46 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF MARINE FISHERIES 



By RiCHAED Van Cleve, Chief 



During the two years 1940 and 1941, the commercial fish landings 

 in California ports amounted to 2,817,441,484 pounds. In addition to 

 that used as fresh fish, 19,196,252 cases of canned fish, 188,949 tons of 

 fish meal, and 30,892,188 gallons of oil were produced. The total value 

 of these fisheries products was $114,647,208. Production figures for the 

 two years are shown in Table I. 



TABLE I 



19J^0 1941 



Total landings (pounds) 1,292,388,421 1,525,053,063 



Cases of fish canned 9,374,133 9,822,119 



Tons of fish meal produced 86,137 102,812 



Gallons of fish oil produced 13,214,990 17,677,198 



Value of fishery products $46,557,144 $68,090,064 



Some appreciation of the magnitude of these landings can be gained 

 by comparing them with the total production of fishery products for the 

 entire United States and Alaska. To obtain a representative figure, the 

 average amount of fish produced in California each year from 1935 to 

 1938, inclusive, is compared with the corresponding average yearly pro- 

 duction for the United States and Alaska. During the four years used 

 as the basis for Table II, California's landings on the average amounted 

 to 33.45 per cent of all fish delivered in the United States and Alaska. 

 This State also produced 36.53 per cent of all canned fish, 47.96 per cent 

 of all fish meal, and 52.1 per cent of all fish oil. 



TABLE II 



COMPARISON BETWEEN CALIFORNIA AND TOTAL PRODUCTION OF 

 UNITED STATES AND ALASKA FOR 1935-1938, INCLUSIVE 



Total landings Cases of Tons of Gallons of 



(pounds) canned fish fish meal fish oil 



United States and Alaska 4,390,333,250 18,517,060 220,335 35,650,570 



California 1,468,398,750 6,763,503 105,664 18,574,663 



Per cent of California com- 

 pared to United States and 



Alaska 33.45 36.53 47.96 52.10 



The number of people engaged in the California fisheries remained 

 fairly stable during the biennium. There were 9,087 commercial fisher- 

 men licensed during 1940-41, and 9,350 in 1941-42. A considerable 

 increase was noted in the number of employees in the plants, chiefly in 

 the canneries. During the year 1940, 10,919 workers were engaged by 

 the plants, with 14,632 for the year 1941. 



EFFECT OF WAR 



The effect of the war has been felt for some time in the California 

 fisheries in increased prices for canned fish used for the "lend-lease" 



