90 REPORT OF THE PISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



of the race is concerned, it is evident that only 2^ per cent of the run is 

 left to continue the specias, when 50 per cent would be nearer the right 

 number. We will have one more year of this overfishing before any 

 protective measure can take effect, and in the meantime, the shad run 

 is likely to be nearly ruined. We verj- much need a law similar to that 

 of other states which gives to the fish and game commission and to the 

 governor of the state the authority to make regulations in cases of 

 emergency of this sort. 



Halibut. 



The California halibut (Paralichthys calif ormciis) has become one of 

 our most important food fishes and the annual catch by California 

 fishermen exceeds 5,000,000 pounds. It is found from San Francisco 

 south, being most numerous south of Point Concepcion and in the Mex- 

 ican waters of Lower California. Unlike the northern halibut, which it 

 resembles in appearance, it inhabits the shallow Avater along shore and. 

 the majority of the fish marketed do not exceed 20 pounds in weight, 

 although individuals weighing from 50 to 60 pounds are occasionally 

 taken. 



The principal methods of capture have been by trammel or three 

 meshed nets set on the bottom and by the drag nets known also as 

 paranzellas or trawls. The drag nets, used as they are, near shore, have 

 proved themselves to be very destructive to the 3'oung halibut. For one 

 ton of marketable halibut caught by this method, three tons of the 

 young halibut too small to market were destroyed, for very few of 

 them could be returned to the water alive. AYhen the loss is figured in 

 numbers instead of weight we find that more than 50 young were 

 destroyed in capturing one of marketable size. To remedy this con- 

 dition the use or possession of paranzella or trawl nets was prohibited 

 in southern California at the last session of the legislature, and the use 

 of the trammel net restored which, until that time, through some mis- 

 taken notion, was prohibited within one mile of shore — the only terri- 

 tory where they could be iTsed. In addition to abolishing the drag net, 

 our present law prescribes an 8-inch minimum mesh limit for trammel 

 nets and a four pound minimum sale limit for halibut, so that this 

 fishery is much better protected than it has ever been. It is doubtful, 

 however, if it has protection enough, for the halibut grows slowly and 

 has not reproduced at the minimum weight of four pounds as set by 

 law. The intensity of the fishing for this species is boimd to increase 

 and if at any time our fishermen are excluded from ^Mexican waters, 

 overfishing in our waters will be sure to take place. It may be neces- 

 sary, if we are to conserve this fishery, to protect a portion of the fish 

 of reproductive size by increasing the minimum mesh limit of the nets 

 or by closing small areas to fishing. The halibut is another of our fishes 

 that needs to be thoroughly investigated. 



