ALBATEOSS EXPLORATIONS; ALASKA, WASHINGTON, AND OREGON. 
7 
are present in the Gulf of Alaska, but they have been but little investigated, and their 
limits and characteristics are imperfectly known.” He then describes each of the off- 
shore fishing banks known to exist in this region at that time, giving in some detail 
the incidental and unconnected observations by which they were distinguished. From 
this account the following summary has been prepared: 
PortlocJc BanTt . — Known chiefly from a single series of soundings extending in a 
northeasterly direction from the eastern end of Kadiak Island, about 115 miles, with 
more numerous soundings near the land. A few widely separated soundings indicated 
the extension of the bank along the southeastern side of Kadiak Island, where Alba- 
tross Bank has recently been developed by the Fish Commission. The extent and out- 
line of these banks were wholly unknown. 
Slmmagin BanJc^ formerly called Simeonoff or Seminofifsky Bank, was indicated by 
only two accurate soundings off shore. This bank had, however, been resorted to by 
fishing vessels from which further information of a general nature was obtained. Its 
length was estimated by different persons at from 10 to 40 miles. 
Sannalcli was located by two positions. 
Davidson Banic, south of Unimak Pass, was known solely from the observations 
of Prof. George Davidson, of the U. S. Coast Survey, who made a number of sound- 
ings upon it in depths of 50 to 60 fathoms, and established its character as a fishing 
bank by making several successful trials for cod. 
Single soundings are recorded by Dr. Bean south of Unalashka Island, south 
of Umuak Island, and south of Amchitka Island; and he also describes many grounds 
near the shore, especially in the neighborhood of settlements. Most of the fishing has 
been done on these in-shore areas “ at such distances as may be traversed by canoes 
and dories.” 
The following extract from Dr. Jordan’s report states concisely the condition of 
the ocean fisheries, between the Straits of Fuca and Lower California at the time of 
his investigations in 1880 : 
“ Except the salmon fisheries of the Sacramento and the Columbia, and the ocean 
fisheries in the immediate neighborhood of San Francisco, the fisheries of the Pacific 
coast exist only as possibilities. For the most part only shore fishing on the smallest 
scale is done, and no attempt is made to discover off-shore banks, or to develop them 
when discovered. * * * Between the rocky headland of Point Reyes and the 
entrance to the Golden Gate is a long stretch of smooth sandy bottom at a considera- 
ble depth. The bottom here swarms with flounders, and a mode of fishing is pursued 
analogous to the trawl net of the Atlantic — the fishing of the paranzella. This mode 
of fishing is doubtless possible outside of the kelp at many places along the coast, but 
the markets elsewhere are too small to make it profitable, excepting on a few small 
reefs in the neighborhood of the Farallones where rock cod abound, and at the mouth 
of Monterey Bay ; and beyond this stretch of deep water now fished by the paranzella, 
we can hardly say that any definite off-shore fishing grounds exist south of the Straits 
of Juan de Fuca. Off the mouth of the Straits of Fuca, about 8 miles northwest of 
Cape Flattery, there is an extensive halibut bank where the Indians take halibut in 
large numbers, and which may some time become of importance to the white people.” 
