The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07
FISHING INDUSTRY
ON PAYING BASIS
Government Reports Show In
crease of Business in
California
Products Exclusive of Whole
sale Canneries Reach Value
of SI,969,73S

The department of commerce. and
labor has fled it's preliminary report
for the year ending December 81, 1908,
giving statistics that relate TO the In
austry of fishing in California. exclud-
ing wholesale fish dealers and cam
neries. The final report, to be sent
forth little later. will contain an
analysis of the totals and present
statistics covering every phase en-
bodied in the industry.
The number of independent fishermen
set forth in the preliminary report is
given as 2,s22. while there are 1907
wage earners employed. The number
of large vessels is given as so, having
a value of $453. 12O, and small boats
numbering 2,121 are valued at s492.676,
while the outfits (bait, fuel, provisions,
etc.) total $12O,202, the total investment
figuring $1,065.99S. The apparatus en-
ployed in capture has a total money
value of S501,62o, representing 1850
fyke and hoop nets valued at 1890,
gill nets numbering 1850, worth $3.50, 400,
lines valued at $3.50, paranzella nets
numbering 90 and valued at $1,000,
seines to the nupaber of 14s valued aJ
s22.660. trammel nets valued at S66,560
and numbering 2,537, while whaling ap
paratus represents an investment OF
$3.50 and miscellaneous incidentals
reach a value of $19,9S0. Shore and
accessory property amounting to S62.-
500, and cash capital employed, $2S,50o,
make up the debit side of the report
which shows a grand total Of 81 .65S, ,9lS.
PRODUCTS SHOW PROFIT
Opposed TO this, the total products.
which amount to s1,969,73S, show that
the industry of fishing is a profitable
one in California. OF barracuda
3,204s00 pounds was taken valued at
SS7.6e0; catfish valued at ,760, rep
resenting loss, SEQ pounds; salt cod
with a total weight of 3,29S 100 pounds
valued at S93,SS0; founders, 3,193,300
pounds, of value of ST9.530; pompano,
$500 pounds has a value of $13,290;
rockish, 2,319,1 100 pounds, is valued at
$50, 320. while salmon heads the list
with 9.171,s0O pounds taken. OF the
value of s4702lO Sardines to the
4.630.3O0 pounds; sea bass, 1887, 200
pounds, worth s42.0s0; smelt, III, 600
pounds, worth 40.soO; sole, 3,4S7, 200
pounds, worth S64S40; striped bass
1.775,700 pounds, worth s134,670, while
yellow tail, with 571,5o0 pounds. worth
$3.50. ends the list of fish.
Of abalone there were 1885, 900
pounds taken valued at 1850: crabs
(hard), 1,701.700 pounds, worth s6s.740;
spiny lobster, $4,000 pounds, valued at
S6S570, and shrimps, 979, 900 pounds,
representing $S2,720. For market pur-
poses 104,107 bushels of oysters were
taken, Of a money value of $337,2
while whale products amount to
$131,S70 and miscellaneous fish, ETC.,
are valued at S122,030
SHOWS HEALTHY CONDITION
The healthy condition of the Califor-
MIA fisheries is entirely apparent from
the statistics given above, and the i'm
portance of the industry IS at once
seen. Salmon continues to be king.
but the oyster industry assumes a place
of much Importance. and on the whole
the year shows well. in spite of the
financial depression. which had an un-
deniable effect, the total poundage
being 39,360,30O.