FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 
39 
the day, timing their departure so that the u land breeze,” which usually 
prevails in the morning, will enable them to reach the desired locality 
as soon as fishing can be profitably prosecuted. They plan to return 
about 5 p. m., coming home with the u sea breeze ” when practicable. 
The fishing crews generally consist of four men on each of the larger 
boats, particularly those belonging at Wilmington which fish about 
Santa Catalina Island. These boats do not always return to port the 
same day they leave home. They also often leave half of their crews 
at the island to fish in small boats, while the larger craft return to the 
home ports with their cargoes of fish. The men who stay behind at 
the island set and haul their gill nets or crayfish pots, or perhaps oper- 
ate hand lines and trawl lines near the shore. So plentiful are the fish 
that it often happens that another fare is caught by the time the larger 
boat returns. Boats that fish upon the bank and those working along 
the shore near the mainland generally return home every night. 
The boats using gill nets may go out late in the day and, having set 
their gear over night, haul it in the morning and make for harbor, un- 
less they use other gear during the day. All other fishing, however, is 
usually prosecuted in the early part of the day. 
Ice is not used, because it is either not to be had or is scarce and 
costly.* Boats are frequently becalmed on the fishing grounds or on 
their return to market, and the entire catch spoils and is thrown away. 
The loss from this cause is considerable. 
Even when the fish are landed in good condition it is seldom that 
the proper methods for their preservation, packing, and shipment are 
observed. The round fish are usually left in the boat until the next 
morning after their arrival, when they are shipped by rail or team in 
small boxes without ice. The products kept so long in warm weather 
without refrigeration of any kind must be in a more or less advanced 
stage of deterioration before they reach the consumer, and at times the 
railroad authorities have refused to transport fish, knowing they were 
not in a marketable condition. 
In view of these facts it is apparent that welled boats, in which fish 
can be kept alive, or small steamers that can quickly transport the catch 
from Santa Catalina, are much needed here, as on other parts of the 
Pacific coast, to contribute to the full development of the fisheries. By 
the use of welled boats it will be practicable to remain longer on the 
distant fishing grounds and, what is of still greater importance, the 
catch can be landed in the best possible condition, alive. Any surplus 
could be kept alive in floating live-cars (wherever these can be safely 
anchored) until demand is made for their shipment. 
Prior to adopting this system of bringing in live fish much can be 
done by giving more attention to the preservation of the catch. If the 
viscera are removed on the fishing grounds and even a little ice used, 
The price of ice at San Pedro in 1888 was $10 per ton. 
