REPORT. 



To Hon. R. W. Waterman, Governor of the State of California: 



Sir: The undersigned have the honor hereby to j)resent their Second 

 Biennial Report relative to the fish industry of the State. 



The fish interests of the State are in a comparatively satisfactory 

 condition. 



The spring run of salmon for 1889 was fair, as was also that of 1890. 

 The fall run of 1889 showed improvement over that of the previous 

 years. The supply of shad continues to be large. Carp is found in large 

 quantities in all the waters of the State; they are not a desirable food 

 fish. Sturgeon continues to diminish every year, owing to the indis- 

 criminate slaughter waged upon them by Chinese fishermen. Special 

 efforts have been made to stock the rivers and lakes with the various 

 species of trout. In these efforts we have been quite successful, as 

 evidenced by the astonishment of many at finding them abundant in 

 streams to which they had for years been strangers. This will appear 

 more i^ointedly in the report of the Superintendent of Hatcheries. Black 

 bass have been distributed in different places throughout the State. The 

 increase of this fish at Crystal Springs, San Mateo County, has been rapid, 

 and is the source from which our supply has been obtained. Catfish 

 have developed into popular favor, and are plentiful in most of the waters 

 of the State. 



SEALS AND SEA LIONS. 



We respectfully repeat the recommendations of the last report of the 

 Fish Commissioners, as follows: These aquatic animals are a serious 

 detriment to the fish interests of the State. They sit at the entrance of 

 Golden Gate as royal toll gatherers, and take the lion's share of the 

 schools of the finny tribe as they pass from the broad Pacific into the 

 bay of San Francisco, preparatory to an ascent of our rivers. In the 

 opinion of the Commission, they are great destroyers of the salmon. 

 They appear to be more numerous at Seal Rock and around the entrance 

 of San Francisco Bay than in former years, owing, no doubt, to the fact 

 that the fishermen have driven them with their nets from Suisun and 

 San Pablo Bays. They not only guard the entrance of San Francisco 

 Bay, but are found at the entrance of Monterey, Bolenas, Point Arena, 

 Tomales, and Shoalwater Bays. This and former Commissions and the 

 public press have repeatedly invoked legislative action to prevent the 

 immense destruction of fish constantly going on and increasing by these 

 worthless animals. It is highly important to our citizens to have the 

 food of which they are so deprived, and in their behalf remedial legis- 

 lation is again urgently demanded. 



STEAM LAUNCH. 



The steam launch "Governor Stoneman," constructed at a cost of 

 over .$4,000, was found useless for the service for which it was intended. 



