2 U. S. BUREAU OF TISHERIES. 



with which they were captured in the north. With the growth of 

 population in California, the increase in the number of fishermen, 

 and the expansion of the gear, followed by the growing scarcity of 

 fish, it became necessary to go farther afield, and naturally to push 

 to the south, where the population was small and almost no fisning 

 was done. As a consequence the business of fishing in Mexican 

 waters has become every year of greater importance, and fishermen 

 are looking more and more toward the still comparatively virgin 

 fisheries of Lower California. 



It may be accepted that the year 1907 marks the period when this 

 fishing became a general practice, when a few small power boats, 

 25 to 30 feet in length, were sent into Mexico regularly. These boats 

 went at first only a short distance south of the border. Ensenada, 

 or Todos Santos Bay, was the first limit, this being soon extended to 

 Cape Colnett, below which for the first two years they hardly ever 

 went, being deterred by the impossibility of taking their fish to 

 market in fit condition, the boats being too small to permit the 

 carrying of ice and there being no means of preserving the fish for 

 any length of time. 



At first, as long as the fishermen kept away from the ports of 

 Ensenada and San Quentin, the only places where officials of the 

 Mexican aduana, or customs service, were stationed, they were 

 troubled comparatively little by the constantly varying dues. Later 

 patrol boats were put on and a close watch kept of all operations 

 along the coast. Since 1916 the Mexican Government has had a 

 resident agent at San Diego, and since 1917 one also at San Pedro, 

 from whom all boats operating in Mexican waters must obtain a 

 permit and to whom reports of the catches of fish and arrangements 

 for the payment of dues, etc., must be made. This is in addition to 

 the usual clearances from Ensenada and other customs ports. 



Any boat clearing for a Mexican port is considered, when it returns 

 with fish, as having Mexican fish on board, no matter whether caught 

 within or without the 3-mile limit. Failure to pay the Mexican 

 export duty on the entire catch is punished by tne refusal of the 

 Mexican consul to issue a permit on the next application. As a 

 matter of fact, it is a somewhat serious thing for a boat to be caught 

 '' poaching '^ in Mexican waters without a permit. Fines as high as 

 $500 are unposed in such cases, with confiscation of the boat if not 



Eaid. As a consequence some fishermen have preferred to put their 

 oats under Mexican registry, paying $25 per month per boat for 

 the privilege. 



The boats now (1920) in use are of much larger capacity than those 

 first sent out. They vary in length from 40 to 75 feet, cost from 

 $4,000 to $12,000, are equipped with engines of 35 to 80 horsepower, 

 and are serviceable, excellent sea boats, capable of undertaking any 

 voyage within the limit of capacity of their supplies. These boats carry 

 a supply of ice for preserving their fish, and as a consequence make 

 much more extended trips than formerly, often going as far south 

 as Cedros Island, or even occasionally to Magdalena Bay. Their 

 gear usually comprises trammel nets, although they often carry 

 paranzella nets to drag for the so-called halibut {Paralichthys cali- 

 jornicus), and also gill nets for taking barracuda, sea bass, etc. 

 The trammel net formerly consisted of only 10 to 15 "pieces." 

 Nowadays, with larger boats, carrying 5 to 15 tons of ice, methods- 



