104 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



Alaska surpasses our state only in the volume of its fish catch. From 

 Circular No. 2 of the Division of Fish and Game, which is a statistical 

 report on fresh and canned fishery products for the year 1927, we 

 learn, besides the total volume of the state's commercial fish catch as 

 given above, that the estimated value of the fish pack was $23,348,516. 

 If we add to this the value of the fish going into the fresh fish markets, 

 the total value of the state's fishery products is well over $25,000,000. 

 We have 75 fish packing plants the value of which is over eight and one- 

 half million dollars. In these plants are employed 6461 people. 

 3,882,900 cases of fish were canned in the year, seventeen kinds of fish 

 and shellfish being used. At least twenty kinds of fish and shellfish 

 were salted, dried or smoked. There were produced 21,111 tons of fish 

 meal and 2,618,490 gallons of fish oil. 



California is probably most remarkable for the diversity of her fish- 

 eries, both in methods of fishing and in the number of varieties of fish 

 caught. The species of fish and shellfish of commercial importance in 

 the state exceed sixty in number. This number is not even approached 

 by any other state and it is our belief it far exceeds that of any other 

 country. From the viewpoint of conservation there is a great advan- 

 tage in having diversified fisheries such as California's for the reason 

 that the species of fish compete with each other, either for food or by 

 actually devouring each other. Under natural conditions there exists 

 more or less of a balance between these species so that if man comes in 

 and concentrates his fishing efforts on only a few of the species, the 

 check is removed from the unutilized varieties with the result that they 

 will prosper at the expense of the kinds which are being fished for. 

 In other words, the fisheries will stand the strain of fishing better if 

 the commercial catch is made up of many species, instead of a few. 

 Another advantage" our state derives from its diversified fisheries is the 

 splendid assortment of fish and shellfish to be found in our markets at 

 nil seasons of the year. One of the things which makes a lasting impres- 

 sion on visitors to the state is the large number of sea food restaurants 

 which serve such a variety of sea foods. 



The sardine catch in the state continues to overshadow that of all 

 other species combined. The combined catch of species other than sar- 

 dines has remained fairly constant during the past thirteen years, while 

 the catch of sardines has fluctuated greatly. If a graph is made 

 it shows very clearly that the fluctuation in the catch of sar- 

 dines follows what has been called the ' ' prosperity curve. ' ' The catch 

 of sardines increased greatly during the war, due to the great demand 

 for canned fish. Then came the post-war slump beginning in 1920 and 

 reaching its lowest level in 1921. Since that time the recovery has been 

 rapid. The combined catch of all other species of fish has also followed 

 this same prosperity curve, although the correlation is not so obvious 

 as in the case of sardines. 



We are justified in arguing from this that the catch of sardines, as 

 well as the combined catch of the other species, is being determined by 

 economic conditions and not by fluctuations in the abundance of the 

 fish. We would be in error, however, if we argued that the actual 

 abundance of the fish in the sea is following this prosperity curve. An 

 increased catch is caused by an increased demand, usually coupled with 

 an increased fishing effort. During the peaks of production more fish 

 canneries are operating and more boats are fishing. If we are to know 



