CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



377 



County down to the mouth, the San Joaquin River below Stockton, 

 Steamboat Slough, Sutter Slough, most of the connecting water courses 

 in San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties, and Suisun Bay. Prac- 

 tically no commercial fishing is carried on above Sacramento or for 

 freshwater fish in Suisun Bay, but all the intervening legally open 

 waters are thoroughly exploited. 



The total catch of freshwater fish (exclusive of anadromous 

 species) in this district in 1933 amounted to 374,000 pounds. In 

 former years the catch was very much greater, but since the World 

 War it has only once (1929) exceeded the million-pound mark. (See 

 Fig. 142.) Several factors contributed to the diminution of the 

 fishery during the years just before the war. Reclamation projects 

 deprived the fish of spawning and feeding grounds; irrigation dis- 

 tricts diverted water; unscreened irrigation ditches caused destruction 

 of many young fish; and fishermen formerly harassed and caught 



Fig. 



142. Yearly landings of all species of freshwater fish by dis- 

 tricts, 1916-1933. Note that the Sacramento-San Joaquin 

 River district leads, followed by Clear Lake. The other dis- 

 tricts include the catch in southern California lakes and 

 reservoirs principally. Amounts given in round weight. 



spawning fish. The main river and connecting sloughs above the city 

 of Sacramento remained productive, although on a diminished scale, 

 as late as 1918, but since that year there has been practically no com- 

 mercial fishing above Sacramento. Washington Lake, across the river 

 from Sacramento, at one time was very productive as was Sacramento 

 Slough near the mouth of the Feather River, but both are now dry. 

 Reclamation projects disturbed the rough fish most. These have 

 become so scarce that their former good market has vanished because 

 of the resulting absence of a steady supply. Formerly carp and 

 catfi.sh were shipped in carload lots to Eastern markets but when 

 the supply failed in large measure, the Eastern dealers turned to 

 other sources of supply. At present the bulk of the production of 

 California freshwater fish is consumed locally. 



