4 TJ. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Boats coming from Mexican waters frequently bring huge cargoes. 

 The Verihus TJvikis, in 1918, entered San Diego harbor with 40 tons 

 of fresh fish, including barracuda and bonito. In addition to this 

 big catch the boat had been compelled to give 6 tons to another boat 

 for lack of space. About the same time another boat brought in a 

 31-ton catch of barracuda and bonito. Similar catches are occa- 

 sionally reported. When fish are plentiful there is a tendency to 

 overload the boats and thus cause deterioration or even loss oi the 

 cargo. Heavy losses are sometimes met, especially when the boats 

 are delayed by adverse circumstances and when there is a shortage 

 of ice. 



The numerous bays and ''esteros," or lagoons, that fringe the 

 Lower California coast, together with the almost continuous "fishing 

 shelf," or zone of water less than 100 fathoms that stretches nearly 

 the whole length of the peninsula, afford very favorable conditions 

 for fish life. Almost all the fish taken in southern California waters 

 occur in equal or greater abundance south of the Mexican border 

 and later in the season. It seems that as the season advances the 

 fish migrate largely to the warmer waters of the south and in many 

 cases may be taKen there during the entire winter season. This fact 

 has had no little influence in inducing California fishermen to ex- 

 tend their operations into Mexican waters. 



The albacore, or long-finned tuna (Germo alalunga), alone of the 

 fish especially sought in the north, has not been taken south of 

 Cedros Island. The other tunas, yellow-fin and blue-fin {Germo 

 macropterus and Thunnus thynnus) , the so-called halibut iParalichthys 

 calif ornicus) , the barracuda (Sphyrsena argentea), the white sea bass 

 {Cynoscion nohilis), the jewfish or black sea bass (Stereolepis gigas), 

 the yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis) , the mackerel {Scomber japonicus) , the 

 bonito or skipjack {Sarda chilensis), the Spanish mackerel {Scombero- 

 morus sierra) , and others are found in great abundance and in some 

 cases all the year round in Lower California waters. All the fish 

 mentioned spawn in these waters, and considering the great extent 

 of the fishing grounds it will probably be many years before the effects 

 of intensive fishing will be seriously felt. 



What has been said of the abundance of fishes is also true of craw- 

 fish, turtles, and abalones. The turtle is rarely taken north of the 

 boundary line, and the others are so nearly fished out in United 

 States waters that the catch is small. 



Approximately 85 per cent of the catch of sea crawfish or spiny 

 lobster {Panulirus interruptus) brought into southern California 

 is taken in Mexican waters. The annual arrival is estimated at 

 about 4,000,000 pounds. In 1918 there were about 45 men, mostly 

 Japanese, divided into 15 or 20 camps, engaged in taking spiny 

 lobsters along the Lower California coast. The number of camps 

 varies from year to year, and it often happens that abalone and 

 turtle fishermen take spiny lobster as weU. In 1918 at Santa Rosalia, 

 in the Gulf of California, spmy lobsters were selling for 5 cents 

 apiece, or 2 cents American money, and were a drug on the market. 

 At the same time in San Pedro and San Diego the dealers were 

 paying the fishermen 20 cents a pound for these crustaceans. In 

 an endeavor to prevent the extinction of spiny lobsters south of the 

 line the Mexican Government declared a close season running from 



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