CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



379 



They receive 8 to 18 cents a pound for dressed fish and 4 to 8 

 cents a pound for the relatively small amounts of live fish sold to 

 Chinese dealers. In cleaning, the catfish loses 50 per cent of its weight. 

 The catch figures collected by the Division of Fish and Game and 

 shown in their various publications are of the deliveries of fish as 

 made by the fishermen, which in the case of catfish, is just half of the 

 round weight. As the deliveries of other freshwater fish are given in 

 round weight, it has seemed advisable to double the recorded weight of 

 catfish to facilitate comparison with the other species. This has been 

 done throughout this article, unless otherwise noted, but has not been 

 previously done in other California State publications. 



In the river district, the carp is second to the catfish in order of 

 pounds landed, but the prices paid for it are so low that it ranks but 

 third in value. Consumers of carp prefer to buy their fish alive, and 

 as they will live in a small tank indefinitely they are often retailed 

 while still wriggling. 



Pig. 144. Deliveries and values of each of the species of 

 freshwater fish taken commercially in California in 

 1933. Amounts given in round weight. 



Because of the poor demand for carp, the fishermen receive nothing 

 for small lots mixed with other fish, and seldom receive more than 2 

 cents a pound for larger loads. The average price in 1933 was 1 cent 

 per pound. 



In the river fishery, the hardhead is third in poundage and second 

 in value. It is the favorite of the Chinese as it will remain alive in 

 captivity and has a sweet flavor, although it is rather bony. The price 

 paid to the fishermen for live hardhead is sometimes as high as 20 

 cents a pound, averaging about 10 cents in 1933. Those brought to 

 market dead bring 2 to 4 cents a pound. The price, as with other 

 "Chinee fish," is highest in the spring when they are scarce and 

 lowest in the fall when they are most easily caught. The market will 



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