142 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Nearly all the halibut caught on local banks and in northern waters by American 
fishermen is landed at Seattle and Tacoma. Fairhaven and Whatcom, during the 
past two years, have made shipments of halibut, but only in a small way as compared 
with Seattle; herring, smelts, and salmon are the fish mostly shipped from this 
northern part of Puget Sound This industry has increased 50 per cent in the 
past year. 
In 1895 there were 48 small boats sailing from Port Townsend, Seattle, and other 
places on Puget Sound engaged in this fishery. These boats ranged in size from 5 to 
10 tons; most of them were sloops, but a few were schooners. They carry a crew of 
2 to 4 men. The smallest confine their fishing to the banks off Cape Flattery and in 
the Straits of Fuca. A few of the larger boats make occasional trips to Cape Scott 
and the Queen Charlotte Islands. 
In addition to the small boats there is a fleet of 10 larger ones, ranging from 18 to 
40 tons, averaging about 25 tons. Most of these are schooner-rigged and were built 
for the halibut fishery. This style of craft is the outgrowth of the small boats first 
used. As more northern waters were sought, it was found that boats under 10 tons 
were too small either for comfort or safety. They can be run economically, but the 
amount they carry is too small for the voyage to be remunerative. A few fishermen 
have talked of introducing sailing vessels of from 75 to 100 tons in this fishery, similar 
to those employed on the Atlantic Coast. Such vessels would be very expensive, and 
it is claimed that they would be less profitable than the vessels now employed. The 
banks on this coast not being so large as those on the Atlantic, a fleet of 10 or 12 
large vessels fishing in one locality would soon temporarily exhaust the supply, and 
considerable time would be lost in searching for new grounds. The experience of the 
past few years shows that vessels of from 30 to 40 tons are best suited for the halibut 
fishery on the Pacific Coast, and are the type most likely to be used in the future. 
In spring most of the small boats and some of the large ones fish on Flattery Bank 
and adjacent grounds. As the season advances halibut in this region grow scarce and 
better fishing is found on local “ spots” in the Straits of Fuca. During the spring 
and summer months good fishing is found on small banks OS' the San Juan Islands 
and in the vicinity of Port Townsend. 
As the halibut fishery has increased, fishermen have been searching for new 
grounds. The first ground of any importance discovered north of Cape Flattery Bank 
was in the vicinity of Cape Scott, on the northern end of Vancouver Island. Halibut 
were found here in considerable numbers and it was thought that the ground covered 
a large area, but it was soon learned that the bank was small and the best localities 
confined to small patches, found only by landmarks. On these places fish are some- 
times very abundant, but no extensive fishing can be carried on. A fleet of vessels 
would soon exhaust the supply. Fishermen say that halibut on this ground are now 
very scarce as compared with two years ago. 
The character of the bottom on the Cape Scott ground is rocky. The weather 
here at times is very stormy, making fishing very difficult. Foggy weather prevails 
for many days at a time, and at such times when fish are scarce in one place it is not 
easy to find another ground, owing to the landmarks being hidden from view. 
On several occasions halibut on this ground have suddenly disappeared, and on 
investigation they were found on the north side of Hecate Strait, in the vicinity of 
Provost Island. It was reported that a prolific ground was off Lyall Island, from 5 to 
8 miles off shore, but only small catches have been taken there. 
