56 



REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



IB16 1917 ISIS 1919 



The greatest growth has taken place in the tuna and sardine fisheries. 

 The accompanying graphic charts show the growth of the principal 

 fisheries during the years from 1916 to 1919, inclusive. 



System po^ GAxHeRiNG fisheries statistics. 



As statistics must be the basis of all earnest fisheries conservation 

 work, this department early in its history began gathering data of 



the catch. Laws were 

 passed requiring fish deal- 

 ers and packers to submit 

 monthly reports of the fish 

 catch by varieties. Later 

 it was realized that to be 

 of the greatest service to 

 the fisheries investigator 

 such data must be made 

 more complete and accur- 

 ate than is possible by that 

 method. Therefore, a sy.s- 

 teni was inaugurated which 

 has worked out in an en- 

 tirely satisfactory manner. 

 At first the data under 

 this system was furnished 

 voluntarily by the indus- 

 try, but in order to make 

 it permanent a law was 

 enacted by the State Leg- 

 islature in 1919, which 

 makes the giving of the 

 data compulsory. Every 

 effort is being exerted to 

 make this data as accurate 

 as possible, realizing that 

 accuracy is the main 

 requisite of the investiga- 

 tor. Such data increases 

 greatl}' in value with the passing years. As 

 this system of gathering the data of the catch 

 is unique and superior to that employed by 

 any government or state fisheries board, Ave 

 quote the law governing it : 



Sec. 2. Eveiw person, firm or corporation engaged 

 in tlie bu.sino.';s of buying, canning, curing or preserv- 

 ing fish, or manufacturing fisli meal, fi.sli oil or fisli 

 fertilizer, or dealing in fi.sli, mollusks or crustaceans, 

 shall make a legible record in the form of a receipt, 

 said record to be in triplicate carbon copi(>s and on forms to be furnished by the Fish 

 and Game Commission, which shall show the name of the fisherman and boat or the 

 dealer from which the fish, mollusks or crustaceans were received, together with the 

 date received, the weight of the fish, mollusks or crustaceans by specie.s, the price 

 received by the fishermen and the name of the person receiving same. 



It shall be stated in the record for what use the fish are intended, whether to be 

 sold fresh or whether they are to be canned, cured, made into fish meal or fertilizer, 

 or any other disposition to be made of them, or if a commercial distinction is made 



1916 1917 1918 1919 



..••...NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 

 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



Fig. 16. Comparison of 

 number of cases canned, 

 value of packing plants and 

 number of employees. 



