The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-02
THE FISH WE EAT.

From bulletin y 10. 167 OF the Census Blu
reau we learn that the ocean. shore and
river fisheries Of California, Oregon and
Washington gave employment in 1890 to
1850 persons and yielded products valued
at SO, 3S7, sos OF the persons employed 3S.5
per cent belonged to California. and they
produced nearly 20 per cent of the total
product Of the coast. Yet, the most inl-
portant fish industry of the coast is salmon
canning, and Of the Is factories engaged in
that business only eight are in California.
and IS in Oregon and Washington. Tie
total product of the canneries was worth
So, 703. S3S, of which S1,S73 ODD was paid to
fishermen for fish. The total product of all
the canneries was so per cent greater than
in 1880.
The Census Commissioners have not thor
oughly mastered their subject; the item Of
miscellaneous" which covers fish not class
lied, is too large. Thus out of an item OF $685.
500, which represents fresh fish caught on
the coast of California. the sum allowed for
salmon is $500. 1876. for barracuda S26, 369,
for bonito 1886. for shad S65l3 and fer mis-
cellaneous S510.26 This is exclusive of
SS9,947 for dried cod, and about $50, 600 for
dried bonito. salmon and barracuda. The
bulletin estimates the value of the products
of sea mammals. to wit, skins of fur and
hair seals, sea offers. walruses and whale
bone and whale oil, at 50, 400, 373, more than
half Of which is represented by fur seal
skins. The value of moilusks, crustaceans
and sea reptiles is given as SSS1,598, in
which oysters figure for 500, 10, aud clans
for SIS, 284. OF the whole product of the
fisheries, salmon constitute 724 Of the
amount of fish taken, ana 1916 Of the value
One Of the most interesting Of the census
tables gives the quantity and value CT the
fresh fish sold in San Francisco markets
during the years 1883, from estimates
furnished by dealers. The aggregates
appear TO have been larger in 1888 than in
1889. the figures Tor the former year being
10,S46, 100 pounds, worth at retail prices
S729, l25, while in the latter year the guam
tity was 1928, 800 pounds. and the value
$685. Over one-haif OF the whole con-
sisted of salmon and herring. In 1888
3,300,00 pounds Of salmon were consumed
in this city and the suburbs which draw sup
plies from here, at an average price of about
6R cents pound retail. In 1889 the consump-
tion was 3.1eo, 900 pounds and the price nearly
cents. In 1883 San Francisco and vicinity
consumed 2,6l2,0o0 pounds of herring, which
cost at retail cents pound Ia 1889 the
consumption was only 100000 pounds and
the price cents. 1t appears that, on the
average, salmon is worth a cent a pound
more than herring; smaller difference
than the respective alinentGry value OF the
two fishes warrants, and which must be
accounted for by the larger supply of tho
finer fish.
The bulletin enumerates thrty-one differ
ent kinds of fish, including the inevitable
miscellaneous, which are supplied by our
rivers and coast waters and sold in our
markets. OF these the finer varieties are
present in small quantities OF POM
pano the supply In 1883 was $500 pounds In
1889 $500 pounds; the price ranged from so
cents to 81 pound. Barracuda, which. as
a dinner fish, is not inferior to the POM
PIANO, was more abundant, over 100000
pounds being consumed each year, at prices
ranging from cents to 10 cents. In 1888
$1,000 pounds of shad was eaten. at a cost
of 10 cents; there is no return for 1889 We
seem only to get 100 pounds yearly of Span
ish mackerel, and it is quoted at 81 so
pound, which is probably above the truth.
About 1900 to 1000 pounds of brook trout
and 10000 to $1,000 pounds of lake trout,
from Tahoe and other lakes, appear to sell
yearly. They are quoted at % to 80 cents a
pound.
The fish most frequently seen on the table
Oh the ordinary housekeeper are the various
families OF sculpins and scorponid@, CON-
monty called rockcod, and the atherinida,
which are known as the California smelt.
vi these two about /. 700 coo pounds are sold
yearly. at price averaging cents pound.
Reference has already been made TO the
herring, which is largely eaten by families
In moderate circumstances. Some 100000
pounds OF perch, worth about 10 cents
pound. and about 100000 pounds of sea-
bass, worth cents, are also marketed. AS
the seabass Is unquestionably the finer fish
OF The two. it seems odd that the perch