THIRTY-FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT 131 



MACKEREL 



In past years the mackerel fishery of California was conducted on a 

 small scale but during the summer of 1928 this choice fish was canned 

 at several of the packing plants, and as a result the total catch figures 

 suddenly jumped from insignificance to a position of prominence 

 among the leading fisheries of the state. As this fishery gives every 

 promise of continued importance, it was at once given a place on our 

 research program and two investigators were assigned to this spectacu- 

 lar fishery. The character of the commercial catch and sampling of fish 

 sizes at regular intervals has been conducted through one fishing 

 season. Studies have been initiated to determine the spawning, age, 

 rate of growth, size at maturity and abundance of supply of this 

 species. 



BARRACUDA 



Life history studies of the barracuda have yielded clear-cut results 

 directly ap]ilicable to determining the offer-tiveness of the present pro- 

 tective legislation and the possible need for further protection. Publi- 

 cation of the final results is awaiting the completion of a study of the 

 abundance of the supply by means of analyzing the boat catches. 



PISMO CLAM 



A census of the supply of Pismo clams is made during a three-day 

 period each fall. The results prove conclusively that this superior clam 

 has been depleted to such an extent that the yield is now but a very 

 small fraction of what it was but a few years ago. This is one of 

 several examples of a source of food supply that has been almost obliter- 

 ated through unwise use. It is hoped that tlie section of Pismo Beach 

 now closed to digging will serve as a spaM'ning refuge and prevent the 

 extermination of this valuable species. 



DRAG NETS 



An examination of the paranzella or drag net fishery of the state has 

 been completed and the report will soon be published. This includes 

 a full history of this pioneer fishery, a description of the gear used at 

 various ports of the state, an account of fishing methods, and the part 

 that this fishery played in the development of ocean fishing in Cali- 

 fornia. 



MISCELLANEOUS RESEARCH 



In addition to the more formal projects mentioned above, the research 

 staff is constantly called upon for minor emergency studies needed in 

 the solution of legislative and administrative questions. In many eases 

 the results are intended merely for the use of the Bureau of Commer- 

 cial Fisheries in supervising our fishery resources. Frequently, how- 

 ever, the results are of sufficient interest to warrant their publication 

 in the quarterly magazine, California Fish and Game. In the pursu- 

 ance of such studies the staff members do much of their work in the 

 fish sheds and supplement their field observations by frequent trips on 

 the fishing vessels to learn actual conditions at first-hand. 



