FISHERIES OF CALIFOT?NIA 



357 



in abundant quantities llii-ou<jhout the yeai", niakino; it possible to 

 can them duriii<i; the ofl' seasons for sardine and tuna, thereby reduc- 

 ing the overhead expenses of the cannery. Formerly, mackerel were 

 taken by hook and line, but now that greater (piantities are necessary 

 to satisfy demands by canners, the purse seine is being used. The 

 canned product finds favor in oriental markets. 



Salmon, formerly one of the leading canning species of California 

 fish, now find their chief demand as market hsh. 



The first salmon cannery on the Pacific coast was established in 

 1864 on a houseboat in the Sacramento River, hear the town of Yolo. 

 That year about 2,000 cases of forty-eight 1-pound cans were packed. 

 During the following years canneries were established at other points 

 in California and the fishery prospered, although no annual reported 

 catch ever greatly exceeded 13,000,000 pounds. The largest pro- 

 duction of canned salmon was reported in 1882, when 200,000 cases 

 (on the basis of forty-eight 1 -pound cans) were packed. Since then 

 the production has steadily declined, that for 1928 barely exceeding 

 2,500 cases, valued at about $43,000. 



The production of mild-cured salmon in 1928 amounted to 1,500,000 

 pounds, which is slightly smaller than that for the past several years. 

 The largest pack on record was made in 1909, when about 5,000,000 

 pounds were packed. The product is packed in tierces holding about 

 800 pounds each. It is marketed in this and foreign countries. 



Pack of canned salmon in California 1864-1928 



' Converted to the equivalent of forty-eight 1-pound cans to the case. 



2 Data not available. 



Source: Pacific Fisherman; U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, 



