36 



FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



the only recourse available, the Bureau of Marine Fisheries operated a 

 salvage plan which called for construction of a fish trap, hauling the 

 salmon overland, and releasing them in a canal whence they could make 

 their way to the spawning areas. Tank trucks were furnished by the 

 Bureau of Reclamation. The trap was located at the mouth of the Merced 

 River. The only fish to reach the spawning beds on the San Joaquin were 

 the 1,955 that were transported by truck. Heavy rains in April and May 

 caused the Merced River to flood, and on May 28 the trap was lifted to 

 allow all the fish to ascend this stream. Previously, 163 salmon had been 

 trucked up the Merced, as these floods were not anticipated. No water was 

 released in the San Joaquin, and those fish that did not ascend the Merced 

 were lost in the warm backwaters of the San Joaquin. At the same time 

 most of the young downstream migrants also perished for want of water. 



Figure 15. Because the middle reaches of the San Joaquin River were dry during tlie 

 spring salmon run of 1948, it was necessary to trap the fish in the lower river and trans- 

 port them overland to a canal whence they could reach the spawning beds. Two men are 

 using a short net to lierd the salmon out of the trap and into the bucket, which is nearly 

 submerged at the left. By means of a derrick, the bucket of fish is transferred to the 

 tank- truck in the background. Photograph by D. H. Fry, Jr., Hills Ferry, Mny, 1[)I,S 



BOTTOM FISHERY 



The trawl fishery for sole, sand dabs, flounders, and other bottom 

 fish is one of the oldest commercial fisheries in the State. Prior to 1940 

 most of the vessels engaged in dragging were owned and operated by 

 the producing companies. Double dragging (paranzella) necessitated 

 the operation of two large vessels to drag the net along the bottom of 

 the ocean. Inasmuch as the initial investment of each vessel was great, 

 and two vessels were required to perform one fishing operation, this 



