FORTY-FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT 



41 



SARDINE 



The present bieniiiiim saw an improvement in the sardine fishery 

 and a steady increase in tonnage hinded. From tlie low of 121, DOO tons 

 in 1947-48 the catch went to 184,000 in l!)48-49 and 386,000 in l!J4!J-50.* 

 As a result the industry is in a much healthier condition than in the 

 previous biennium. Although more sardines were available on the San 

 Francisco and Monterey fishing grounds there were not enough fish to 

 meet the needs of the processors in these two ports. As a residt the truck- 

 ing of sardines from Southern California, started in 1946-47, was con- 

 tinued through 1949-50. To meet this demand unloading facilities were 

 improved at the ports of Santa Barbara and Hueneme. Most of the 

 sardines trucked to Monterey and San Francisco w^ere caught around the 

 northern Channel Islands and off^ the mainland north of Santa Monica 

 Bay. 



Figure 6. Sardine landings at California ports during the past 10 seasons 



During 1948-49 about 80 percent of the sardines landed were used 

 for canning but in 1949-50 the proportion canned dropped to a third of 

 the total received. This was due to a strengthening in the price of meal 

 and oil and a major drop in the price of canned sardines. 



As an experiment in regulation of the sardine fishery the Sardine 

 Industry Advisory Committee set up a temporary program of control 

 for the 1948-49 season which was carried out b.y the Division of Fish and 

 Game. Since this did not meet the expectations of the industr}^ and 

 proved very difficult to administer, the regulations were dropped at the 



* These totals include poundages used for bait and consumption in a fresh state. 

 They represent the final records for 1947-48 and 1948-49 and the most accurate figures 

 available at this time for 19 49-50. 



