568 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
suit, air pumps, and accessories are used off the rocky shores of Monte- 
rey Bay, the products amounting to 108,375 pounds of dry abalone 
meat and 63,293 pounds of abalone shells. Abalone meat, dried, is sold 
to the Chinese of the United States and China; the shells are sold to 
tourists, to button and fancy-work factories, and to some extent in 
Europe. 
The Chinese have for many years been the exclusive fishermen for 
squid, which are taken in small-sized purse seines used just abreast of 
their camp. This catch, dried and ready for shipment amounted to 
622,740 pounds of $18,682 value. 
The whale fishery was followed by 8 Portuguese and 8 Japanese, 
who use whale boats to pursue passing whales, which on being killed 
are towed to shore stations and there cut up and the oil extracted. 
Of late years quite a business has sprung up in the capture of sea 
lions alive, which are sold for exhibition purposes and to zoological 
parks of this country and Europe. Thirty-seven sea lions were taken 
by the fishermen of Monterey County and so disposed of in 1899. 
The frugal Chinese and Japanese seldom reject any food products 
from the sea, as will be noticed in the saving of 9,065 pounds of star- 
fish and sea urchins, 35,824 pounds of algw, and 74,421 pounds of 
bones of whales. The first two are cleaned and prepared for sale to 
tourists and collectors of sea products. Aleve are dried and used by 
the Chinese for many purposes, including food, medicine, and fertil- 
izing. The bones of whales killed near Monterey and those found on 
the beaches along the coast are shipped to San Francisco and there 
ground up for fertilizing purposes. 
The salmon fishery is of comparatively late date. The fishermen 
were led into it from seeing the success of sportsmen trolling with 
spoon hooks. In 1892 they secured in this way 6,915 pounds; in 1895, 
94,475 pounds, and in 1899 the catch by hooks and lines amounted to 
227,486 pounds. These salmon are all chinook and are taken only in 
May, June, July, and August. The catch is sold locally. 
San Luis Obispo County.—The fisheries of this county present no 
changes of note in the kinds or quantity of products handled. A few 
fishermen at Port Harford supply the surrounding country with fresh 
fish; the surplus is sent to San Francisco. The aggregate products of 
1899 amounted to 252,255 pounds of fresh fish, 80,810 pounds of salt 
fish, and 58,265 pounds of other fishery product, the total value being 
$12,713; 175 sea lions were shot for their oil and hides. 
Santa Barbara County.—Nearly every fishing station between San 
Francisco and San Diego shows quite large gains in the fisheries, Santa 
Barbara being an exception. Fish are plentiful in Santa Barbara 
channel and around the islands, yet the local demand for fish is only 
poorly supplied. The few fishermen work with little energy and only 
part of the time. The products of the fisheries in 1899 amounted 
to 655,893 pounds of $15,597 value. This includes 168,746 pounds 
