The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-01
Results of the Investigations
Made by Government
Official.
NEW AND INTERESTING FACTS.
Valuable Suggestions Contained in
the Reports Made to the Fish
Commission.

purpose OF making study of the fisheries
OF this region. His Investigations extend
ed from San Diego Bay to the Columbia
River and covered period of one month,
from May "a to June Is.
Many new and interesting facts are con-
tanned IN his report, based on his investi-
cations, made TO the United States Fish
Commission. In his general remarks on
the Pacific Coast fisheries he says:
The general commercial fisheries of the
racine states are OF more recent origin than
those OF any other coast section of the country
ana, with the exception OF the salmon fishery,
they are less developed than any other region.
Nevertheless, in the period of thirty years,
curing which it may be said the fisheries OF
the west coast have existed the industry has
attained great importance and now ranks next
10 that OF New England and Middle Atlantic
states in extent and value. There seems no
reason 10 doubt that the business will assume
vastly greater proportions in the near future,
although there is cause to apprehend decline
IN several important branches, as, for instance,
See-otter fisheries.
The various phases of the fishing industry of
the west coast, Including Alaska, give employ
ment toabout 1900 persons, the capital in
vested amounts 10 about S6,900,000, and the
annual value 10 the fishermen of the products
taken is appro Ultimately 81 800, 900.
The special fisheries which give this region
much or the prominence it possesses are the
salmon, the whale, the oyster, the fur seal the
shrimp, the cod, the crab and the herring, in
the order named. The value of the salmon
nshery is about equal 10 that OF all other fish,
cries combined, while the canning industry
connected with the fishery has an annual out
put but little less in value than that of all the
hshery products of the coast. The salmon are
by Iar the most important fishery products of
Alaska Oregon and Washington, but in the
fisheries OF California they are surpassed by
the whales oysters and shrimps.
In his notes on the sardine and anchoyy
OF the Pacific Coast DR.. Smith says:
The California sardine is very closely related
10 The sardlne OF Europe, from which it chiefly
differs IN having no teeth and less strongly
serrated scales on the belly. The fish is most
constant IN appearance and most abundant in
the southern part OF the coast and it is doubt
fuI II II exists in sufficient numbers to main
tain regular fishery Gorth of San Francisco.
Even at that place the supply is uncertain.
While there have been periods of years in
which the sardines were found in San Francis
co Bay IN large quantities and for a eonsidera-
Die time in each season, for the past five years
they nave been very scarce.
The distribution of the anchovy is similar TO
that OF the sardine.
The natural advantages which the west
coast possesses for the canning of sardines and
similar fish are unusually good. and are supe-
Tlor IN some respects to those of the east coast
Inc dry atmosphere and other climatic condi-
tons OF the southern coast of California are
very favorable for the preparation of a good
grade OF canned fish. The culture of the olive
supplies native oil of superior quality which
Is essential in the canning of the best goods.
Referring to the short-lived industry of
sardine-canning in San Francisco, he says
the establishment was in operation from
June, 1889, to August, 1898. During the
i've years in which the cannery was run
the yearly pack was from 5000 to 1900
cases. The fish put up in the factory were
caught in San Francisco Bay. In the
earlier years sardines small enough foryuse
IN quarter pound cans were obtained but
during the last two years of the cannery's
existence no sardines of size suitable for
quarter oils" could be obtained. This
was the chief reason for closing the works.
Writing of the sardine cannery estab-
hshed at San Pedro, Los Angeles County,
IN 1893, which is now the only one on the
Pacific Coast, he states that it is under the
superintendent of an experienced fish,
Gamer from Maine, and the plant is worth
about $4,000. The sizes and grades of
canned sardlnes placed on the market
from this cannery, and the wholesale
prices received, are as follows: Quarter
oils, 100 cans to case, Sc so to So so a case,
according to the quality of the oil; half
oils 90 cans to case, SIS 90 case; two
pound oval cans, with mustard, spices and
tomato sauce, 81 25 per dozen cans.
Alter detailing the story of how salmon
trolling began in Monterey Bay in 1898,
the report goes on to say that this year
the fishery promises to be more extern
slvely followed than last year. Profess
slonal fishermen owning boats and regular
boatmen will resort to the bay from more
or les remote places. The season, it is
stated, opens early in June. DR.. Smith
then makes this important conclusion:
An interesting point connected with this
subject IS that these are undoubtedly the fish
that constitute part OF the fall run of salmon
in the Sacramento River. Last fall the Sacra-
mento River fishermen took number of
salmon in their nets which had hooks in their
mouths-clearly fish which had been snagged
in Monterey Bay.
Of the salmon industry of the Columbia
River the report says;
From 1866, the year in which the salmon
canning industry on the Columbia River WAS
established, TO 1894 the quantity of salmon
utlhZed Tor canning purposes was about
695, 400, 900 pounds and the aggregate pack
was about 10, 633 800 cases, each holding forty
eight 1-pound cans or the equivalent The
value Of the pack to the Gamers was about
So, 760 500.
After calling attention to the dimuni-
ton of the salmon supply OF the Columbia
River the sentiment of those most promi-
nently interested in the industry as to the
measures favored for the preservation of
the salmon is shown in interviews with
nineteen Gamers, public men and State
fishery officers. the Gamers predominant
ing. OF this number thirteen favor extern
sive artificial propagation and close sea-
son throughout the months of April and
August.
In writing of the sturgeon fishery of the
Colum bia River DR.. Smith says the average
gross weight of the fish is $50 pounds,
though specimens turning the scales ct 500
pounds and even more are not rare In
1892 one weighing 800 pounds was taken
off Oak Point, and in the previous year
one weighing s4S pounds was caught near
Kalama, this being probably the largest
sturgeon ever taken on the west coast.
Inquiries regarding the results of the at
tempted acclimatization of the eel on this
coast, says the report, are apt to elicit mis-
leading information unless great care is exer-
cised. In the san Francisco markets one learns
that eels are not unfrequently exposed for sale
and that both salt water and river fishermen
catch them occasionally, but an examination
OF the reported cells usually shows them to be
lampreys. few true cells have been taken in
California, but they are now very scarce and
seldom seen.
On the terrapin question DR.. Smiths re-
port says:
The diamond-baek terrapin does not exist on
the west coast. The California terrapin, the
only member of the order which has as yet at
tanned commercial prominence on the coast,
is much inferior 10 the diamond-back in food
value. 1t inhabits the rivers and fresh-water
ponds west of the Sierras, and its range ex-
tends from Monterey to the Canadian border.