PISHEItlKS OF C"AL1K()I;NIA 



347 



The importance of San Pedro as a fishing jjoit is due to its ])i()\ini- 

 ity to the sardinc-fishiiii:: area and to its facilities for uidoadiii^ the 

 catch and for harboring the vessels in safety. The city of Los Anj^eles' 

 of which San Pedro is a part, recognized the possibilities and advan- 

 tages of a fish harbor, with the residt that special provision was 

 made for such a harbor in the general port development. It was 

 built at a cost of $1,875,000, has direct rail communication, is near a 

 large city, is well sheltered, and has provision for future expansion. 

 All necessary facilities for trade in fresh and frozen fish, salt fish, and 

 by-j)roducts, as well as for the canning industry, are to be found in 

 San Pedro. 



A breakwater protects the harbor, thereby making safe the moor- 

 ing and unloading of vessels. The harbor is located in the industrial 

 section of San Peclro, at a distance from other commercial enterprises. 

 At dead low water the soundings show 14 feet at the entrance and 

 edge of the piers and 12 feet in the center of the harbor. Control is 

 vested in the harbor department of the city of Los Angeles. There 



PER CENT OF TOTAL 



10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 



PER CENT OF 

 PRODUCTION 



PERCENT OF 



N0RTH£RN,5%J 



(AA76-A^, 



Figure 3. — Percentage distribution of California fish catch, by districts, 1927 



are no restrictions except that dead fish and refuse must not be 

 dumped in these waters. 



Surrounding the harbor are canning and by-products plants, each 

 of which is supplied wath railroad spurs from the main track. Pro- 

 vision for the trade in fresh and frozen fish is also possible, but the 

 companies engaged in this business are still all located across the 

 harbor in San Pedro proper, on a municipal fish pier paralleling the 

 harbor, w^here the market fishermen dispose of their catch to the 

 wholesalers. There are 16 w^holesale dealers located on this pier, of 

 whom 2 are American, 3 Japanese, 4 Slovak, and 7 Italian. 



In value to fishermen in 1927 the catch of the San Diego district, 

 with San Diego as the principal port, ranked second. This district, 

 important for its tuna fisheries, landed 9 per cent of the catch, and 

 its value was 21 per cent of the total. Following closely is the San 

 Francisco district, where San Francisco is the principal port. Here 

 11 per cent of the catch was landed, the value of which was 20 per 

 cent of the total. The fisheries of this district are conducted primarily 

 for several species of market fish, such as flounder, salmon, shad, and 

 crabs. Monterey district was fourth in importance, with 38 per cent 

 of the total catch and 13 per cent of the total value. Monterey, the 



12514°— 30 2 



