REPORT OP THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



97 



OUR UNDEVELOPED FISHERY RESOURCES. 



With few exceptions our sea fisheries have not been developed to their 

 full capacity. By proper conservation they can be greatly extended. 

 The fisheries can be more readily developed by educating the public in 

 the use of fish and by improving the methods of handling, especially in 

 inland towns. This work properly belongs to the State Commission 

 Market, but we expect to assist by getting out educational bulletins con- 

 taining descriptions of the different varieties of fish, how and where 

 they are caught and when they are in season, with recipes for cooking. 

 In other words, to develop the fisheries and reduce the cost of fish by 

 creating a greater demand. This has been done in a few instances by 

 private parties, as in the case of the California sardine and the albacore. 



Fig. 59. Unloading and sorting abalones at Monterey. Photographs by H. B. Nidever. 



There was no demand for either of these fish until they were placed 

 before the public in a clean and appetizing form and the public educated 

 to their use by advertising. Within a period of five years these two 

 fish sprang from unimportance to a position of the highest rank. The 

 albacore has assumed first place among our fisheries and the sardine is 

 crowding the salmon for second place. What has been done with these 

 two fish by private parties can in a measure be done with others with 

 encouragement and assistance from the state. It is more properly the 

 duty of the state to investigate and develop its fisheries than it is to 

 investigate and develop its agricultural resources, for the fish are pecu- 

 liarly the property of the people. We have several species of good food 

 fish in almost unlimited numbers which are little used. A few of the 

 important ones are the herring, anchovy, hake, shark and squid. 



Our shell fisheries are neglected and if properly conserved may be 

 greatly extended. We have many extensive sand beaches where the 

 Pismo and razor clams will flourish if they be but planted there. The 

 soft-shell mud clam, originally introduced from the Atlantic coast, is 

 suited to many bays and mud flats where it has not yet been introduced. 

 On the Atlantic coast great advances have been made in ' ' farming ' ' the 



