PACIFIC COAST: CALIFORNIA. 605 



At the Poiut of Piucs mussels abound ou the rocks exposed to the sea. Five sacks were sent 

 to San Francisco in 1879. At present they are not worth gathering. 



Crawfish are not met with north of Point Concepcion. 



SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. This county lies along the north shore of the bay of Monterey. Its 

 beach is, for the most part, sandy or shaly, and running parallel with and north of the beach are 

 bluffs of considerable height; these in some places are extended as ledges or reefs under the sea. 

 About the reefs most of the gill net and hook-and-line fishing is done. There is no harbor along 

 the coast of the county. During the prevalence of northerly winds or during calm weather, a 

 lauding may be made anj where. During the southwest winds the surf is very heavy at all points 

 and no one ventures out in small boats. In severe storms even steamers cannot laud at Santa 

 Cruz. There are three fishing towns on this coast Santa Cruz, Sequel, and Aptos. 



At Santa Cruz are five lateen-boats, two sloop-rigged boats, some skiffs and dories. Little 

 fishing is done in winter by the fifteen fishermen located here. They take advantage, however, of 

 smooth, and therefore favorable, intervals. In summer, great quantities of rockfish, sea bass, 

 and barracuda are taken and shipped to San Francisco per Wells & Fargo's Express. The Santa 

 Cruz market, important in summer, is also supplied. There is now an entire lack at this place of 

 abaloues, seaweed, and other similar products. Very little seining is done here. Surf-fish, barra- 

 cuda, etc., are taken in gill nets, and rockfish on set-lines. In 1878, 102,733 pounds of fish were 

 caught here, the largest catch being in September; none were taken in January, February, or 

 March. The above number netted 85,611 pounds. 



The amount of fishing done at Soquel is greater than at Santa Cruz. There are altogether 

 about ten boats in use here. Most of the fishing is done with gill-nets, and the bulk of the catch 

 consists of sea bass and barracuda. Sharks are very abundant here and many are taken for their 

 oil, especially the two species Galcorhinits and Alopias. Two specimens of the great basking 

 sharks, having become entangled in the dip-nets, were taken this year. A basking shark yields 

 from 130 to 160 gallons of oil. Occasionally a man-eater (Carcharodon) is obtained. One taken 

 a year or two ago contained a sea-lion weighing 100 pounds. Shad have become quite abundant 

 on Soquel Eeef, and most of those sent to the San Francisco market come from this place. The 

 average profits of the fishermen are greater here than at any other place on the coast, except, per- 

 haps, at Monterey. At Soquel there is one large gill net, 450 feet long and 45 deep, with a 4-inch 

 mesh. 



In 1878, 61,045 pounds of fish weie caught here, netting 50,871 pounds. The largest catch 

 was in December; no fish were taken during January, February, and March. 



At a point between Soquel and Aptos are about fifty fishermen. They ship their catch to San 

 Francisco and San Jos6, especially in summer. Fish not so shipped are dried and sent by steamer 

 from Soquel to San Francisco. 



In 1878, 80,818 pounds were caught at Aptos. These netted 67,349 pounds. The largest 

 catch was in September; there were none taken in January, February, or March. 



Thus it is seen that in 1878, 244,596 pounds were taken in Santa Cruz County, netting 233,831 

 pounds. 



