300 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



of fish per square mile of fishing area the California catch is by far 

 the largest of the three. The figures are as follows: 



Japan 



North Sea__ 



Pacific Coast (United States and British Columbia) 

 California alone 



Average catch 



1929, 1930, 1931, 



tons 



946,000 



926,000 

 320,000 

 241,000 



Area within the 



100-fathom line,* 



square statute 



miles 



443,000 



177,000 



33,000 



14,000 



Tons per 



square 



mile 



2.2 



5.2 



9.8 



17.2 



*For practical purposes the fi.shing area of a district can be considered to be the area within the 100-fathom line, 

 since it is only in or close to relatively shallow water that fish find an adequate food supply. Areas around islands are 

 included. 



Since many fisheries have been badly depleted by far less intensive 

 fishing than we are giving the California sardine, it is obvious that this 

 fishery must be carefully and continually watched for further signs 

 of overfishing. This is being done. Besides this it should be made 

 possible to restrict the catch at any time that it seems necessary, in 

 order to give the fish a chance to recover from the strain. To be fully 

 effective, such restrictions should affect the entire industry instead of 

 only a part of it, as is now the case. At present the State can not 

 regulate the catch of the floating reduction ships. 



In addition to the need of placing the entire industry under uni- 

 form regulations it would be very desirable to readjust the industry so 

 that part of the present strain would be shifted from the fall to the 

 winter fishery. During the fall months most of the available sardines 

 are comparatively young fish which are decidedly smaller than those 

 taken in the winter. They have spawned only once, twice or not at all. 

 The winter fish are older, and have had several spawnings. Also tliey 

 are larger and it takes only seven-tenths as many of them to make a 

 ton. At present 50 to 60 per cent of the sardine catch (by weight) is 

 fall fish, and a readjustment so as to throw more of this strain on the 

 winter fish would be a great aid in maintaining the supply. — Confrihii- 

 iion No. 140 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory/, May 18, 

 1934. 



THE CATCH OF SARDINES IN CALIFORNIA * 



The fluctuations in the seasonal sardine catch of this State furnish 

 an outstanding example of the changes from year to year in the total 

 catch as governed by changing economic conditions rather than changes 

 in the supply of fish in the sea. 



Before 1916, the catch was insignificant because fishermen were not 

 seeking sardines. The sardine canning industry developed during the 

 period of the World War and the catch rose to what was considered in 

 those years a huge tonnage. The business slump of 1921 caused the sag 

 in the total catch for the two seasons 1920-21 and 1921-22. The revival 

 of business prosperity with its boom period up to 1930 was responsible 

 for the great increase in the cannery utilization of sardines. This was a 

 period of increasing sales abroad with the consequent enlargement of 

 canneries, employment of additional fishing crews, the building of 



1934. 



* Contribution no. 138 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory, May, 



