136 FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
packing. The meat as it comes from the shell is a tough, and it 
is necessary to pound it well with sticks in order to break the fiber. 
Abalone were not taken in the southern counties of California during 
1915 for commercial purposes, the law prohibiting having more than 
10 of them in one’s possession at one time, precluding any effort 
toward commercializing the fishery. In past years considerable quan- 
tities were taken in Los Angeles County. 
Santa Cruz County.—The aggregate product of the fisheries of 
this county in 1915 was 3,952,257 pounds, valued at $125,077. 
Nearly 50 per cent of this amount was sole, the catch of that species 
amounting to 1,892,600 pounds, valued at $52,315. Flounders also 
contributed largely to this total, the catch being 746,935 pounds, val+ 
ued at $21,596. ‘The entire catch of sole and flounders was taken in 
paranzellanets. ‘‘Lingcod,” hake, kingfish, and other species are also 
taken in these nets. 
With the exception of crabs, the gill-net catch of this county 
is of minor importance. The crab gill nets do not differ in general 
construction from any other. They are made of No.6 cotton twine, 
about 45 fathoms long, 15 feet deep, and 74-inch mesh. They 
are put out in the evening, usually about six of the 45-fathom 
lengths in a string, and sunk so that the lead line is near the bottom, 
with a buoy line attached to each end. They are permitted to 
drift during the night and are taken up in the morning. This 
method of fishing crabs has been in vogue for about four years and is 
usually quite remunerative. Crab lines are not used here, but a 
small number of crabs are taken in paranzella nets. The catch of 
crabs in 1915 was 233,473 pounds, valued at $15,917. 
Rockfishes and salmon constituted the bulk of the line catch. 
The rockfishes taken amounted to 378,478 pounds, fresh, valued 
at $11,355, and 8,000 pounds, salted, valued at $400. The catch” 
of chinook salmon amounted to 100,592 pounds, valued at $4,023, 
and that of silver salmon to 28,697 pounds, valued at $1,147. 
Some “‘lingcod;” sablefish, and kingfish were also taken by lines. 
Octopi have been known to exist in this region for some time 
and have been taken in paranzella nets, but no special effort has 
been made to capture them until recently. A Santa Cruz fisherman 
constructed some traps for the purpose of catching crabs, but on 
lifting the traps found them filled with octopi instead of crabs and 
decided they could be taken in sufficient quantities to justify fur- 
ther efforts. These traps are made of galvanized wire of 1-inch 
mesh and are about 3 feet long, 24 feet wide, and 14 feet high. They 
have openings in the top about 8 inches square for the entrance of 
the octopi, and doors in the end for the removal of the catch. The 
traps are baited with skates or any fish offal that is available, and 
are set singly with a buoy line attached to each. The season is 
chiefly durimg the winter and spring. The catch is shipped to San 
Francisco, where there is quite a demand from the Orientals, who 
consider this fish a delicacy. Only 6,000 pounds, valued at $600, 
were taken during 1915, but there is every reason to believe that 
subsequent years will show a considerable increase in this business. 
Practically all the catch of this county is shipped to San Francisco, 
by several wholesale dealers in Santa Cruz, and practically all the 
fishermen of the county hail from that point. The investment in 
the fisheries of the county for the year was $71,275, and the total 
number of persons employed was 65. 
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