FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS OF THE STEAMER ALBATROSS. 181 
or “up run,” which is, as a rule, of shorter duration, lasting only from four to six weeks. 
Twenty-one men and nine boats are employed at this station during the whaling season. 
POINT CONCEPTION TO THE MEXICAN BOUNDARY LINE. 
This region was examined during January and February, 1889, but a few obser- 
vations were also made at other times — in the course of the voyage from Norfolk to 
San Francisco, in 1888, and during the cruise southward from the latter place in March 
and April, 1890. Along this portion of the coast the continental platform, as defined 
by the 100-fathom curve, is everywhere narrow and yet quite irregular in its width, 
being sometimes less than a mile wide, and attaining a maximum breadth of about 
1.3 miles off Santa Barbara. Notwithstanding this fact, however, the several islands 
surrounded by shallow water which occur off the land, and the two small but impor- 
tant banks farther south, combine with the surface of the platform to offer exceptional 
advantages for fishing, which can never be fully utilized until larger markets shall 
have been established within convenient distances. The most important hydrographic 
work accomplished by the A Ibatross was in connection with the deeper soundings 
between the outer islands and the mainland, and with those made on Cortes and 
Tanner banks and in the adjacent waters. Dredging and fishing operations were 
carried on extensively and with good success. 
Santa Barbara Channel begins directly to the south of Point Conception and has 
a general east and west trend, being included between the mainland, on the one hand, 
and the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa, on the other, 
the distance of these islands from the coast varying from 10J to 25 miles. The channel 
is largely occupied by water over 100 fathoms deep, the maximum depth recorded being 
366 fathoms. 
Santa Catalina Island is situated about 18 miles off Point Fermin, from which it 
is separated by San Pedro Channel, having a greatest depth of 422 fathoms. The 
Gulf of Santa Catalina lies southeasterly of the island of the same name and 
between San Clemente Island and the mainland, the least distance between the two 
being about 50 miles. The intervening depths exceed 600 fathoms in some places. 
Santa Barbara Island is about 22 miles west of Santa Catalina Island, and San 
Nicolas Island about 24 miles farther in a southwesterly direction, the latter being- 
distant about 54 miles from Point Mugu, the nearest point upon the coast. Cortes 
and Tanner banks are about 95 miles due westerly from San Diego. 
The total area adjacent to the coast of California south of Point Conception 
investigated by the Albatross may be estimated at about 11,000 square geographical 
miles. 
Capt. Andrea Larco, the principal fisherman of Santa Barbara, with eighteen years’ 
experience along this section of the coast, accompanied the Albatross on several of 
the trips, and his thorough acquaintance with the region greatly increased the value 
of the fishing trials. 
Santa Barbara Channel . — This channel, as already stated, has a varying width of 
about 10£ to 25 miles, being narrowest at the eastern end, between Anacapa and the 
mainland. On the northern side, between Point Conception and Goleta Point, the 100- 
fathom curve is generally from 3 to 4 miles from shore, but off Santa Barbara it bends 
abruptly outward to a distance of about 13 miles, so as to form an extensive area at 
