156 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



In the sliort period the work has been in progress the Division has, 

 Avith the full and utmost cooperation of the dealers who own the paran- 

 zella boats, adapted and put into operation a ship's log- book on tliese 

 boats. These -lofrs are furnished by the Division and are nuule out 

 daily by the ca]itains of the boats, the dealer receiving a copy, the 

 boat a copy, and the Division a copy. On thf logs are shown the 

 detailed operation of the fishing boats, the number and time of drags, 

 location of grounds, and the catch of various si)ecies for the drap's 

 and day. Not only are these logs invaluable to the Division for use in 

 statistical and biological work but they are of equal value to the dealers 

 who will be able to operate their equipment more efficiently and eco- 

 nomically with the knowledge gained from the log records. 



In addition constant observations are being made in the markets 

 and on the boats themselves on the proportion of species in the catch, 

 the sizes of fish taken by the gear, and material is collected which will 

 lead to a knowledge of the life history of the important species in the 

 catch. 



The dealers and operators of the paranzella boats have most 

 Avillingly cooperated in all phases of the work. They realize that it is 

 to their advantage to do anything in their power to conserve the fish 

 upon which the fishery depends and upon which their business is 

 founded.— (^. H. Clark, Fehruanj 28, 1934. 



THE PISMO CLAM IN 1933 



The condition of the population of Pismo clams (Tivcla stiiUoniw) 

 on Pismo-Oceano Beach is somewhat better than it was a year ago. For 

 many years the clams have been showing every evidence of serious 

 depletion due to excessive digging. However, the economic depression 

 caused a slacking off of digging, and as a consequence the mortality 

 of clams was probably at a minimum in 1933. 



As previously reported by Clark (California Fish and Game, 

 vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 170-180, 1932) the spawning seasons of 1929, 1930 

 and 1931 were A^ery successful and resulted in good sets of young clams. 

 However, the first-year survival of these sets was but 36 per cent, as 

 compared with an average of over 80 per cent prior to 1929. In other 

 words, these three good spawnings were not given much chance to 

 repopulate the beach. Large clams had become so scarce that diggers 

 took even those less than a year old. 



Due to the diminution of digging in 1933, the survival of clams 

 of all ages has been good since 1932. More clams of the ]927 and 1928 

 seasons are on the beach than had been expected. These clams are just 

 attaining legal size (5 inches). The 1929 and 1930 sets are holding 

 out much better than expected, considering the heavy mortality during 

 their first two years on the beach, but for some reason the 1931 set is 

 showing very poorly. Not much can be hoped for from the 1932 set 

 which was too small to be of any importance, but there are indications 

 that its first-year mortality was low. 



Tlie 1933 set was fairly good, in fact better than any since 1924 

 with the exception of the three referred to above. As usual, the set 

 of young clams was poorest in the area closed to digging at the south 

 end of the beach. The young clams were very small when observed in 

 November, probably due to the cold summer and a late spaAvning. 



