188 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 
As compared with the last investigation, the fisheries of the most 
southern county in California show considerable fluctuation. The 
decrease in the general building trade had called to other sections of 
the State a large number of men and their families, thus reducing the 
home demand for food-fish, and consequently curtailing the extent of 
the fisheries. Some attempts have recently been made to increase the 
domestic and foreign trade in fish, but these efforts were scarcely suffi- 
cient to retain the few fishermen employed. During 1892 a limited 
quantity of fresh fish was shipped as far east as Denver, Colo., and oue 
carload, made up of crawfish (1. e., spiny lobsters), fresh fish, and salted 
fish, was sent to Chicago and Philadelphia in a refrigerator car. It was 
probably the first attempt to dispose of the abundant crawfish of the 
west coast in the markets east of the Rocky Mountains. At the time 
of this experiment the true lobsters were very scarce and of high price 
in the East, and the crawfish was regarded as a fair substitute and 
met with a ready sale at good prices. 
The yield of the fisheries of this county is nearly equally divided 
between fish consumed in a fresh condition and those cured. The 
aggregate amount of fish proper taken in 1892 was somewhat less than 
in 1889, as may be seen from the following comparison: 
Fish. 1889. 1892. 
Pounds. Pounds. 
PTGS Hie c-ceeei ce oa aise. on Sine Eye tee Dicinelam sosiacis Sie ee eeniselemne wate meme aieeeee aeeeine 630, 400 522, 000 
COE CO eines cigs ce ec clans Se ne nee ee es aie anne Scie tine etic ieciseeiene eceice re ceere 530, 220 566, 365 
| | = 
11 8G) 21 Be ees aS 5 AS BiG Se DOC RE Ce Sosa bona CE a Ae CESS SOSSaRGaac | 1,160,620 | 1, 088, 365 
Both the dry and pickle cured fish are largely exported to the Sand- 
wich Islands. Five-eighths of the catch is taken by means of small 
vessels ranging in size from 7 to 15 tons. These vessels in most cases 
frequent grounds south of San Diego. Sometimes, if fish are not 
found nearer, they resort to grounds 100 miles from the home port. 
The crew usually consists of three men, who employ hand and troll 
lines. About three-eighths of the catch is obtaied by small boats 
fishing nearer the shore. The shore fishermen go out in the morning 
and return the same evening, fishing along the coast some 10 to 15 
miles south of San Diego, and about the same distance north from 
Point Loma, at the entrance to the harbor of San Diego. 
Chinese junks were formerly much used by the Chinese fishermen of 
San Diego County. In 1888 thirteen of various sizes were engaged in 
fishing. Year by year the Chinese have been withdrawing from the 
business, deeming it too hazardous on account of the danger from 
seizure by the Mexican Government for illegal fishing, and the possi- 
bility of not being permitted to reeiiter the United States. The junk 
fishermen, sailing ander no flag, have been obliged to pay alien port 
charges, which materially reduced the profits of the business. In a 
