PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 197 



Joaquin takes it rise in the semitropical section of the soiithern part 

 of the State, and flows northward hundreds of miles through a warm 

 region. The Sacramento, with its head waters among the perpetually 

 snow covered Sierra Nevada Mountains, flows south many hundred 

 miles, and, through numerous passages, mingles with the San Joaquin 

 and is lost in the tide waters of the bay. These two streams constantly 

 carry with them a large amount of minute animal and vegetable life, 

 much of which must find a congenial home in San Francisco Bay and 

 furnish a large and varied quantity of food for the fish life of the fresh, 

 brackish, and salt waters. 



Another interesting feature of the bay is the almost uniform temper- 

 ature of the water, there being only a few degrees variation at any 

 season of the year. That the conditions are extremely favorable to 

 the support of aquatic life is demonstrated in the rapid increase and 

 permanent residence of the several fine food-fishes introduced from the 

 Atlantic Coast by the Government. Some of the fishes thus acclima- 

 tized are naturally anadromous, but in San Francisco Bay, contrary 

 to their usually migratory habits, they do not appear to have any 

 desire to spend much if any of their existence in the ocean. 



Another feature which has its influence upon the quantity of animal 

 life present in San Francisco Bay is the absence of fishing banks or 

 submerged chains of mountains off the coast of California adjacent to 

 the Golden Gate. Fishing-grounds such as are found off the coast 

 of the Atlantic States do not occur within many hundred miles of the 

 California coast. It may therefore be assumed that during very stormy 

 weather numbers of the near-shore marine fishes would seek food and 

 shelter inside the Golden Gate, where, finding favorable conditions, 

 many remain. 



THE MARKET FISHERIES. 



The fresh-fish business of San Francisco presents few changes or 

 improvements. Fish are handled in the same primitive manner often 

 described and always noticed by everyone that takes any interest in 

 visiting the fish markets. The fish are seldom dressed and but a small 

 amount of ice is used. Several of the dealers united as one company 

 during 1892 and have made quite an improvement in having larger and 

 more inviting quarters in which to transact their business. Six days 

 in the week, every week in the year, with the exception of a few stormy 

 days, the little lateen-rigged fishing boats sail out in the morning for 

 the same fishing-grounds, with the same kind of fishing gear, nets, or 

 trawls; with little trouble they catch the same varieties of fish, and the 

 evening finds them back in their fishing dock. 



The use of steamers, recommended in a previous report, in place of 

 sail vessels is slowly taking place. The first steamer to engage in the 

 market fisheries began work in or about 1885. This vessel was a tug 

 that combined towing part of the time with fishing, when not other- 

 wise engaged. During 1801 several of the wholesale firms united and 

 added two steamers to the business, and in 1892 one more was added, 



