394 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



one of these fish was found with the mackerel catch. These three 

 individuals were all females with ripening eggs and with a size range 

 of 275 to 295 mm. — Frances N. Clark, California State Fisheries Labora- 

 tory, August, 1934. 



ALBACORE 



During the month of August, 1934, the fishermen of the Los Angeles 

 district were taking albacore in commercial quantities for the first time 

 in many years. The last run of any importance in this district occurred 

 in 1930 and up to this year, with the exception of an occasional stray, 

 no albacore have been taken in these waters. 



Throughout the month of July, several single fish were taken in 

 the roundhaul nets incidental to other fishing activities. During the 

 first week of August, several of the cruising swordfish boats started 

 locating albacore while trolling. In a few days a great many of the 

 small gig boats were out prospecting for fish and catches of a few fish 

 up to a ton were being landed both at the fresh fish markets and at the 

 canneries. 



Approximately fifty tons of the fish were delivered to the canneries 

 during the first two weeks of August while the markets received about 

 two tons during the same period. The price being paid to the fishermen 

 was eight cents per pound at the markets and one hundred fifty-five 

 dollars per ton at the canneries. 



At the present writing (August 15) the run has fallen off and some 

 of the old timers are rather skeptical as to whether or not the fish are 

 going to appear in quantities large enough to be of any general value. 



It is interesting to note that the fish were first observed and taken 

 in the Los Angeles area and that no fish were taken at San Diego during 

 the first appearance of the fish in local waters. During the second 

 week in August, a few fish were taken at San Diego. — L. G. Van Vorkis, 

 Terminal Island, August 22, 1934. 



BLUEFIN TUNA 



Bluefin tuna have returned to southern California waters and are 

 being taken by the purse seine boats in good quantities. 



The first catch was made in April and the local run started the 

 early part of May. This is very unusual since the fish do not ordi- 

 narily appear before the first or the fifteenth of June. The catches 

 have been very spotted and have varied a great deal in quantity. Dur- 

 ing the early part of the season, the landings were comparatively light, 

 running from three to fifteen tons per boat. It was not until the first 

 part of August that an unusually heavy run was experienced. 



The 1934 catch, up to the middle of August, has been approximately 

 ten million pounds. This is well above the ordinary catch although 

 it amounts to only about half of the record take of twenty million 

 pounds made in 1930 — L. G. Van Vorhis, Terminal Island, August 

 21, 1934. 



