450 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
PERSONNEL. 
The following officers were attached to the vessel June 30,1889: 
Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. N., commanding; Ensign Mar- 
bury Johnston, U. S. N., executive officer and navigator ; Ensign Henry 
E. Parmenter, U. S. N. ; Ensign Edward W. Eberle, U. S. N. ; Ensign 
C. M. McCormick, U. S. N.; Passed Assistant Surgeon James E. Gard- 
ner, U. S. N.; Assistant Paymaster C. S. Williams, U. S. 2L; Passed 
Assistant Engineer C. R. Roelker, U. S. N. 
The civilian staff was constituted as follows : Prof. Charles H. Gilbert, 
naturalist ; Charles H. Townsend, assistant naturalist ; A. B. Alexander, 
fishery expert; N. B. Miller, assistant; H. C. Fassett, clerk to command- 
ing officer. 
REPORT OF A. B. ALEXANDER, FISHERY EXPERT. 
[From January 1 to June 30, 1889. — Abstract.] 
COAST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 
Santa Barbara Channel .— The second cruise of the steamer Albatross 
on the Pacific coast began January 3, 1889, but no work was done until 
the morning of the 5th, when the trawl was put over in the vicinity of 
Point Conception, California, in 225 fathoms. Among the specimens col- 
lected were 1 black cod orbeshowe (Anoplopoma fimbria), 2 specimens of 
octopus, and 7 red rockfish. About 11J miles farther southeast, the 
beam trawl was lowered in 284 fathoms and, while the dredging was going 
on, a cod trawl was baited with salt herring, 2 barrels of which were 
purchased in San Francisco. When fresh bait cap not be obtained this 
salt fish is generally used by the fishermen at that place. At 1.15 p. m. 
the dingey left the ship’s side and the trawl was set in 53 fathojns of 
water; bottom, broken shells and sand; Richardson’s Rock bearing 
east, about 1 mile distant. After setting, we lay to and began fishing 
with hand lines, the ship dredging in the meantime. Several species of 
fish were taken in the beam trawl, but nothing was caught on the hand 
lines. 
At the end of an hour we began to haul the trawl. The tide, which 
was running to windward, against a fresh northerly breeze, caused the 
dingey to u hawse up” considerably, however, and on several occasions 
large quantities of water were taken on board. It requires very little 
wind or sea to render the dingey unsuited for hauling a trawl, as boats 
of this class are so deep in the water that it generally takes the united 
strength of two men to pull it in. We had hauled but a short distance 
when the ground line parted, compelling us to row to windward and 
pick up the other buoy. We arrived on board the steamer at 3 p. m. 
with only four red rockfish.* 
* This name is used to designate indiscriminately a large number of species of 
Sebastodes. 
