REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF MARINE 



FISHERIES 



The responsibility for the coiiscrvatioii jiiid iidiiiinistraiioii of tlic 

 ocean fisheries of California is in the hands of the r.iiicaii «.t' Marine 

 Fisheries. The buroan condncts biobtirical and statistical studies (if the 

 marine sport and eommereial fislieries; and with tiic intonnation thus 

 gathered and analyzed, is able to make reeominendations to tlie Fish and 

 Game Commission and the Legislature for wise conservation measures. 

 The bureau works in close cooperation with the Pacific Marine Fisheries 

 Commission and the Marine Keseardi Connnittce. Urief aci-ounts of the 

 activities of these organizations are presented on pages 65 and 66. 



During 1948 and 1949 California's fish eatcli was greater than it 

 had been in the biennial period immediately jireceding. but conipai-ed 

 with the total landings in any of the 12 yeai's from 1I>:{4 through 1!I4.">. 

 it can not be considered high. The catcli trend reflects the success or 

 failure of the sardine season, and the sardine fishei-y had not recovered 

 from the failure which was so marked in 1!>4() and l!t47. in l!t4S the total 

 catch was over 90(),()()(),()00 pounds and in 1949 it reached l.lOO.Odd.OOO. 



Among the cannery species three of the tunas stirpassed picvi(»us 

 records. Yellowfin tuna landings in 1948 were over 191. ()()(). ()()() pounds. 

 In 1949 skipjack passed the 78. 000, ()()() jjouud mark and albacore totaled 

 more than 44,000,000. Although the mackerels did not break a record the 

 combined catch of jack and Pacific was over 112.000.000 jiounds in 1948 

 and slightly less the following year. The 1!)49 sardine cat<'h of (i.TJ.OOO.ooo 

 pounds was the best in four years but for the 12-year period prior to 

 1945 the yearly catch was in the ueighboi-hood of 1.000.000.000 |)o\inds. 

 Because sardines were scarce in the yeais immeiliately jtrecedintr 

 this biennium, a very high percentage of the fish went into cans, and 

 this, combined with the heavy catches of tuna and mackerel, brought the 

 1948 case pack to 2.000,000 mor-- than had been jtacked durini: any 

 previous year and in 1949 the pack exceeded 1:!. 000. 000 cases. 



Important among the market species, the 1!I4S catch of sole wa.s 

 over 21,000.000 ].()iiiids or almost double the 1947 peak jM.undage. The 

 crab catch of 11,000,000 pounds for each year set a record lor that spe.-ies. 

 Salmon landings of approximately 7,000,000 |...iin.ls for ea<-h year u.-re 

 lower than the record catches of the previous four years. 



The value of the catch to the fisherman in 194S was .i;,sO,500.0i)0. The 

 liioli price of fish in general and the heavy landings of tuna (yejlowlin 

 tuna, $:J2,000,000, skipjack, .$9,000,000 and alharure. $11,00(M)0()) com- 

 bined to make this a i)anner year, exceeding the peak 1947 value by 

 $2,000,000. In 194!) although the poundage was greater, chielly due 

 to an increased catch of .sardines, the wholesale value to the fisin'rinen 

 dropped to $73,000,000. Prices in general were lower an. I the high-pneed 

 vellowfin tuna catcli was less in poundage. 



For the fourth vear in succession the fishermen delivernm to Kureka 

 and other ports along the northern coast received over $:{,000.000 for 

 their catches; these were made up chiefly of sole, <-rabs, albacore ami 



(3U) 



