64 



DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 



Demonstration of this one fact alone would be 

 enough to make these marking experiments a success; 

 however, a great deal of additional data is being col- 

 lected, the anal\'sis of which may well prove to be of 

 even greater value to proper management of this re- 

 newable resource. 



King Salmon, Ocean Tagging 



During the 1952 season, 1,318 king salmon were 

 tagged, all off San Francisco from boats furnished by 

 the Golden Gate Sportfishers Association. The coop- 

 eration of this association of party boat operators not 

 only saved the State several thousand dollars, but 

 assured a good catch of fish and produces a better 

 sample of the fish taken by the sports fleet than could 

 have been obtained by any other method. The San 

 Francisco Tyee Club, a group of sportsmen organized 

 for the purpose of conserving the salmon, has con- 

 tributed to our program by posting over 1 1,000 for 

 the return of certain lucky salmon tags. These bonuses 

 have been a great help in assuring the return of tags. 



Returns of king salmon during the biennium which 

 were tagged in 1952 are shown in the table by the 

 area of recapture. The figures reflect the fact that most 

 king salmon are now^ taken in the ocean and that nearly 

 all the salmon taken off San Francisco come from the 

 Sacramento-San Joaquin River system. 



The principal purpose of this cooperative program 

 is to determine the best size limits for the ocean sal- 

 mon fisheries. 



Catch Sampling 



In addition to obtaining reliable figures on the pro- 

 portion of marked fish in the ocean catch, the depart- 

 ment's samplers are getting valuable information for 

 detailed analyses of the fishery and the two species 

 of salmon supporting it. A summary of fish examined 

 during the ocean catch samphng program is presented 

 below: 



19S2 



1953 



King 

 Number 



e.vamined 63,361 



Silver King Silver 



9,111 165,346 25,628 



Percent of catch 

 sampled „.- 12.8% 33.3% 



Average weight 12.2 lbs. 8.2 lbs. 12.8 lbs. 7.9 lbs. 



Percent of catch 

 by weight ..... 88.5% 11.5% 91.6% 8.4% 



Additional material collected has included random 

 length measurements, scale samples and lengths for 

 age analyses, sexual maturity data, and data regarding 

 weather and prices and their effect on fishing effort. 



An unusually large number of pink or humpback 

 salmon were taken off California as far south as San 

 Francisco during July, 1953. Based on sampling data, 

 it is estimated that about 700 were landed. This is the 

 first time in recent history that this salmon has ap- 

 peared in such large numbers in the California fishery. 



In conjunction with ocean catch sampling. Marine 

 Fisheries Branch personnel sample the catch of the gill 

 net fishery operating in the Sacramento-San Joaquin 

 River delta. Marks recovered here serve as a valuable 

 check on ocean recoveries. 



Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta King Salmon 



mi 19S3 



Number examined 10,391 17,192 



Percent of catch sampled .- 27.4% 43.7% 



Average weights 19.5 lbs. 20.3 lbs. 



Spawning Area Surveys 



Annual inventory of the spawning populations utiliz- 

 ing the spawning areas in California's rivers is made 

 each fall and winter. During their survey trips crews 

 examine thousands of salmon that have died after 

 spawning, and while examining these carcasses find 

 many marked or tagged fish. The data collected on 

 these surveys completes the cycle in the search for 

 facts upon which to base wise salmon management 

 regulations. 



An important demonstration of the homing instinct 

 in silver salmon was demonstrated by mark recoveries 

 on the north coast in 1953. Early in 1951, more than 

 16,000 marked silver fry were released into Lindsey 

 Creek, the only one of several small tributaries to the 

 Mad River that received marked fish. Because silvers 

 spawn and die at the end of their third }-ear, survey 

 crews expected and found them back in the winter 

 of 1953. 



During the fall of 1953, survey crews participated 

 in redevelopment of a salmon population in Clear 

 Creek, a tributary to the upper Sacramento River. 

 This stream once had a run of king salmon that 

 spawned above the site of a dam which since con- 

 struction has barred its passage for years. The dam is 



Departmeni crews checking ihe commercial salmon catch for ftn marks. 

 Measurements are taken at the some time. 



