6 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
California were also reported upon in 1880 by Dr. David S. Jordan, who was able to 
procure but few data concerning them, although many portions of this coast were 
otherwise well known. ^ 
The following account of the Alaskan grounds is extracted from Mr. Dali’s 
report : ^ 
“The most fruitful of the Alaskan fishing grounds are considerably to the north of 
the limit of the migrations of the cod, and may be said to extend northwest from Tak- 
utat or Bering Bay along the coast and the line of the Kadiak and Aleutian Archi- 
pelagoes. The cod banks are generally in the vicinity of land, yet ofi-shore banks 
have been and will continue to be discovered, though the fishermen endeavor to retain 
the secret of such discoveries. Such banks are usually to be looked for in the 
direction of the trend of the adjacent islands or in lines parallel to that trend. The 
soundings of Portlock, Yancouver, aud the U. S. Coast Survey expedition prove the 
existence of a comparatively shoal bank extending along the southeastern coast of 
Afognak and Kadiak, with a deep pocket (no bottom at 90 fathoms), 25 miles east of 
St. Paul. The shoalest water found upon this bank by Mr. Davidson, of the U. S. 
Coast Survey, was 45 fathoms. It probably extends along the southeast shore of 
Kadiak. Belcher caught cod and halibut off Cape Greville, the eastern point of 
Kadiak. South by east 14 miles from the eastern end of the easternmost point of the. 
Trinity Islands, Yancouver found bottom at 50 fathoms, and 15 miles south of Ukamok 
at 75 fathoms. Thirty-five miles east of the south end of the island of Kiuniak, the 
most southern of the Shumagin Group, Mr. Davidson obtained bottom at 40 fathoms, 
and 9 miles southeast ot the Saunakh Eeef at 35 fathoms. Near this last-named locality 
Cook caught over one hundred halibut, ranging from 20 to 100 pounds each ; he there- 
fore called it Halibut Island. Mr. Davidson discovered a fine cod bank about 65 miles 
southeast (true) from the middle of Akutau Pass and 40 miles south-southeast from 
Unimak Pass. Here the water has a depth of 60 fathoms, with pebbly bottom. Many 
fine cod were caught, of which one was 36 inches long, 23 inches in girth, and weighed 
27 pounds. 
“ Some of the vessels are said to commence fishing along the coast north of lati- 
tude 54° 40' north, aud to work northward along numerous banks which they have 
found. The fish are taken in from 15 to 40 fathoms, the very best fish in the deepest 
water. The banks along the Gulf of Alaska, around the Kadiak Group, and part of 
the Aleutian Chain have an area of not less than 45,000 square miles, with a depth of 
not over 50 fathoms. If the fishing depth extends to 100 fathoms there is little doubt 
that the cod-fishing area will reach 100,000 square miles. In addition to the fisheries 
of the Great Bank the cod are reported to run in great numbers in and around the 
entrance of Hamilton Bay, near the western part of Frederick Sound. Lisiansky 
caught them with hook and line in Sitka Sound, Portlock abundantly at Port Etches, 
and Belcher near Cape Chiniak.” 
After discussing the in-shore cod-fishing grounds along the Alaskan coast. Dr. 
Bean states that “ extended areas of soundings on which cod assemble in great masses 
' David S. Jordan. The Sea Fishing Grounds of the Pacific Coast of the United States from the 
Straits of Fuca to Lower California. <(The Fisheries and Fishery Indnstries of the United States, etc. 
Section III, pp. 79, 80. Washington, 1887 
2 The Food Fishes of Alaska. <]Eeport of the Commissioner of Agriculture for the year 1870, 
pp. 375-392. 
