6 DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME 



after capture. Descriptions of both physical appearance and color refer 

 to adult specimens and cannot be relied upon for young fish. 



Notes on the fishing season and fishing gear are draAvn from records 

 of the years 1941-1946 unless otherwise stated. The relative importance 

 of the different species is subject to a great deal of variation. They have 

 been ranked on the basis of 1946 catch records. Distribution records are 

 given in general rather than specific terms in most instances. ' ' Northern 

 California" includes the area from the Oregon border south to Marin 

 County; "Central California," that from Marin County south to Pt. 

 Conception; and "Southern California," that from Pt. Conception to 

 the Mexican border. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The work and ideas of many people are incorporated in this bulletin. 

 I have drawn freely from ' ' Handbook of Common Commercial and Game 

 Fishes of California" and am under especial obligation to its author. 

 Dr. L. A. Walford. While nearly every member of the staff of the Bureau 

 of Marine Fisheries has made some contribution, the help of Messrs. 

 John E. Fitch, D. H. Fry, Jr., H. C. Godsil, Howard McCully, J. B. 

 Phillips, and Wm. Ellis Ripley was particularly great. Mr. Fitch assisted 

 in checking much of the manuscript, collected and prepared many of 

 the specimens used for photographs, and supervised the work of the 

 commercial photographer. Mr. Phillips reviewed the section on rockfish, 

 Mr. McCully and Mr. Ripley that on flatfish and Mr. Godsil that on 

 tunas. Mr. Fry and Mr. Leo Shapovalov, Bureau of Fish Conservation, 

 reviewed the salmonid section, and Mr. Fred Tarp, Stanford University, 

 that on salt-water perches. Mr. "W. I. Follett, California Academy of 

 Sciences, answered many questions with special reference to scientific 

 nomenclature. To all of these men and to those others who gave freely 

 of time and advice, I express my thanks. 



Photographic credit is given beneath those pictures not taken from 

 the files of the California State Fisheries Laboratory. 



