78 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



especially of small barracuda and sea bass and that they frequently 

 made such large catches of mackerel and more especially of barracuda 

 that they could take only part of the fish on their boat while the 

 balance were all dead before they could be released from the net. 

 Fishermen's organizations which are opposed to purse seines are seek- 

 ing legislation which will either abolish these nets entirely or else 

 greatly restrict their use. In order that we might be fully informed 

 on this matter Dr. Skogsberg of the State Fisheries Laboratory staff was 

 detailed to make a thorough study of the operations of these nets 

 during the 1922 season. He has not only observed the operation of 

 purse seines, but has studied the other methods of fishing as well in 

 order that comparisons may be drawn. The report of this investigation 

 will be submitted after the close of the season and- will be available for 

 use at the next session of the legislature. 



Although Dr. Skogsberg has not given his final conclusions, several 

 things are quite evident. First : The purse seine boats are- not maKing 

 any money and any radical regulation, such as the proposed regulation 

 of size of mesh, will put them out of business. Second : The canners 

 are dependent upon them for the blue-fin tuna for canning. Third: 

 The fresh fish markets in San Pedro are almost entirely dependent on' 

 purse seiners during the winter months. Fourth : The loss of barracuda 

 on account of flooding the markets occurs in May and June due to 

 great catches being made while the fish are schooling preliminary to 

 their spawning period. At those times the prices obtained hardly pay 

 running expenses. He probably will propose a closed season for 

 barracuda during these months. 



FISH REDUCTION. 



At the 1921 session of the legislature the law regulating the use of fish 

 in reduction plants was amended so as to permit the use of food fish 

 under the following conditions : food fish to be used only if,  after 

 application, evidence is adduced at a hearing held before the Fish and 

 Game Commission that there is no market for the fish for human food, 

 and secondly that in no case was it permissable for more than 25 per 

 cent of the capacity of the cannery to be used for reduction purposes. 

 The Fish and Game Commission's attorney gave it as his opinion 

 that although the wording of the percentage provision was .ambiguous, 

 the law intended that a cannery could not use fish in its reduction 

 plant unless it was canning fish, and that they could not use more than 

 25 per cent of the catch in their reduction plant. 



After hearings before the Fish and Game Commission held at 

 Monterey and at San Pedro, the percentage limit of sardines which 

 could be used for reduction purposes was fixed at ten per cent for 

 Monterey, while later twenty-five per cent was fixed for the southern 

 district, for it was shown that it would be difficult for them to get 

 along on less on account of different fishing conditions in that region. 

 There was a very strong incentive to use more than the limit for 

 reduction for there was a very poor market at the time for the canned 

 sardines while there was a fairly good market for fish meal and oil. 

 As a result two or three of the Monterey canners exceeded the limit. 



