16 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



planting about 3,000,000 salmon each year in the waters of our State. 

 A small tax of 4 cents per case (which contains four dozen one-pound 

 cans, or, which is the same thing, two dozen two-pound cans) would be 

 willingly paid, we believe, by all persons engaged in this industry, and 

 the revenue to the Hatchery Department of the Commission would be 

 greatly augmented. 



DEEP SEA FISHING, 



Up to the present time no direct attempt has been made to investi- 

 gate the extent of the marine fishing banks lying at the outer edge of 

 the Golden Gate and along the coast of our State. On the Atlantic 

 Coast this has become the most important department of the labors of 

 the United States Fish Commission and of the various State Commis- 

 sions. The number and variety of our marine fishes are supposed to 

 equal, if not exceed, any other locality of equal area on the globe. To 

 properly classify this, and to adopt any of the systems for the spawning 

 and hatching of marine fishes, now so successfully being carried on on 

 the Atlantic seaboard, will require a separate appropriation. The 

 United States Fish Commission has for many years recognized the 

 great importance of our seacoast for these purposes. The United 

 States steamship "Albatross," Capt. Z. L. Tanner commanding, has, 

 ever since the summer of 1888, been constantly along the Pacific Coast, 

 and the reports made by him and his experienced officers and special- 

 ists upon the variety and diversity of our marine food fishes, form the 

 most interesting portions of the United States Fish Commission reports 

 for the last three or four years. 



We respectfully recommend that the importance of this department of 

 our labors be thoroughly investigated and understood by the forthcom- 

 ing Legislature, and a sufficient sum allowed by law to not only assist 

 the work of the United States Commission, but to obtain for our benefit 

 a knowledge of the great marine wealth that lines our coast for over 

 seven hundred miles in extent. 



Herewith we proceed to present the reports in detail of our expenditures 

 in the various departments, and also the reports of our several deputies, 

 all of which will be found to proceed in conformity to the statements 

 made in our own report. 



Respectfully submitted. 



JOSEPH D. REDDING, 



President. 

 RAMON E. WILSON, 



Secretary. 

 JOSEPH MORIZIO, 



Treasurer. 



