106 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES 



By N. B. ScoFiELD, in charge 



California's commercial fisheries have continued their remarkable 

 growth during the past biennial period. The data of the commercial 

 fisheries are segregated and published by this bureau by calendar years, 

 as that method best fits the fishing seasons. The data, therefore, given 

 in this report are given in calendar years, except where otherwise 

 stated. 



In the year 1928, the catch of all varieties of fish in state waters and 

 off the coast of the state was 517,746,166 pounds. The catch of shellfish 

 in these waters for the same year was 10,734,878 pounds, making a 

 total of 528,481,044 pounds. In addition to this, California fishermen 

 caught off the coast of Mexico, in both territorial and extraterritorial 

 waters, 49,044,875 pounds of fish; and from the same waters there were 

 brought in 726,408 pounds of shellfish, caught .jointly by California and 

 Mexican fishermen. The total amount of fresh fish and shellfish cans'ht 

 in the state and brought into the state during the year was 578,252,327 

 pounds. 



For the year 1929, the fish caught in the state and off our coast was 

 770,518,114 pounds, while the shellfish from the same waters was 14,- 

 221,272 pounds, making a total of 784,739,386 pounds. The fresh 

 fish and shellfish brought into the state from south of the international 

 boundarv add 65,015,497 pounds to the above figure, making a total 

 of 849,754,883 pounds. 



The fish and shellfish caught and landed in the state from the above 

 sources represent an increase over the previous two-year period of 

 62 per cent. 



We have not included in the total catch figures the shipments of 

 albacore from Japan and Hawaii, salmon from Oregon and Washing- 

 ton, "totuava," or sea bass, from the Gulf of California or the catch 

 of whales by companies operating out of California ports. There is 

 also a considerable tonnage of seaweed and kelp taken in California 

 waters which is not included. 



The sardine fishery is by far the largest and most important in 

 California. The total amount of these fish landed in the two j^ears of 

 1928 and 1929 was 1,072,041,569 pounds, which is an increase of 70.4 

 per cent over the two preceding years. 



California's fi.sheries are not only remarkable for their size but for 

 their diversity. There are more than sixty different categories of fish 

 and shellfish landel in California, and a number of the categories are 

 made up of several species. The list is continuall.v being added to, as 

 the fisheries are being extended farther and farther south of the inter- 

 national line. 



The Bureau of Commercial Fisheries publishes quarterly tlie amount 

 of each kind of fish landed in the state. Beginning with the year 1926 

 we have been issuing yearly circulars entitled ''Statistical Keport on 

 Fresh and Canned Fishery Products." 



