188 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 



As compared with the last investigation, the fisheries of the most 

 southern county in Cahfornia show considerable tiuctuation. The 

 decrease in the general building trade had called to other sections of 

 the State a largo number of men and their families, thus reducing the 

 home demand for food-fish, and consequently curtailing the extent of 

 the fisheries. Some attempts have recently been made to increase the 

 domestic and foreign trade in fish, but these efforts were scarcely suffi- 

 cient to retain the few fishermen employed. During 1892 a limited 

 quantity of fresh fish was shipped as far east as Denver, Colo., and one 

 carload, made up of crawfish (i. e., spiny lobsters), fresh fish, and salted 

 fish, was sent to Chicago and Philadelphia in a refrigerator car. It was 

 probably the first attempt to dispose of the abundant crawfish of the 

 west coast in the markets east of the Eocky Mountains. At the time 

 of this experiment the true lobsters were very scarce and of high price 

 in the East, and the crawfish was regarded as a fair substitute and 

 met with a ready sale at good prices. 



The yield of the fisheries of this county is nearly equally divided 

 between fish consumed in a fresh condition and those cured. The 

 aggregate amount of fish proper taken in 1892 was somewhat less than 

 in 1889, as may be seen from the following comparison : 



Fish. 



Fresh. 

 Cured 



Pounds. 

 630, 400 

 530, 220 



Poun ds. 

 522, 000 

 566, 365 



Total I 1,160,620 



1, 088, 365 



Both the dry and pickle cured fish are largely exported to the Sand- 

 wich Islands. Five-eighths of the catch is taken by means of small 

 vessels ranging in size from 7 to 15 tons. These vessels in most cases 

 frequent grounds south of San Diego. Sometimes, if fish are not 

 found nearer, they resort to grounds 100 miles from the home port. 

 The crew usually consists of three men, who emj)loy hand and troll 

 lines. About three-eighths of the catch is obtained by small boats 

 fishing nearer the shore. The shore fishermen go out in the morning 

 and return the same evening, fishing along the coast some 10 to 15 

 miles south of San Diego, and about tlie same distance north from 

 Point Loma, at the entrance to the harbor of San Diego. 



Chinese junks were formerly much used by the Chinese fishermen of 

 San Diego County. In 1888 thirteen of various sizes were engaged in 

 fishing. Year by year the Chinese have been withdrawing from the 

 business, deeming it too hazardous on account of the danger from 

 seizure by the Mexican (lovernment for illegal fishing, and the possi- 

 bility of not being permitted to reenter the United States. The junk 

 fishermen, sailing under no flag, have been obliged to pay alien port 

 charges, which raateriall}'^ reduced the profits of the business. In a 



