452 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
low to the surface any struggling captive at the end of a line; their 
movements somewhat resemble those of the Atlantic Coast pollock. 
Having baited a trawl while the hand-line fishing was going onj we 
set it at 12:40 p. m. in 26 fathoms, hard bottom. It was allowed to re- 
main down one hour, after which no little difficulty was experienced in 
hauling it, because many of the hooks caught on the bottom and it was 
necessary to break the hooks or part the gangings to recover it. When 
within about 10 fathoms of the end the ground line broke, and we were 
obliged to haul the' remainder of the trawl from the other buoy. The 
result of the trial was 18 fish, as follows : 2 red rock-cod, 3 whitefish, 1 
treefish {Sebastodes serriceps), and 12 fat-heads. We arrived on board 
the steamer at 3:55 p. m. While the trawl was down, dredging and 
hand-line fishing were carried on from the ship, the^ following species 
being. taken by the latter : 39 fat-heads, 37 yellow- tails, 1 whitefish, 3 
red rock-cod, 2 black rockfish ( Sebastodes mystinus ), 1 scorpion (Scor- 
pcena guttata), and 2 jewfish {Stereolepis gigas). The two specimens of 
the last-named species weighed 155 and 190 pounds respectively. The 
fat-heads averaged 10 pounds each in weight. Fishing began in 25 
fathoms and was carried into 8J fathoms. 
Cortez Bank was found to be the most promising offshore fishing 
ground on the California coast south of San Francisco. It has an area 
of 51 square miles, with depths less than 50 fathoms. The deeper parts 
of the bank have been surveyed to a slight extent only, but it is prob- 
able that good fishing will also be found outside of the 50-fathom line. 
The shoal part of the bank is about 15 miles long (WNW. and ESE.), 
its center being in about latitude 32° 26' 30" N., longitude 119° 08' W. 
Bishop’s Rock, which reaches to within 2 J fathoms of the surface, lies 
in latitude 32° 25' 40" R., longitude 119° 06' 30" W. A fishing vessel 
at anchor on the bank to windward of this rock would probably find it 
extremely uncomfortable if caught out in a heavy gale; but as the rock 
is small, a staunch schooner could work out by it into deep water, if 
not anchored too near it when the storm began. 
Previous to the investigations of the Albatross nothing was known 
respecting the food-fishes inhabiting this bank. The demand for fish 
along this part of the coast is so limited at present that the fishermen 
do not find it necessary to venture outside of a few headlands in search 
of new grounds. They can give but little authentic information respect- 
ing the fishing grounds 25 to 30 miles off the coast. The fishing areas 
adjacent to San Diego and Santa Barbara are sufficient for the imme- 
diate requirements of those places, but with a considerable increase in 
population, more distant and deeper grounds will have to be sought for, 
necessitating the building of a larger and better class of fishing boats. 
As ice is so expensive on the Pacific coast as to prevent its use by 
the fishermen to any great extent, it would be desirable, when an inno- 
vation, is made in the fishing vessels of this part of the coast, to build 
small smacks of 15 to 25 tons burden. If constructed on the model of 
