22 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



Production of canned fish reached record proportions during the 

 biennium, showing a considerable gain over the previous two years. The 

 10,000,000-case pack of 1947 was a notable figure, considering the light 

 sardine catch. Production of fish meal and oil took a great drop because 

 of the failure of the sardine fishery. 



Accompanying the increase in value of the fish to the fishermen was 

 a comparable increase in the value of the processed product. The sensa- 

 tional gain in wholesale value from $79,000,000 in 1945 to $132,000,000 

 in 1947 was due to the increase in the high-priced tuna pack and to the 

 inflated prices that all canned fish are commanding. The fishing industry 

 of California has truly become a multi-million dollar business. 



The 1947 catch was made by 12,894 commercial fishermen, and was 

 processed by 13,161 plant workers. The number of fishermen increased 

 steadily from 10,871 in 1944-45 to 12,894 in 1947-48 (see Tables 3 and 4) . 

 This increase was accounted for entirely by United States born fishermen, 

 as the number of foreign-born fishers remained constant. As a matter of 

 fact, Norwegian-born fishermen have numbered exactly 454 for the last 

 three years. 



SARDINE 



The sardine fishery suffered a severe collapse during the biennium. 

 The 1946-47 catch was approximately half that of the previous season 

 which was the lowest on record since the expansion of the fishery. In 

 spite of the industry's hopes that the slump was temporary, the 1947-48 

 season brought a further drop, to the insignificant figure of 115,000 

 tons (see Figure 7). The effect of this decline was catastrophic to fisher- 

 men, boat owners, plant owners, and cannery workers alike. In despera- 



CALIFORNIA SARDINE LANDINGS 



L 



Figure 7 Tons of sardines landed at all California ports during the past 10 seasons. 

 The total for 1938-39 includes deliveries to the floating plants. After this season the 

 floaters ceased operations. The decline of the sardine fishery has been httle short of 



catastrophic 



