154 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



courses of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and in San Fran- 

 cisco, San Pablo, and Suisun bays, and to the San Francisco fish 

 trade. Some valuable data relating to the acclimatized fishes were 

 obtained from the records of the wholesale dealers. Through the 

 courtesy of the California Fish Commission several days were passed 

 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta, where are located the principal 

 spawning-grounds of the shad and striped bass and important fishing- 

 grounds for them, salmon, and other species. 



A short visit was made to San Pedro, in Los Angeles County, for 

 the purpose of investigating the sardine fishing and canning at that 

 place. While the sardine (Clupea sagdx) is found along the whole 

 length of the west coast, it appears that it is only in the southern part 

 of its range that it occurs in sufficient abundance and with enough 

 regularity to permit the prosecution of a successful business. A sar- 

 dine cannery was established at San Pedro in 1893. This is the only 

 cannery of the kind now on the Pacific Coast, although for a number 

 of years prior thereto sardine canning had been done at San Francisco. 

 Sardines of suitable size are quite abundant, and the prospects seem 

 very favorable. In connection with the capture and utilization of sar- 

 dines, a scombroid fish (Trachurus picturatus), locally called Spanish 

 mackerel, is taken and canned. 



At Astoria and Portland attention was given to the important fish- 

 eries for salmon and sturgeon and to the canning industry. The preva- 

 lence of unprecedentedly high water prevented a visit to the interesting 

 wheel and other fisheries of the Upper Columbia River. Some very 

 suggestive detailed statistics regarding the present and past condition 

 of the salmon industry were secured at Astoria. A canvass among 

 cauners and others interested in the fishing industry and deeply con- 

 cerned in the preservation of the salmon showed that while all looked 

 to extensive artificial propagation as affording the most certain relief, 

 practically all favored the establishing of a close time throughout April 

 or August, or both. 



INQUIRY REGARDING WHITING. 



In the summer of 1893 an inquiry regarding the edible qualities of 

 the whiting (Merlucius bilinear is) was made. This fish is a member of 

 the cod family, and occurs in great abundance on. the New England 

 coast. It reaches an average length of about 20 inches. It is known 

 as whiting, silver hake, and Old England hake. Attention has from 

 time to time been drawn to the probable economic value of the fish, in 

 the publications of the Commission. In a report on the fisheries of 

 the New England States, printed in the Fish Commission Bulletin 

 for 1890, the following reference to this fish was made: 



Although the whiting, as it comes from the water, is one of the best flavored and 

 most nutritions of our food-fishes, the difficulty of keeping it fresh and in good con- 

 dition when iced has militated against its utilization to a large extent for market 

 purposes. Often great quantities are taken in pound nets and floating traps, hut 



