50 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Compared with the figures obtained in 1880, there has been a very 
gratifying increase in the product and value of the food- fish fishery. 
In 1880 the yield of food-fish obtained in this county, exclusive of shell- 
fish and crustaceans, amounted to 81,000 pounds, with a value of $2,520. 
In 1888 the product was 129,627 pounds of fresh fish and 10,000 pounds 
of salt fish, with an aggregate value of $4,482.81. There has been, 
however, a material decrease in the whale fishery, which will be more 
fully discussed in a succeeding paragraph. 
Species, seasons of occurrence , etc . — The species here do not vary mate- 
rially from those given under the head of Santa Barbara County, and 
there is practically no difference in those most important for food pur- 
poses. Iu the following notes special mention is omitted of species of 
secondary importance. 
Mackerel were not known to enter San Luis Obispo Bay till 1887, 
during which and the following year the species was very abundant in 
August, September, and October, at times appearing in large schools. 
In 1888 the first fish were taken on August 10 and the species remained 
well into November. They averaged nearly 3 pounds in weight. 
Barracuda are chiefly taken iu July, August, and September, but are 
also caught between February and December. They average 6J pounds, 
some reaching .12 pounds. Small fish occur throughout the winter. 
The sea bass is one of the most important species of the county, as it 
is of the entire State. During August and September, 1888, they were 
very abundant, and they were also taken, in smaller numbers, iu Octo- 
ber and November. They weigh from 3 to 75 pounds, averaging about 
20 or 25 pounds. They arrive in schools containing fish of uniform 
size and resort chiefly to the keip beds along the shore. 
Bonito and horse mackerel occur at the same season and under about 
the same conditions as the barracuda. Rockfish of numerous varieties 
are taken in greater numbers than any other species, and constitute 
about one- third of the entire catch. Bastard halibut (P. californicus), 
of from 10 to 60 pounds, are taken near the wharf at Port Harford, but 
are not abundant. Smelts reach this part of the coast in March and 
become abundant during summer and fall ; a few remain all the year. 
Sardines and herring arrive after the main body of smelts, and both 
are taken with set and drift gill nets. Pompano, kingfish, perch, blue- 
ifish, and other varieties are caught in small quantities. Shad havenot 
sbeen seen in this county so far as could be learned. 
V Whales appear chiefly in fall and winter, as on other parts of the coast 
south of San Francisco. Four species, the humpback, California gray, 
finback, and sulphur-bottom, are said to occur, but only gray whales 
were taken in 1888. These are about 35 to 40 feet in length, and yield 
about 25 or 30 barrels of oil. x 
Clams are plentiful on the shallows bordering the beaches, but they 
are not taken in large numbers. Abalone shells occur on the rocky 
shores, but are not numerous ; only a few are incidentally taken. 
