UTILIZATION OF CANADA'S PACIFIC MARINE RESOURCES 315 



to large scale capture. This suggests that intensive fishing operations 

 could cause depletion. As it is beyond reasonable dispute that salmon 

 can be depleted by unrestricted exploitation, it is assumed that herring 

 can also be depleted by unrestricted fishing on pre-spawning popula- 

 tions. This assumption is the subject of critical scientific examination. 



Of a dozen or so commercial species of groundfish the halibut is the 

 most important. ]t freezes well and is shipped frozen to the markets 

 of the continent. The fishery is principally by long-line in Hecate 

 Strait (between the Queen Charlotte Islands and the islands along the 

 mainland coast) and on the offshore banks of the continental shelf. It 

 is administered by an International Commisssion (Canada and the 

 United States) on the premise that at low or moderate levels of abun- 

 dance, increased fishing effort produces less fish. The sable fish or black- 

 cod {Anoplopoma), so highly prized for smoking, is taken on the same 

 gear in deep water. The remaining groundfishes— flatfishes (Pleuro- 

 nectidae), gi'ay cod (Gadiis macrocephalus), rock fishes (Sehastodes), 

 lingcod (Ophiodon e Ion gatiis)— yield excellent fillets for the fresh or 

 frozen trade on local or distant markets. They are taken principally by 

 trawls on banks of intermediate depth (15-100 fathoms) at times when 

 concentrations make for fast and hence profitable fishing. 



The only truly oceanic fishery to attract Canadian fishermen is the 

 troll fishery for albacore. The fish is canned as premium tuna for 

 Canadian consumption or exported frozen. Fishing may be as close as 

 six miles from shore but typically is offshore by 40 miles or considerably 

 more. The fishery is very erratic in occurrence and yield. There is 

 in it an element of sport which appeals to many fishermen. 



A small but effective shore-based whaling operation uses half a 

 dozen or more species of whales. The products (meal, solubles, oil, and 

 meat for fur farms) are sold on the ^vorld's market. The promised re- 

 wards of the whaling industry are the only ones which have yet seemed 

 sufficient to justify deploying valuable capital equipment in organized 

 offshore projects. Canadian whalers work up to 150 miles off shore- 

 much farther than other company-operated vessels. 



Geography and Meteorology of the Area 

 The coast of British Columbia has many islands and inlets. Race 

 Rocks at the south end of Vancouver Island and Stewart at the north 

 end of the Portland Canal are less than 600 miles apart in a straight 

 line, but 16,900 miles of coast line intervene. The irregularities in the 

 shore line provide numerous good harbours where small craft can wait 

 out perilous weather or conditions which make fishing impossible. Al- 

 though there are many good harbours there are few or no permanent 



