Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-05
PACIFIC COAST SEA LIONS.
HOW They Are Captured-The Harm
They Do to Nets.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.


From the San Francisco ChroRicle.
len or twelve years ago an act was
passed by the Legislature making it a
mlsdemeanor to kill sea lions anywhere
within one-mile radius of Seal Rock,
ana ever since that time the sea lion has
Oeen regarded as a privileged character.
rive or SIX years ago the fish industry
nrst began to assume important dimen-
SONS; 1t was then that canneries began
10 loom up, and in the course of three
years following grew to really gigantic
proportions. Firms in this city engaged
IN furnishing supplies Of all description 8
70 fishing outfits did an immense bust
ness, and the outlook became as promis-
ing as that of any industry on the coast.
oGOn' however, the sea lion nuisance
manifested itself, and at the present time
the ISM industry in aud around san Fran
cisco bay rs nearly pUralyzed.
me sea lion Is lover Of luxury, which
doubtless means TO that species of animal
HE place to lounge on the sunny side of
some ragged cliff and plenty to eat pro-
Vded by somebody else. During the day
the ANIMALS are always seen in great
numbers ftounderng about the rocks near
the Gin House, but toward night they
into the bay through the entrance at the
Golden Gate. The fishermen usually start
out about or . o'clock IN the afternoon
to set their nets, and do the greater part
OF thelr work between that hour and mid
might. The sea lions seem to have COM
pretended the processes of the fish ermen,
and evidently lie in wait for their ap-
proach. When a net is laid these curl
0usly intelligent creatures first make
their presence known by low grunt and
blowing noise along The surface Of the
water, and in a most incredibly short
space OF time dozens and hundreds of
companions appear. They rush at the
nets, seize the fish, tear them loose from
the meshes and deVeur them with the
rapldity OF machines. If the band hap
pens to be few in numbers, not equal to
the consumption of all the fish in the nets
which they attack, they will tear the fish
out and play with them, throwing them,
sometimes, many feet in the air, and other
wise destroying the game of the industri-
Gus fisherman, so that it is not an uncOm-
mon occurrence for the hungry toilers of
the bay to lit 100 fathoms of net without
securing a single fish. The lions can be
seen almost at any time chasing up and
down before the nets in great numbers,
tearing. the meshes, breaking the cords
and doing a vast deal Of damage aside
from destroying all the fish, and are so
fearless in this riotOus work that they will
approach within a few feet of the fisher
mans boat.
Trade in the merchandise of fishing out
fits has been reduced to considerably less
than one-third OF what it was two years
ago, and the Italians, Portuguese and
others engaged in supplying the local fish
markets, instead Of making it paying
enterprise, are reduced in many instances
to actual want. A man well informed on
the fishing industry stated that the vari-
Ous canneries here and elsewhere are not
doing business of $3.50 now where two
years ago $500 would not cover 1T.
The raVages of the sea lions are not con-
fined to any one branch Of destruction,
but 10 all kinds of fishing done with nets,
and they display a remarkable intelli-
gence in hunting up the haunts of the
fishermen and being on hand when the
nets are set. Along the wharves and sheds
mOnOpOlized by the fishermen may be seen
great piles OF unused nets and other
equipments, and the principal demand at
the houses dealing in supplies is for Occa-
siOnal small quantities OF Irvine or rope
for repairing.