THE SHRIMP AND PRAWN FISHERIES. 809 



torn-house records, under the heading of " Fish, other." The total value of the "Fish, other" 

 exported from San Francisco to Hong Kong during the entire year 1880, was $229,858. The cus- 

 tom house records give nothing more definite on the subject, but Mr. Lockington, who investigated 

 this fishery, by reference to the manifests of the vessels in which the shrimp were shipped to China, 

 Japan, and the Sandwich Islands, estimates that the exports for 1880 could not have fallen below 

 * 100,000 in value, and probably exceeded that amount. At this valuation the weight of the shrimp 

 exported, including both the meats and shells, must have exceeded 1,000,000 pounds. 



DANGERS OF OVERFISHING. There is little doubt but that the consumption of shrimp in and 

 about San Francisco Bay exceeds their rate of increase, and that they must eventually and at no 

 distant day become much less abundant than they are ai pr< sent. This is to be regretted not only 

 because of their great value as an article of food and profit to mankind directly, but also for the 

 reason that they form a very important part of the food of fishes, the supply of which has already 

 become very nearly exhausted in the Bay of San Francisco. It seems imperative that some restric- 

 tions should be placed at once upon the catching of shrimp in the vicinity of San Francisco, if it 

 is desired to keep up this important industry. At present there are no regulations concerning it, 

 and shrimp catching is carried on continuously throughout the year, without a single interval for 

 the peaceful spawning of the old and the maturing of the young. 



5. THE PRAWN FISHERY. 



. VARIETIES OF PRAWNS. Two species of prawns are now brought to the San Francisco mar- 

 ket. One of these, Pawlnlun Dante, averages about 7 inches in length, is variegated in color, and 

 very abundant; the other, which is still undetermined as to its name, is smaller, less abundant, 

 and plainly colored. 



LOCATION OF THE FISHERY. The two species are found and caught together, principally in 

 moderately deep water off San Francisco Bay, between Point Reyes and the Farallone Islands. 

 During the past two years prawns have been much more commonly seen in the San Francisco 

 markets than formerly, the reason being that the fishermen driven out of the bay by the great 

 decrease in the fish supply, once so abundant there, have been forced to resoit to the deeper 

 fisheries of the open ocean, where prawns abound. Another species of crustacean quite dif- 

 ferent from Pfuidftliis, though resembling it somewhat in shape, the Pemvus brasiliensix (?), occasion- 

 ally visits the bay of San Francisco, and is taken and sold in the markets as a prawn. It is con- 

 siderably larger than Pandulits Dtina; and commands a higher price. In 1879 it was caught from 

 time to time in the bay, but we have no netice of its occurrence there in 1880. 



AMOUNT OF SALES IN 1879. The sales of prawns in the San Francisco markets in 1879 

 were estimated to amount to about 20,000 pounds, valued at about $4,000. 



PREPARATION OF LARGE PRAWNS. Some large prawns (the species not determined) are 

 prepared in Chinatown, San Francisco, by removing the carapax and stringing them on two slender 

 pieces of cane, which pass through the flesh, giving rise to a ladder-like structure; they sell at 

 30 cents a pound.* 



* The account of the shrimp aud prawn fisheries of California was prepared from materials furnished by Mr. W. 

 N. Lockington and Prf. D. S. Jordan. 



