figures 
have been discarded. 
As little or no fishing is done inside the 30-fathom curve, the depths 
and bottom characterizations have been omitted from between that 
curve and the shore. The 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100 fathom contour 
lines are included after being changed to conform with the soundings 
made in this investigation. ‘The lighthouses and other positions on 
shore from which bearings were taken have been indicated. 
Areas of bottom favorable for halibut are inclosed by heavy dashes 
and numbered with Roman numerals. Tables 1 and 2 contain the 
information pertaining to these areas. The character+ means that 
no bottom was found at the depth indicated. A table for abbrevia- 
tions used is shown on each chart. 
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