48 



DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 



During the biennium, the Pacific Marine Fisheries 

 Commission has coordinated research work on various 

 ocean species conducted by the three states, Canada, 

 Alasiia, and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 

 work has included studies on the king and silver 

 salmon, albacore, sablefish and the otter trawl fisheries. 

 Accounts of the commission's work appears through- 

 out this report under the species above-named. 



'Poftt^ 'S<unt 0<zCc/ieA 



THE SPORT FISHERIES 



Marine sport fishing continued to show interesting 

 changes during the biennium. The widely distributed 

 rockfishes of the genus Sebastodes assumed a state- 

 \\ide importance never equaled before. 



Even in Southern California, where the traditionally 

 important barracuda, white seabass and kelp bass have 

 held popular sway for many years, rockfish produced 

 from 30 to 50 percent of the total catch. In the north- 

 ern part of the State, salmon continued to provide in- 

 creasing sport. 



PARTY BOAT FISHING 



Sport fishing party boats are increasing in number 

 in the northern part of the State. In former years, 

 there were three boats in the south to one in the north; 

 now the ratio is approximately one to one. There is 

 still a big difference in the relative sizes, as the south- 

 ern boats average 18 anglers per trip as compared to 

 nine for boats in the north. 



Recent legislation in Congress aimed at improving 

 the safety of the passengers on all manner of craft is 

 expected to reduce sharply the number of active sport 

 boats in California waters. 



The increase in the southern rockfish catch indicates 

 one or more conditions. Fishing success for the more 

 popular game fishes has been decreasing, causing a 

 search for substitutes. Rockfish are abundant and easy 

 to take and very naturally fall into the void catches. 

 Secondly, some evidence points to a possible extension 

 of some cold water species to the south. This means 

 that rockfish may be present in locations that were 

 previously unproductive. 



Salmon fishing from skiffs, /ifce //le one below, in Monterey, grew in 

 popularity during the biennium. 



(Fish and Game Photo by C. H. Meacham) 



The California halibut is one of California's popular 

 game fishes, but this species has shown a marked de- 

 crease in numbers since 1950. Following the comple- 

 tion of the kelp bass study in the biennium, a tagging 

 study to determine the growth and migration of the 

 halibut was started in March, 1956. Three thousand 

 of these fish \\ ere marked over a period of six weeks, 

 mostly within the confines of the Long Beach-Los 

 Angeles Harbor. Tagged halibut have been recovered 

 by both commercial and sport fishermen, and the re- 

 turns will be used as the basis for recommended man- 

 agement adjustments in the fishery. 



SURF FISHING 



The four most important species in the popular 

 sport of surf fishing have been studied as a federal 

 aid project. In order of numbers taken they are: the 

 barred surfperch, the California corvina, the spotfin 

 croaker (the latter two in almost equal numbers) and 

 the yellowfin croaker. 



Work on the barred perch is nearing completion. 

 The fish of this species have been aged, a food studv 

 has been completed, as have fecundity and maturity 

 studies. Tagging w ill be completed soon and an analy- 

 sis of movement patterns compiled. 



\'olunteer records from surf fishermen and a 

 monthly survey and creel census, conducted for one 

 year, have yielded much data on catch per hour, the 

 importance of each species in the catch, seasonal fluc- 

 tuations in catch and the geographic distribution of 

 the surf species. 



Over 11,000 fish of the four project species were 

 evaluated. Of these, 7,000 taken by beach seine pro- 

 vided the material needed for the various aspects of 

 the study. Over 3,500 fish have been tagged, with 

 about a 5 percent tag recovery. 



The summarization of data obtained on the three 

 species of croaker is continuing with considerable 

 portions of the study completed. 



Maturity studies, relationship of abundance and 

 movement of the fish to tidal and seasonal cycles, and 

 tagging analysis have been made on these fish. Obser- 

 vation of underwater conditions in suppl\ing infor- 

 mation to round out the picture. When completed, 

 the analysis of the fishing and life histories will serve 

 as the basis for a factual management program. 



