I 



REPORT OP THE FISH AM) GAME COMMISSION. 



6- 



species. The rapidity of srowdi, ilic disl lihulion <if pi'lagic ova or larvae by currents, 

 tlio rosponso of the species to clianjies in siirroirndini; conditions, all affect both the 

 conclusions of the naturalist and those to whom the apparent abundance of fish ia 

 vitally important. Above all, iiowever, our program will \ye most vital to the 

 progress of hydroKraphicnl science in its relation to the food supply of man, through 

 what is in reality the most essential i)urpos(> of our work — the measurement of the 

 actual abundance of lish in the ocean. The effect of liydrotjraphical conditions on 

 fish can not bo measured without a knowledge of the real abundance of fish, of the 

 rate of growth, and the habits. So, in addition to being dedicated to the .service 

 of comix>tent legislation for conservation ami utilization, the laboratory will be in a 

 very real way an essential part in tlu' |>rogrfss of more g<'neral scientific knowledge." 



FISHERIES PATROL. 



IMost of tlio fislicfics ('()iis('i'v;ition laws of tlie state JM^ply to the 

 Saeraineiik) and San -Joaciiiiii rivers and to tlie San Francisco Bay 

 region where intensive fishing has been longest carried on and where 

 more species of fish are in need of protection. For the enforcement 

 of these laws we have five patrol boats. San Francisco Bay and the 

 near outside waters are covered by ihc boats "Quinnat" and "Steel- 

 head", the river fishing districts by the boats "Rainbow," "Barracuda" 

 and "Shad." The first two boats are directly in charge of tliis depart- 

 ment. The otlicr three come imdor tlio lioad of general patrol as they 



Fig. 17. Commercial Fisheries patrol boats, a. The "Albacore," June 3, 191S. 



Photograph by E. M. Niel.sen. b. The "Steelhead" patrolling the lower Sacramento 



0. The "Quinnat." Photograph by N. B. Scofield. d. The "Rainbow" at time of 

 launching in 1919. Photograph by A. M. Fairfield. 



