192 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The quantities of cured fish shipped from Wilmington in the years 
1889 to 1892, inclusive, were as follows: 
Species. 1889. | 1890. | 1891. 1892. 
Pounds. | Pounds. | Pounds. | Pounds. 
INYO Ward le eae enassacia se oosceso na bbooancodcgecctnds sect sg sais 9, 023 9,059 | 175, 229 109, 457 
Ware INeSs sae sees ee cae eee ee = we ee teteele alent tt tetanic 2, 256 2, 265 48, 807 27, 364 
NS APTAC TIGA oe ce cote ce alter alates alate Steeieobe taletetalarareteterfot cate 6, 766 6,794 | 131,421 82, 094 
UNO tiallit saeco cme aes oleh ale le fee See a reece ate late aie el = aaron iat bietelsteletere 18, 045 18, 118 350, 458 218, 915 
Additional shipments of prepared products were as follows: 
Products. 1889. 1890. 1891. 1892. 
J MiG nal hn eine SACRO l BOC OUCDU OOS GCUROCCeaaEebCE pounds. . 3, 170 430 430) |2 22-2 -- oe 
PAballone Shells ei cose. sece ek cc occa ecco accenose cemnise do. 22: 125400 aetna 1,375: | aaoees eee 
Seca ito (aisle Sapeeseocee sa Orer es HOBOS OoDRoaon soAbLonnor dor TE j}000) S222 Stee steer eeeee - 4,130 
Sie MElern Ohl po Gata Soe DeeeeSeaebaues Socerooobp uae ndsase gallons. . 960 6400 Soeeemacee Sea ee ee 
Los Angeles, the principal community in the county, has no fisheries, 
but is the chief distributing-point for fishery products caught in the 
waters of the county and consumed in many of the interior towns of 
southern California. Nearly all the fresh fish shipped from the different 
fishing stations of the county is sent by rail or team to the wholesale 
and retail dealers of Los Angeles. A somewhat unusual feature of the 
business is the contracting by the dealers for all the fish caught by 
the fishermen at a uniform price per pound, usually 4 cents, regardless 
of the different species. Dealers in Los Angeles are experimenting in 
the smoking, pickling, and canning of several of the desirable food- 
fishes found on the coast of the county. The barracuda have been 
smoked and pronounced by experts equal to finnan haddies, of which 
considerable quantities were previously imported from the East. The 
bull’s-eye mackerel has been pickled to some extent; this is a very 
good food-fish in a fresh condition, but owing to the deficiency of fat 
in its flesh it does not make a satisfactory pickled fish. 
Some sardines of excellent quality have been packed in oil, mustard, 
and other ways common to the trade. In the vicinity of San Pedro 
and Santa Catalina Island, sardines are, in their season, found in large 
quantities. During February, March, and April of each year small 
sardines are usually abundant and in fine condition for canning. In 
May and June the larger sardines arrive and appear to crowd out the 
fish of smaller size. In July and August the large fish withdraw and 
the small fish again become plentiful. Up to August the fish are gen- 
erally in fine condition, but after that date at times the small fish are 
usually of poor quality for canning. The larger sardines found in this 
part of the State are somewhat smaller in size than those occurring in 
San Francisco Bay, being of the size most suitable for packing in 
half-pound cans in mustard and spices. There appears to be a bright 
future for the sardine industry in this county, and the expansion of the 
business may be confidently expected during the next few years. 
