REPORT. 



To his Excellericy George Stoneman, Governor of California : 



The Commissioners of Fisheries of the State of California, appointed 

 under an Act of the Legislature, entitled "An Act to provide for the 

 restoration and preservation of fish in the waters of the State," 

 approved April 2, 1870, respectfully submit their seventh report. 



SACRAMENTO SALMON. 



The marked increase in the demand for salmon by the canning 

 establishments, arising from the growth and extension of that 

 important industry, has induced the Commission to endeavor to 

 increase the supply of this valuable fish, in order, if possible, to keep 

 pace with the demand ; and we now have the gratification of reporting 

 the successful hatching and distributing, this season, of four millions 

 of salmon in the waters of the State. The success of the artificial breed- 

 ing of this fish which has attended our former efforts, has led us to 

 believe that the Sacramento River may be made to produce an almost 

 unlimited supply, and with this view of its capabilities, we have this 

 season commenced the experiment of placing in that river and its 

 tributaries double ihe number heretofore planted. If this large 

 planting should give the same evidence of success in the increase of 

 fish which the planting of former years has exhibited, it will go far 

 towards encouraging the hope that the Sacramento River may be 

 made a great " fish farm," from which may be supplied all the salmon 

 that a largely increased business of the canning interests may require. 

 That the artificial breeding of salmon has largely increased the run 

 of fish in the river, is too clearly demonstrated in the increased pro- 

 duction of the canning establishments, to admit of a doubt. 



It will be seen, by referring to former reports, that the business of 

 the canning of salmon has been as follows: 



For the season ending August 1, 1875 5,098,781 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1876 5,.311,423 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1877 6,493,563 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1878 6,520,768 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1879 4,432,250 pounds. 



Nowwe come to the results, as we think reasonably indicated, of 

 the artificial breeding. 



It is a well settled fact that the reproduction of the salmon to its 

 full size requires four years; consequently the "output" of 1880 is 

 the first result of former planting. We now have the gratification of 

 registering the increased production as follows: 



For the season ending August 1,1880 10,837,400 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1881 9,600,000 pounds. 



For the season ending August 1, 1882 9,605,280 pounds. 



