PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES 



Bonlto. The 9 .2-mllllon-pouncl production declined 8.0 million compared with 1969, and was the 

 smallest harvest In 5 years. The bonlto fishery fluctuates widely. It has ranged from a low of 

 128,000 pounds In 1956 to a peak 21.2 million pounds In 1957. Early In the year, vessel owners 

 and southern California canneries agreed on the price of bonlto. Fishermen got $140 per ton for 

 3- to 4-pound fish, and $165 per ton for fish over 4 pounds. 



Sea scallops . Landings of 1.5 million pounds of meats worth $1.5 million declined 24 percent in 

 volume and 4 percent In value compared with 1969. Alaska accounted for 99 percent of the quan- 

 tity and value of the landings. Washington had the remaining 1 percent. Alaska had seven active 

 scallop vessels — compared with 15 In 1969. The fishing effort centered in the Gulf of Alaska, and 

 about 98 percent of the landings were made In the Kodlak area. Alaska fishermen received an av- 

 erage price per pound of $1.03 — compared with 82 cents in 1969. 



Clams . Landings of 872,000 pounds of clam meats were 209,000 pounds more than in 1969, and 

 the best harvest since 1962. The gain resulted principally from Washington landings of 285, 000 

 pounds of razor clams (up 169 percent) and 470,000 pounds of hard clams (up 6 percent). A fish- 

 ery for geoduck clams developed in Washington. A survey made by divers for the State Department 

 of Fisheries indicated that a substantial supply of several million pounds of geoducks was avail- 

 able in waters of Puget Sound where diving gear could be used. These large "king" clams with 

 enormous necks can be reached by divers using underwater air or water jets. Three diving crews 

 produced about 21 , 000 pounds of shucked geoducks worth $13, 000 . Mostofthe clams were steaked 

 for restaurant use . 



Pacific sardines . Landings of 442, 000 pounds increased 337 , 000 pounds compared with 1969 — but 

 were far below the record 1.5 billion pounds taken in 1936. In an effort to conserve the Pacific 

 sardine resource, the California Legislature enacted a law in 1967 providing for a 2-year morator- 

 ium on sardine fishing in California waters. In 1969, the moratorium was continued indefinitely, 

 with the exception that sardines may be taken for bait under permits issued by the California De- 

 partment of Fish and Game. The annual quota for bait is limited to 250 short tons, and when this 

 quota has been reached, the permit holder is notified. Thereafter sardines cannot be taken except 

 incidentally with catches of other fish, and may not exceed 15 percent by weight of a load. Sar- 

 dines taken as incidental catch may be used only for canning or reduction, but not for bait. 



Other information . Additional data may be found in the California monthly landings bulletins pub- 

 lished in the Current Fishery Statistics Series by the Statistics and Market News Division in co- 

 operation with the State. Information on many aspects of the Pacific Coast Fisheries appear in 

 daily, monthly, and annual reports published by the NMFS Fishery Market News Office in Termi- 

 nal Island, California, and Seattle, Washington. 



Acknowledgments . The following organizations helped collect the data appearing in this section: 

 Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Washington Department of Fisheries, Oregon Fish Commis- 

 sion, and California Department of Fish and Game. 



