14 



REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



The spiny lobster fishery is developing very rapidly, and 

 SPINY under the present laws it receives the protection which 

 LOBSTER, should prevent the depletion of the species. Recommenda- 

 tions are herein suggested to the Legislature which will 

 make this law more effective as well as more easily observed by the fish- 

 erman. He cannot always weigh a lobster, but it is not a difficult mat^ 

 ter to apply a measure, as is done throughout the East. The number of 

 pounds of lobsters taken in Los Angeles County in 1892 were 128,425. 

 The increase in the fishery is shown by the receipts in the Los Angeles 

 markets alone in 1895: 



Pounds. 



January 9,502 



February 9,225 



March 19,765 



April 15,114 



May 5,743 



June 



Pounds. 



July - - 8,891 



August 14,323 



September.. 15,056 



October... 17,129 



November 13,917 



December 15,073 



Total 143,738 



Under the present law it is made a misdemeanor to sell 

 STEELHEAD steelhead trout between November 1st and April 1st; 

 TROUT. and, as these fish cannot be taken in any numbers except 

 during that period, the enforcement of this law caused the 

 marketmen of San Francisco to take a case into court, claiming that 

 these fish, having the habits of salmon, must therefore be salmon and 

 not trout, as your Commission maintains. Our stand is taken upon 

 the advice of such high authority as Drs. David Starr Jordan and 

 Charles H. Gilbert, of Stanford University. The evidence submitted 

 was so conflicting that the Police Judge dismissed the case. This law 

 was framed and passed with the idea of giving these fish the necessary 

 opportunity to come in from the ocean and reach the spawning-grounds 

 in the headwaters of our coast streams. It is our opinion that this 

 object will be attained, and a sufficient number of fish reach the head- 

 waters to keep up the supply, even if an open season of three months be 

 made during the period of their run. Recommendations for legislation 

 affecting these fish follow hereafter. 



While the supply of crabs {Cancer- magister) is still equal 

 CRABS. to the demand, the fishery shows that this species is gradu- 

 ally becoming more scarce, for the fisherman is obliged to 

 go a greater distance for his catch. The protection of this branch of 

 the fishery industry should receive the attention of the Legislature, and 

 the recommendations hereafter suggested by us should materially help 

 to restore a fishery worth, in 3892, some $102,900. 



