368 U, S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES \ 



CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 



The fishery resources of the State of California have been declared 

 the property of the State, and their taking and manufacture is regu- 

 lated by acts of the legislature through the department of natural 

 resources. 



The division of fish and game of the department of natural resources 

 is interested in the fisheries and licenses anglers, commercial fishing, 

 and fish-manufacturing establishments, and regulates their operations. 

 In addition, this division collects statistical data on the commercial 

 fisheries and prepares this information in such a form that the real 

 abundance of the fisheries can be determined. These statistical data 

 are obtained by reports from the fishermen, wholesale establishments, 

 and canneries, and cover such information as size of catch, method 

 of capture, where taken, where landed, production of manufactured 

 products, and other similar information. 



Statistical reports of this nature enable the division to have on 

 file facts to be used as a basis for wise legislation. Further, these 

 statistical reports are of economic importance to the trade and serve 

 as a basis for their operations. 



The division also makes biological studies of the important fisheries, 

 the most conspicuous of which during recent years has been the study 

 of the sardine fishery. These studies guide the type of statistical 

 information requested of the trade, determine measures to restrict 

 fishing operations, and assist to eidarge a fishery where this may be 

 done without danger to the supply. 



For the conduct of its investigations pertaining to fish the division 

 operates a modern, up-to-date laboratory at Terminal, Cahf. This 

 is the base for the operations of the statisticians and biologists of 



the State fisheries. 



GAME FISHING 



The place of the game fishes, particularly the trouts, in the South- 

 western States is of some importance. In these States the presence 

 or absence of trout fishing is to a considerable extent correlated with 

 altitude. An altitude of 5,000 feet upward, whether it be in Arizona 

 or northern Idaho, wall generally signify the presence of snow-fed 

 streams, whose low temperatures will support trout. Consequently, 

 in spite of the preponderance of arid country in Arizona, New Mexico, 

 and parts of Utah and Nevada, the mountain streams and the larger 

 permanent w^ater courses in the lower altitudes will aft'ord excellent 

 trout fishing for the native western cutthroat, rainbow, and intro- 

 duced brook trout. California ofl'ers advantages for fine trout 

 fishing. 



In many sections of the Pacific Southwest the relative inaccessi- 

 bility of the fishing waters has prevented overfishing, and conse- 

 quently the angler will enjoy better sport than in the more populous 

 vSections w^hich are easily reached. 



While warm-water game fish of the type of bass and others are 

 not native to many of the watersheds in the Southwest, they have 

 been introduced in several sections and have become well established, 

 so that waters which would otherwise be devoid of food or game fish 

 are now capable of furnishing an immediate supply of both. The 

 large irrigation reservoirs in Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and the other 

 States have been stocked with bass, catfish, and similar species and 



