FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS OF THE STEAMER ALBATROSS. 
191 
gerous seas will be encountered on the bank in stormy weather, and heavy swells with moderate 
winds, but it is of small extent, and with the deep water - surrounding it is not an unusually 
dangerous fishing-ground. 
Starting from the northern end of the bank a little after dark on the evening of the 17th, we ran 
a line of soundings in the direction of San Nicolas Island for 12 miles, in depths less than 200 
fathoms, 59 fathoms being found at 18 miles (Tanner Bank). This we marked for future investigation 
and continued our course to the island. 
Tanner Bank, so named by the Superintendent of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic 
Survey, was not examined until the 24th of January. The following brief description 
is by Capt. Tanner : 
Its greatest length inside of the 50-fathom curve is 8 miles east and west (magnetic) by 2 miles 
in width at its eastern extremity, narrowing to 1£ miles at the western end. The center of the bank, 
on which was found 48 fathoms, is in latitude 32° 43' N., longitude 119° 10' W., and the least water, 28 
fathoms, was found near the eastern end, in latitude 32° 42' 30" N., longitude 119° 07' 15" W. The 
bottom is composed of sand and Shells, with numerous rocky patches, on which the fauna was found 
to be identical with that of Cortes Bank in similar depths. The 50-fathom curve on the east end lies 
north (true) 16 miles from Bishop’s Rock, both being on the same submarine plateau, with intervening 
depths of less than 300 fathoms. The same species of fish found on Cortes were taken on this bank, 
and it may be considered a valuable addition to the fishing-grounds of the Pacific coast. 
The fishing trials on Cortes Bank are thus described by Mr. Alexander : 
January 16 we sounded in 60 fathoms on Cortes Bank (dredging station No. 2911, latitude 32° 
27' 30" N., longitude 119° 05' W.) where hand lines were put over, taking 2 red rockfish and 1 
whitefisk (Gaulolatilus princeps) in the course of about fifteen minutes. A second trial was made soon 
after at hydrographic station 1621, latitude 32° 25' 30" N., longitude 119° 05' W., depth 17 fathoms, 
bottom rocky. Fishing was carried on with hand lines for forty-five minutes, during which time the 
vessel drifted into 5 fathoms of water. The results were as follows : 17 fat-heads ( Trochocopus pulcher), 
10 yellow-tails (Sebastodes flavidus), and 2 sea bass ( Serranus clathrdtus) . The strong and sharp teeth of 
the fat-heads played sad havoc with hooks and gangings, stripping the former from the snoods nearly 
as fast as they could be put on. These fish would be very destructive to trawl lines set across the 
rocky patches which they frequent. The yellow-tail rockfish would follow to the surface any struggling 
captive at the end of a line, their movements somewhat resembling those of the Atlantic coast pollock. 
Having baited a trawl while the hand-line fishing was going on, we set it at 12:40 p. m., in 26 
fathoms, hard bottom. It was allowed to remain 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 rockfish, 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 
means : 39 fat-heads, 37 yellow-tails, 1 whitefish, 3 red rockfish, 2 black rockfish ( Sebastodes mysiinus), 
1 scorpion ( Scorpcena 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 fathoms. 
January 17, sounding, dredging, and fishing were carried on continuously over Cortes Bank. 
Seven trials with the hand lines, from a quarter to half an hour each in duration, were made during 
the day, resulting in the capture of 95 fish. The first was at hydrographic station 1631, 47 fathoms, 
where 1 whitefish and 1 yellow-tail were caught. The second was at hydrographic station 1632, 26 
fathoms, where 15 whitefish, 5 red rockfish, and 2 fat-heads were taken. One cultus-cod, 1 yellow-tail, 
2 red rockfish, and 1 whitefish were the total results of about twenty minutes’ fishing at hydrographic 
station 1633, depth 43 fathoms. The fish took the bait less eagerly than on the preceding trials, and 
we observed that the vessel had drifted from places where we were haulingthem “ pair and pair ” into 
others where not a single bite would be felt. The bank seemed to have many spots or ridges where 
all the species mentioned occurred in great abundance, but on leaving these places good fishing stopped. 
The fishing greatly resembled that for red snappers in the Gulf of Mexico. 
