88 REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



A few years ago a half -million pounds was a good catch on Monterey 

 Bay. In 1914 the catch was two and one-half million pounds. In 1915 

 it jumped to three million pounds and up to June 30, 1916, the catch 

 for Monterey Bay and outside "The Heads" exceeded four million 

 pounds. In 1916 the greatest catches in ]\Ionterey Bay were made 

 in May. About 400 boats were engaged in trolling and the record 

 day's catch for all boats was 85 tons. This j-ear the run was followed 

 up the coast by the fishermen. Early in August the boats were making 

 good catches near Davenport, above Santa Cruz, and in a few days 

 they were just south of the Golden Gate. For nearly three weeks the 

 salmon remained outside, part of the time north and part of the time 

 south of the entrance. Nearly one hundred boats trolled for the fish 

 while thej^ were off the Golden Gate. On one day over 50 tons were 

 taken. Many small salmon were taken during this run outside San 

 Francisco Bay, a large number being less than five poimds in weight. 

 Such a run of small fish was never observed here before. 



The spring run of salmon on the Sacramento River has been poor 

 for the past seven or eight years. Several reasons have been advanced 

 for this : That no protection of a closed season is given the spring run 

 as is given the fall run ; that the seines in the upper river have taken the 

 spring fish principally and have allowed very few to pass to the 

 spa-wning beds ; and that little attention is given to the artificial propa- 

 gation of the spring run. These theories are all based on the supposi- 

 tion that the two runs are practically distinct and that spring run sal- 

 mon make spring run salmon and fall run salmon make fall run salmon. 

 As a matter of fact, the actual relationship of the two runs has never 

 been demonstrated. It is the belief of fishculturists, however, that the 

 fish resulting from the eggs laid do-s\Ti by either the spring or fall fish 

 are more apt to return as fall fish. Theoretically the progeny of the 

 spring run fish have a better opportunity to survive and pass out of the 

 river to the sea as good sized fry than have the progeny of the fall 

 run fish. 



For the purpose of giving the spring fish a better chance to reach the 

 spawning grounds in the upper waters of the river, a law was passed 

 at the last session of the legislature which prohibits netting in the river 

 above Vina and provides a closed season for the district from Vina to 

 Colusa from May 15th to the end of the year. It was hoped that as a 

 result of this measure, the one hatchery that operates on the spring run 

 — the federal hatchery on the ]\IcCloud River — would be able to take 

 a large number of eggs, but unfortunately they failed to operate the 

 hatchery this spring ; nor did they operate last year for the spring run. 

 We are informed by our deputies that a much larger number of salmon 

 ascended McCloud River this summer than last year, which indicates 

 that this upper river salmon protective measure has had the desired 



