22 FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST STATES IN 1904. 



California. — For many years the shrimp catch of California has 

 nearly all been taken by Chinese with nets set in San Francisco and 

 San Pablo bays. The catch of 1899, including shells, was worth 

 $110,886, while that of 1904 was worth only $71,830. The large 

 decrease may be accounted for in part by the extension of the close 

 season of 1904 from two to four of the best months for prosecuting 

 this fishery, and later the passage by the legislature of a law prohibiting 

 the sending of any shrimp out of the state, which stopped the export 

 trade and greatly decreased the catch. A large portion of the catch 

 had previously been shipped to China, and in 1899, 2,445,186 pounds 

 of the shells were exported to that country for fertilizing purposes. 

 The shells taken in 1904 amounted only to 950,000 pounds, and were 

 sold chiefly to fruit growers of California. 



GREEN TURTLES. 



Once a month a steamer from Magdalena Bay, on the west coast of 

 Lower California, brings alive to a fishery firm in San Francisco from 

 60 to 70 green turtles, which average 125 pounds each, some weighing 

 as high as 200 pounds, gross weight. About two-thirds of them are 

 cut up and retailed, the remainder, to save them, are boiled, a little 

 rock salt being added in cooking, and then packed in two-pound cans. 

 In 1904, 420 cases of 48 pounds each were packed and sold at $3.60 per 

 case. The demand, however, for fresh or canned green turtle is light. 



WHALES. 



The whale fishery is gradually declining. In 1904 San Francisco 

 had 9 steamers, 3 schooners, and 2 barks engaged, a total of 14 vessels 

 of 3,925 tons register and valued at $202,000. The crews comprised 

 517 men; the outfit of the vessels and advances made to crews amounted 

 to $242,626. There are one steamer and one sailing vessel less than in 

 1899, and the number of whales taken shows a large decrease since 

 that year. The catches were 45 bowheads, 8 right, and 1 sperm, or a 

 total of 54 whales, in 1904, compared with 101 bowheads, 7 right, and 

 6 sperm whales, or a total of 114, in 1899. The products and their 

 value in 1904 aggregated 86,514 pounds of whalebone, worth $375,374; 

 1,220 pounds of trade bone, worth $4,745; $1,395 worth of ivory; 

 $5,053 worth of furs; 41,869 gallons of whale oil, worth $17,161; 1,512 

 gallons of sperm oil, worth $756. The total value of products from 16 

 vessels in 1899 amounted to $458,692, compared with $404,484 from 14 

 vessels in 1904. During 1904 the largest catch by any vessel was 9 

 bowheads; 3 vessels made no catch. 



WHOLESALE FISHERY TRADE. 



The wages paid by Washington wholesale firms in 1904 aggregated 

 $630,154. Of this amount the 27 salmon canneries paid $354,146; the 



