218 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



In obedience to your order of March 3, I took passage on the steamer Santa Rosa 

 the same day, arriving in Redondo Sunday morning, March 4. I commenced as soon 

 as possible to get at the facts by personal observation, and obtained also the ideas of 

 fishermen as to the cause of the destruction of such great numbers offish. Some of the 

 fishermen at first thought that giant powder had been used, as there had been heard 

 a number of loud explosions offshore a short time before the dead fish were seen on 

 the surface; others claimed to have seen the water spout up into the air. After an 

 investigation it was found that none of the fishermen were out at the time, as the 

 water was then too rough for fishing with safety. 



The first appearance of these fish was on the 24th of February, and for the first 

 two or three days A r ery few were seen, but on the 28th thousands of fish appeared on 

 the surface of the water, both dead and alive; the live ones appeared to be unable 

 to keep below the surface, or were trying to avoid deep water; those that got too 

 near the shore in shallow water were thrown upon the beach. Most of the dead ones 

 were carried out to sea by currents, and were probably eaten by gulls, as not a gull 

 has been seen along the shore since the first fish made their appearance. 



I examined the beach for several miles at Redondo, and found barracuda, flatfish, 

 sardines, whiteiish, red rockfish, anchovies, sea bass, and yellow-fins; the most 

 numerous of the large fish were barracuda and flatfish. In the distance of half a 

 mile I counted 168 flatfish and 225 barracuda, and in the same distance were a 

 thousand or more sardines and other small species. I secured a number of specimens 

 of sardines, anchovies, and red rockfish alive as they were thrown upon the beach 

 by the surf. At this date, March 4, very few fish of any kind were to be seen on the 

 surface, and no dead ones. I also succeeded in getting some fine specimens of bar- 

 racuda and flatfish alive. 



I examined very carefully a large number of fish, both living and dead; in every 

 case the stomach of the fish was empty, and those that were thrown upon the beach 

 dead had their gall bladders ruptured. The gills of the live ones were natural in 

 color, but had patches of yellow slime attached to them which had a strong odor of 

 petroleum. These fish are being used for food on the steamers and at the hotels, and 

 also shipped to Los Angeles for the market, but no bad effects have as yet been 

 reported from eating them. 



Of course, such an unusual occurrence caused great excitement among the fisher- 

 men. Mr. E. P. Maxey, of Redondo, states that he was born on the coast of southern 

 California and has been a fisherman most of his life, and that nothing of the kind has 

 ever happened before. 



It is an established fact that there are oil springs all along the southern California 

 coast, in from 2 to 700 feet of water, and from 1 to 10 miles from shore; and, as uew 

 springs have occurred in localities where they have never before been seen, and at 

 the same time that the fish first appeared on the surface, the only explanation prob- 

 able is that some seismic disturbance has taken place in the ocean not far from the 

 mainland which has caused new springs to burst forth, throwing out an unusual 

 amount of oil and gas, and that one or more of these springs have appeared on the 

 banks or feeding grounds of the fish. The fish in the immediate neighborhood of 

 these springs were probably killed by the explosion; those farther away were 

 doubtless stunned or affected by the escaping oil and gas, which caused them to 

 come to the surface, and from the effects of which it took them several days to 

 recover. 



On March 5 I visited Santa Monica, but found very few fish on the beach, and none 

 floating on the surface. On the return trip to San Diego I kept a careful lookout 

 for floating fish, but saw none. 



A scientific examination of San Diego Bay was commenced by Mr. 

 Miller on the 23d of February and completed March 25. The beaches 

 were examined with a seine; then the boat dredge and oyster tongs 



