The U.S.S. Albatross Explores Washington Waters
A government survey explores halibut grounds off the coast of Washington and Oregon, revealing the challenges of establishing a commercial fishery.
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The report of the operations of the fish commission steamer Albatross on the Pacific coast for 1888 is expected to be published shortly. The Albatross studied salmon and inshore fisheries in the region. The steamer explored areas from the Straits of Fuca southward, but heavy weather and equipment limitations hindered a full survey. Several banks discovered by indigenous fishermen were mapped, though the steamer's attempts to capture halibut were met with mixed success. While local fishermen in Astoria have high hopes for a commercial halibut industry, the Albatross found that 'flat fish' were more abundant than the prize halibut, and the exploration suggests that the halibut grounds of the North, such as those in British Columbia and Alaska, currently hold more promise than the Washington and Oregon coast.
“It is customary with the Pacific coast fishermen to call all large flounders halibut, which has led to many errors with regard to the distribution of that species.”
This 1889 report marks an early effort by the federal government to quantify the Pacific Northwest's marine resources, a practice that defines the region's environmental management and commercial fishing industry to this day.
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