PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 



149 



In tlie foregoing figures, the products have, Avherever practicable, 

 been reduced to the common unit of a pound. In the following table 

 such products as crabs, clams, oysters, etc., that are commonly sold on 

 a different basis, and the pelts of marine mammals of which only the 

 value is given in the above table, are shown by number, bushels, etc., 

 as the case may be. 



Species. 



Crabs number.. 



Clams, hard bushels.. 



Clams, soft do 



Mussels do 



Oysters do 



Hair-seal and sea-lion pelts number.. 



Fur-seal pelts do 



Sea-otter pelts do 



Whale oil gallons . . 



954, 107 



6,850 



33, 620 



48, 000 



178, 645 



535 



14,710 



235 



209, 979 



SHAD AND STRIPED BASS. 



Among the most interesting and important information that may be 

 presented regarding the fisheries of California is that concerning the 

 remarkable success attending the introduction of shad and striped bass 

 in the waters of the State. While much has already been said and 

 written on this subject, tlie following data, representing the personal 

 inquiries of the writer, are thought to contain some points of interest 

 not before generally known. 



Soon after the shad first began to be caught in the gill nets of the 

 salmon fishermen of San Francisco Bay and Sacramento River, the fish 

 were protected by State law, and the few examples occasionally smug- 

 gled into the San Francisco market sometimes brought the fishermen 

 $5 apiece. The rapid increase of the fish, however, soon made it appar- 

 ent that further protection was unnecessary, and, accordingly, in 1889 

 the restrictions on capture were removed. In the year named the fish 

 were so abundant that at times they sold for 10 cents per pound. In 

 1892 the catch had become so large that the price at which the fish were 

 retailed in San Francisco was only 2 or 3 cents per pound, two fish often 

 being sold for 25 cents. At times the Sau' Francisco Bay fishermen 

 were able to sell their catch at only 1 cent a pound. In other parts of 

 the State, where only a small number of shad are taken incidentally 

 during the salmon fishery, much higher prices are received in the local 

 market. 



The catch of shad in California waters is made chiefly in San Fran- 

 cisco Bay and Sacramento Eiver, Monterey Bay continues to be the 

 southern limit on the coast at which shad are found. More fish are 

 taken on the north side of the bay by the Santa Cruz fishermen than 

 elsewhere in that region. The mountain streams which enter the bay 

 at Santa Cruz may be responsible for the presence of the shad only on 

 that side of the bay. The fish is also taken in small numbers in all the 



