PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1937 37 



enkof-Pillar Bay area on the west coast of Kuiu Island, increasing 

 the catch in that area, but causing a lower catch in the Cape Ommaney 

 region. Such differential schooling has been observed before, es- 

 peciallj^ when, owing to the failure of a series of spawnings, the 

 population is composed of age groups of marked size difference. 



The jfishery in the Kodiak area, originally developed for the curing 

 of herring, was expanded in 1935 to one for reduction. With this 

 change in tlie method of utilization there followed a change in the 

 type and intensity of fishing activity — a change which has resulted 

 in a tremendous increase in the poundage taken from this area, A 

 similar change has occurred in the Prince William Sound district, 

 although the shift from curing to reduction has been more gradual. 

 Owing to limited personnel, adequate collection of data from these 

 areas has lapsed during the past few years. With the rapid expan- 

 sion of the fishery, however, it was deemed essential that records 

 of the catch and of the size and age composition of the catch again 

 be collected in order that signs of depletion might be detected before 

 the fishery declines to the point of commercial extinction, as it did 

 in these areas in early years, 



PACIFIC PILCHARD INVESTIGATIONS 

 O. E. Sette, in charge 



From relative insignificance in pre-war years, the fishery for the 

 Pacific pilchard, also known as California sardine, {Sardinops 

 caerulea) has grown to enormous proportions, a total catch of over 

 750,000 tons being landed in the season of 1936-37. This is a quan- 

 tity three times as great as the annual landings of all other kinds of 

 fish in the Pacific Coast States. Attending the expansion of this 

 fishery has been the growth of public concern over the ability of the 

 resource to provide such large catches without endangering the future 

 supply. In California, where most of the catch is taken, this con- 

 cern has been felt for a number of years and has been expressed in 

 State regulations placing certain restrictions on the use of this 

 fish for reduction to meal and oil. In offshore waters, beyond the 3- 

 mile limit, floating reduction ships have operated without restric- 

 tions — a condition considered intolerable by shore operators and 

 State authorities. 



The seeking of Federal legislation intended to place the offshore 

 operations under State jurisdiction brought Federal attention to the 

 controversial situation in California. At the same time the legisla- 

 tures of Washington and Oregon petitioned Congress for a Federal 

 scientific investigation of the pilchard resource which was being 

 fished wath increasing vigor in the waters off their shores. As a 

 result, the appropriations of the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries were 

 increased to provide for a Pacific pilchard investigation. The funds 

 became available July 1, 1937, and before the end of the year a staff 

 headed by Oscar E. Sette was detailed to the investigation. The 

 kindness of Stanford University in providing generous laboratory 

 space has led to the establishment of headquarters at a point cen- 

 trally located with respect to the fishery. Since this investigation 

 lies in a field in which the several States, notably California, are 

 conducting important research, their cooperation in formulating a 

 program and in furnishing data has been of great value. 



