TWENTY-NINTPI BIENNIAL REPORT. 75 



doing the analysis and investigative work that will produce results 

 from the data gathered. The research work of the laboratory is now 

 seriously handicapped by the lack of experienced men. This situation 

 promises to become more, rather than less, acute in the future, due to 

 the increasing demand for men of training in such work. 



In addition to the state employees, there are now three members of 

 the laboratory staff employed by the International Fisheries Commis- 

 sion, United States-Mexico ; one of whom is receiving training in 

 research methods, and two are engaged in the arranging and filing of 

 the state's records of catch. 



Sardine Work. — The sardine catch of California outranks, in pounds 

 landed, the commercial catch of all other fisheries combined, by three 

 to one, and promises to increase in importance and to maintain its 

 lead over all other fisheries for many years in the future. This is the 

 chief reason for our concentration of research effort on the sardine 

 fishery. 



The results already attained form the entering wedge to our under- 

 standing of the complex changes occurring in our sardine fishery. 

 Summaries of these results are to be found in the five reports assembled 

 under the title Fish Bulletin No. 11. 



The data for more detailed analysis are at hand, but fisheries experts 

 of advanced training are necessary for this follow-up work, and at 

 present such men are exceedingly difficult to find and hold. With 

 the staff available, this work is being pushed as far as possible. The 

 sampling and analysis of the catch at semiweekly intervals is being 

 continued, and the observations will be summarized after the close of 

 each fishing season. 



Albacore Work. — The results of several years' observation and 

 research work on the albacore catch are now being prepared for publi- 

 cation by Mr. W. F. Thompson. An analysis of boat catches over a 

 period of years will form a part of his report. Regular daily observa- 

 tions of the catch of southern California for the three summer months 

 will be continued. 



Pismo Clam Work. — Since the publication of Dr. Weymouth's 

 Fish Bulletin No. 7, on the Pismo Clam, the work has been continued 

 and a surprisingly rapid depletion of this species has been clearly 

 demonstrated. The evidence is now being prepared by W. C. Herring- 

 ton for publication in bulletin form as one of the Fish Bulletin series. 



Striped Bass Work. — Biological and life history research of the 

 striped bass is being carried on by E. C. Scofield under the direction 

 of Professor J. 0. Snyder at Stanford University. In addition, a 

 preliminary boat catch analysis covering the last eight years has been 

 prepared at the laboratory by J. A. Craig. Although this boat catch 

 analysis is jareliminary in nature it is planned that the catches of 

 this species will be subjected to further analj^sis, and together with 

 similar work done on albacore, the results may be summarized in 

 bulletin form, so that the relative merits of the various methods of 

 analysis can be contrasted, to serve as a guide to possible future work 

 along such lines. 



^b 



Miscellaneous Research. — .Various secondary research problems 

 have received attention during the last two years ; for example, observa- 



