FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST* 
45 
occasionally capture a live seal or sea lion, to sell for exhibition pur- 
poses. The sea otter is excessively shy here as elsewhere, but the great 
value of its pelage is an incentive for the hunter to endure long periods 
of patient waiting and much exposure. 
Whales, chiefly the California gray, are reported to be numerous off 
the coast of this county during the winter, when they frequently come 
close inshore. In summer they migrate northward. None have been 
captured, however, in recent years, but quite an important shore whale 
fishery could be prosecuted, as in former years, if the price of oil should 
advance sufficiently to make the business remunerative. The profits 
might now be materially enhanced by the utilization of the carcasses 
for the manufacture of fertilizer — a product that ought to find a ready 
sale at good prices. K 
Barracuda, bonito (commonly known here as “ Spanish mackerel” and 
u skipjacks”), and smelt are the leading varieties of market fish during 
the summer. BulPs : eye mackerel are moderately abundant and can be 
taken from May to October.* They are not much esteemed, however. 
Albicore, sea bass, yellow-tail, and jewfish are caught in summer. 
Crayfish, an important species in this locality, are very numerous, and 
can be taken at all seasons, though somewhat farther offshore in winter 
than during the warm season, when they can be taken close inshore. 
The abalone is somewhat less abundant on the islauds than formerly, 
but it is still numerous. The unremunerative prices now obtained for 
the shells deter white men from engaging in the fishery for them. This 
cause has had more to do with the seeming decline in this fishery than 
any real scarcity of the species. Only the largest and finest shells are 
now marketable; tons of slightly inferior quality, that formerly would 
have brought good prices, are now thrown away. The result is that 
the abalone fishery has of late come entirely under the control of the 
Chinese, who, content with small returns, scour the coast in their junks, 
gleaning whatever of nature’s bounty they can secure, for which any 
market can be found. 
The native Californians sometimes eat a few clams, of which there 
are two or three species; but there is no clam fishery. Oysters and 
scallops are not taken. 
Fishing grounds . — A favorite fishing ground for surface species (bar- 
racuda, bonito, etc.), and one of the best on the coast of California, is 
in the channel between SantaBarbara and the islands (see map, plate i). 
The rocky ledges that jut out from the land, intersecting the long 
stretches of sandy beaches and shallow inshore bottoms, are considered 
excellent fishing grounds. Along the shore, between Los Pueblos and 
Carpenteria, is said to be one of the best localities for hook-and-line 
fishing on the coast of this county. There are excellent grounds for 
* Alexander says the bull’s-eye does not occur anywhere along this coast in abuu(b 
anceto be compared with the common mackerel in the Atlantic, 
