130 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



are steelhead. Rut the scales give an 

 additional proof, in the presence of 

 "spawning scars." A steelhpad leaves the 

 sea and enters fresh water to spawn, and, 

 during this process, leaves oft" feeding to 

 a great extent and becomes thin through 

 the absorption of the fat of the body. 

 Even the edges of the scales imbedded in 

 the scale pockets of the skin are eaten 

 away, so that when the fish begins feed- 

 ing again the scales take on new growth 

 and a scar is left representing the ragged, 

 eaten-away edge of the old scale. This 

 constitutes the "spawning scar." Five 

 per cent, or more, of steelhead show in 

 this manner that they have previously 

 spawned. Not so in the case of the salmon. 

 They never show the "spawning scar," 

 for they all die after spawning and growth 

 is not resumed before death. Some of the 

 fish examined in this instance showed 

 these spawning scars, thus giving the 

 additional proof that they were steelhead. 

 The only salmon with which the steel- 

 head is likely to ever be confused is the 

 silver salmon, or coho salmon. The silver 

 salmon invariably matures and spawns 

 at three years. In the case of the steel- 

 head, spawning individuals will be found 

 ranging from three to six years of age — 

 all of which is clearly shown by tlie 

 scales. N. B. ScoFiELn. 



ANNUAL FISHERY PRODUCTS OF 

 CALIFORNIA. 



The fisheries of California take 

 annually 86,900,000 pounds of fish, for 

 which the fishermen receive $4,000,000. 



Five thousand men are engaged in fish- 

 ing for profit in this state. 



Fishing gear, including boats, nets and 

 lines used in the state, is valued at 

 $1,250,000. 



TUNA INDUSTRY. 

 The tuna industry has grown until now 

 it is Ihe largest of our commercial fish- 

 erics. During the past season, the can- 

 ners of southern California put up 350,000 

 cases, which were worth, wholesale, about 

 $1,000,000. The weight of the fish re- 

 (juired for this number of cases was 

 2.^,000.000 pounds, or more than double 

 the total weight of salmon taken in the 

 state. Besides this, 1,000,000 pounds 

 were salted, dried or fresh. The long- 

 finned tuna, the only variety canned, is 



a fish of wide distribution and spawns 

 in the tropical waters of Mexico. It 

 comes north in countless numbers, follow- 

 ing the schools of sardines upon which it 

 feeds. It is not believed that the present 

 large take of tuna will seriously reduce 

 the supply. At least, no action is contem- 

 plated to restrict fishing, as no young or 

 spawning fish are taken in the state 

 waters. 



A NEW FISH HATCHERY FOR SAN 

 BERNARDINO COUNTY. 



Due to the interest and energy of the 

 San Bernardino Trout Association, San 

 Bernardino County now has a trout 

 hatchery with a capacity of four million 

 fish. The hatchery is located on the 

 south side of Bear Lake and cost about 

 twelve hundred dollars. It was built 

 under the supervision of Mr. E. W. Hunt, 

 superintendent of the Tahoe Hatchery. 



The expense of the hatchery is to be 

 borne by the members of the county asso- 

 ciation, and no money will be solicited out- 

 side of the county. The Board of County 

 Supervisors will have charge of the dis- 

 tribution of the fish hatched and will see 

 to it that local streams are well stocked 

 with the output. 



The stated purposes of the San Ber- 

 nardino County Trout Association are as 

 follows : 



To finance and build a hatchery in Big 

 Bear Valley and to use the output for 

 the replenishing of the trout supply of 

 the streams in San Bernardino County. 



To turn the operation of the hatchery 

 plant over to the State Fish and Game 

 Commission. 



To turn the distribution of the fry ma- 

 terial over to the San Bernardino County 

 Supervisors. 



To promote, protect and further the 

 game and fish supply of the county in 

 every way possible. 



To in no way interfere with the work 

 of the State Fish and Game Commission, 

 but by direct means, by its influence and 

 membership to increase its usefulness. 



MARKET FISHERMEN DISSATISFIED 

 WITH FISH LAWS. 



In southern California the market fish- 

 ermen are working earnestly to secure the 

 repeal of several sections of the fish and 

 game laws during the session of the legis- 



