58 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



LIVE BAIT FISHERY 



There has been little if any change in the past two years either in 

 the manner in which live bait fishermen operate or in the handling of 

 the catch records that these fishermen maintain for the bureau. The 

 kinds and amounts of fish taken daily by the fishermen have been reported 

 to us and we have accompanied as many bait boats as possible during 

 each season. On these trips much information is gained that does not 

 appear on the catch records and at the same time good relationships are 

 maintained. 



During this bienuium, the bait reports indicated that practically 

 no small sardines were caught on the bait grounds of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. The total bait catch has increased and adult sardines form a 

 larger part of the total than was true in the 1946-1948 Biennium. 



SHARKS 



Since before World War If the shark fishery in California has been 

 primarily for the purpose of obtaining vitamin A from the liver oils. 

 \Vithin the last few months, this industry has died a rather sudden death. 

 In California watci-s the vitamin fishery has dejiendcd jirimarily upon 

 soupfin sharks. Dogfish were of secondary consideration. The soupfin 

 has been subject to a very intensive fishery and has shown signs of 

 extreme depletion. Soujifiii liver prices advanced to a point where first- 

 quality male livers were bringing as much as $1 ])cr ounce. Even at this 

 fantastic price, the fish were so scarce that many fisliermen were drojiping 

 out of the business, being unable to make a living. Early in 1950, there 

 were extensive imports of much cheaper shai-l< lixci- oils and tlie develop- 

 ment of artificial vitamin A. l>('t\v('(Mi them, these two occurrences forced 

 the pi'ice of soupfin livers from $1() ])er pound down to about $2.25 ])er 

 pound and made it impossible foi- the few remaining soupfin fishermen 

 to stay in business. A corresponding dro]) in (h)gfish Ii\-er prices has 

 made it a pivictical ceiiainly that, bai'i'ing a major economic uplieaval, 

 there will be no dogfish fisJiery when tiie sj)ecies becomes available to the 

 trawlers this coming winter. 



SEA LIONS, SEA ELEPHANTS AND SEA OTTERS 



The sea lion population seems to lia\e changed litth* in the past two 

 decades. A considerable increase in nuniixTs lias 1)een noted at Santa 

 iJarhara and San .\ieolas Islands which is offset by a decrease in other 

 places. The increased aetivit.\- of the Navy at San Miguel and San Cle- 

 inente Islands has caused most of t he animals that previously used those 

 islands to move away. 



The pfoleetion given the sea elep|i;inls lor many v'ears in Mexican 

 and California waters is beginning to show results. Several hundred can 

 usually be found about the Channel Islands. Sea lion surveys in the 

 late twenties did not i-eveal a single sea elejihant in Califoriiia waters. 



The sea ottei's, inhabiting the stretch of coast l)etween Monterey and 

 San Simeon, appeal- to l)e maintaining their mnnbers. Several of the 

 animals can usually be obsei-ved in many of the protected coves in this 

 area. 



