FORTY-SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT 



77 



Central California, it became evident that very small crabs less than one 

 year of age were abundant on the sandy bottoms off Marin County. This 

 is good news for it is this population of young that will supply in a few 

 years the replacements to the size groups harvested so thoroughly by 

 the intense fishing effort and efficient crab traps used by the San Fran- 



cisco crab fishing fleet. 



An experimental crab trap with openings to allow escapement of crabs under legal size. The 



small crabs have a much better chance to survive if they can escape while still on the bottom 



instead of being hauled to the surface and thrown overboard. 



OYSTERS 



Kenewed interest and activity in oyster culture has resulted in a 

 1 ' rebirth ' ' of the industry which has scarcely held its own in recent years. 

 The effort is directed primarily for the production of marketable Pacific 

 giant oysters grown in California bays from plantings of very young 

 "seed" oysters imported from Japan. There are now 12 allotments of 

 water bottoms for the purpose of oyster culture in bays where previous 

 to 1948 there were but five. California bays have been demonstrated to be 

 very satisfactory for growing these oysters which normally require four 

 years to attain marketable size in Japan. The general practice is to 

 harvest only 18 to 24 months after planting in California waters. Morro 

 Bay has very recently received plantings of Pacific seed in quantity far 

 greater than ever before. Harvestings from this area were restarted this 

 year, and barring natural phenomena resulting in excessively high mor- 

 tality, California should enjoy landings of these oysters far in excess of 

 any heretofore received. 



