44 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
was given up some time ago, chiefly because of the low price of oil.* 
Individuals may occasionally go out for a day’s fishing at some other 
point on the cpast, simply for sport or to get supplies for their own 
tables, but irregular and desultory operations of this kind can not be 
considered in this connection. 
Importance of the fisheries . — Notwithstanding there is no lack of va- 
riety or abundance of fish, little attention is given to the fisheries. 
The business is confined entirely to a small-boat shore fishery, practi- 
cally controlled by one Italian and one Hungarian, who own nearly all 
of the boats and fishing gear, and hire other fishermen to go out when 
the latter are.disposed to engage in fishing. As at many other watering- 
places, the fishermen find it most profitable to serve the pleasure-seekers 
who frequent this resort, and they engage in fishing only when they can 
not find other and more lucrative employment. Nevertheless, there 
has apparently been a moderate increase in the fisheries of the vicinity 
of Santa Barbara since 1880, though the county as a whole shows a 
slight decrease. The change is most noticea ble in the number of boats 
employed, there being 24 in 1888 against 5 recorded by Jordan iu 1880. 
Species, abundance , seasons of occurrence, etc . — The following is a list 
of the most common and important species that constitute objects of 
fishery in this county, or which may become commercially important in 
the near future. Among the latter whales are perhaps the most im- 
portant. 
Sea otter ( Enhydra marina). 
Winter sea lion ( Zalophus calif ornianus). 
Hair seal ( Phoca ). 
Whales (chiefly Bhachianectes glaucus). 
Barracuda, April to November. 
Spanish mackerel ( Sarda chilensis), most 
of the year. 
Mackerel, May to November. 
Rockfish (genus Sebastichthys),all the year. 
Bluefish ( Girella nigricans), all the year. 
Whitefish, all the year. 
Halibut ( P . calif ornicus) , all the year. 
Sme'lt, May to November. 
Sardine, May to November. 
Eel {Anguilla), not common. 
Yellow-tail, all the year. 
Rock bass, May to October. 
Kingfish, all the year. 
Black perch (family Embiotocidce), all the 
year. 
Red perch, all the year. 
Jewfish, all the year. 
Pompano, June to September. 
Mulhjt. 
Horse mackerel. 
Roncador. 
Fat-head. 
Flying-fish. 
Besides the above there are sharks, dogfish, skates, sculpins, and 
numerous other varieties. Crayfish and abalone may be taken through- 
out the year. Sea otters occur rather sparsely about the islands, and 
are hunted there during the fall and most of the winter by native Cali- 
fornians from Santa Barbara, who, during the rest of the year, generally 
engage in pelagic fur-sealing on vessels sailing from San Francisco. 
These men return from sea in October and shortly thereafter camp upon 
the islands, where they also take hair seals for their oil and pelts, and 
* Goleta had been abandoned in 1880, but there was then a whaling company of 20 
men at Cajo Yiejo, 51 miles west of Santa Barbara; this has also been deserted. 
