276 KEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The next importaut lisliing-ground south of roiiit Reyes is Drake 

 Bay. Drag seines are used exchisively, as tlie species which inhabit 

 tliis hicality are most readily captured by this method. Large boats 

 engage in the fishery in this bay, from three to live going in company 

 and eacli taking its turn in carrying the catcli to market. 



Ballenas Bay, not far from the Golden Gate, is a favorite locality for 

 the use of the trammel net. Red rockfish, sea bass, and cultus-cod are 

 the species chielly taken. 



Directly south of the Golden Gate, between Point Lobos and Point 

 San Pedro, is a stretch of barren coast, about 11 miles long. The fish- 

 ermen account for the scarcity of fish in this region by the presence of 

 sea lions, which inhabit the ledges and all available places along the 

 shore. . From May to September trawl and hand-line fishing is carried 

 on between Point San Pedro and Point Ano Nuevo, mainly for red 

 rockfish. As before mentioned, the San Francisco fishermen do not 

 work farther south than Point Ano Nuevo, but below that place other 

 fishermen pursue their calling in close proximity to the coast. 



About the Farallon Islands is located one of the chief fishing-grounds 

 off the coast of California. Fishing is actively carried on in this region 

 from September to May. The principal anchorage is off the south side 

 of the South Farallon. The ground surrounding this island is, as a 

 rule, more productive than that adjacent to either the Middle or North 

 Farallones. The bottom is exceedingly rough and rocky, and much 

 fishing gear is frequently lost upon it. 



Fanny Shoal is a small spot of fishing ground, on which large catches 

 are sometimes made. The center of the shoal lies 3i miles northwest- 

 erly from the North Farallon. 



CordellBank is located some 10 miles northwestof Fanny Shoal, and 

 during the winter months it is resorted to by a few of the large boats 

 from San Francisco, which fish for cultus-cod and red rockfish. The 

 fishermen, however, have very little knowledge respecting the size and 

 characteristics of the bank, and take no paius to increase their stock of 

 information regarding it. 



The ground examined by the steamer Alhatroftft during the early 

 spring of 18i)0 extends from Point Arena to Santa Barbara. Time 

 would not permit of aninvestigation of all the small bays and indenta- 

 tions, but att(!ntion was chiefly paid to localities of greatest importance. 

 The fishing-grouiuls south of the Golden Gate, exclusive of the bays, do 

 not differ greatly from those along the northern coast of C'alilbrnia. 

 The 30-fathom curve is about Ih miles from the shore off Bodega Head, 

 and at Point Kcyes above 2h miles. Its distance from the land in- 

 creases ra])i(lly from this point, and it turns abru])tly seaVard to inclose 

 the Middle and South Farallones. At Pigeon Point, 38 miles south of 

 the Golden Gate, it is again only about 2i miles from shore, and thence 

 to Santa Gruz it continues nearly parallel with the coast. The 100- 

 fathom curve passes ch)se to Cordell Bank and the Farallon Islands, and 

 from the latter locality to off Point Alio Nuevo it runs nearly parallel 



