Cobb. — Halibut Fishery Declining 135 



But few halibut were captured until the schooner arrived 

 off the southern extremity of the Queen Charlotte Is- 

 lands, where they were found in great abundance and of 

 larger size than on the grounds off Cape Flattery. A few 

 of those taken were estimated to weigh over 300 pounds 

 each. About half of the number obtained were large 

 enough for fletching, the remainder being used as bait 

 or thrown away. The fishing was carried on in depths 

 of only 30 to 45 fathoms. 



On the morning of September 8, the Adams having 

 "wet" all her salt, started for home with 150,000 pounds 

 of fish. In the meantime, after a lot of trouble, her 

 owner, Captain Jacobs, had arranged for a rate of $1.25 

 per hundred pounds for the transportation of the fish 

 across the continent to Gloucester. After deducting ex- 

 penses the members of the crew received $175 each, or 

 at the rate of nine dollars a day for nineteen days' fishing. 



It was soon found that Port Townsend was too remote 

 from railroads for shipping purposes and in a very short 

 time Seattle became the headquarters of the schooner 

 fleet. The New England Fish Company, an American 

 firm, soon after located at Vancouver, British Columbia, 

 while the International Fisheries Company, located at 

 Tacoma, Wash., put on fleets of steam vessels, and have 

 since been important factors in the development of the 

 industry. 



Fishing Banks: — For a few years the fishing for the 

 fresh markets was confined to Flattery Bank, located off 

 Cape Flattery, at the mouth of the Straits of Juan de 

 Fuca, and extending from close in shore to some twelve 

 or fifteen miles off the cape, in depths of water ranging 

 from 35 to 75 fathoms. From early in the spring until 

 the middle of June halibut can be obtained on these 

 grounds in paying quantities, but later in the season 

 dogfish and sharks strike in, driving nearly all the edible 

 fishes away. 



The steamers early devoted their attention to the banks 

 which had been discovered in Hecate Strait and Dixon 

 Entrance. Later good grounds were found in the neigh- 



