FISlIKlilES OF CAI.lFOItXlA 



349 



Employmenl in California fish canning and preserving industry, 1927^ 



Item 



Salaried ofllcers and employees. 



Salaries 



Average salary 



Wage earners (average number) 



Number 

 or amount 



28f) 



$742, 122 



$2, 595 



3,755 



Item 



Wapes - 



Average wage 



Value of canned products and by 

 products (1928). 



Number 

 or amount 



$2, 824, 080 

 $752 



$23, 901, 587 



1 Represents only firms whose products are valued at $5,000 and upward. 

 Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census. 



PILCHARDS, OR SARDINES 



Pilchards, or sardines, are fished in CaUfornia waters from the 

 vicinity of San Francisco southward to San Diego. This fish is a 

 pilchard {Sardina caerules), which is a true sardine in the sense 

 understood by scientists and is very similar to the pilchards canned 

 in Europe. Pilchards are surface swimming. Most of them are 

 taken with lampara nets, although considerable quantities are taken 

 in purse seines. Fishing is done at night, in the dark of the moon. 



Figure 5.— Percentage distribution of California fishery by-products, 1928 



The catch is made in the open ocean and in deep bays and inlets of 

 the section, often within a few hundred yards of the cannery itself. 

 The seasons are set by State law. In the vicinity of Monterey the 

 season begins August 1 and runs to February 15. In the vicinity of 

 San Pedro and San Diego the season begins on November 1 and 

 continues through to March 31. The season for large fish in the 

 vicinity of San Diego usually corresponds with the season in San 

 Pedro, while that for small fish continues throughout the spring. 

 The season at Monterey is at its peak in September and at San Pedro 

 in February. 



Most of the fishermen are Italians and Japanese, although there 

 are considerable numbers of Austrians and Yugoslavs. During the 

 off season considerable numbers of these, especially the Italians from 

 the Monterey district, migrate to Alaska and enter the salmon 

 fishery there. 



During 1927 the catch of pilchards amounted to 342,275,289 pounds 

 valued at $1,826,785 to the fishermen. This is the largest annual 

 catch on record. Of the total production 51 per cent was taken in 

 the Monterey district, 42 per cent in the San Pedro district, and the 

 remaining 7 per cent in the San Francisco and San Diego districts. 



