FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 
65 
are made by the fishermen, who obtain their twine principally from 
Boston, Massachusetts, but some of it is imported from Italy. The im- 
ported twine costs 85 cents per pound, the domestic 60 cents. The gill 
nets used for barracuda fishing are similar to those previously described. 
They are bought by the fishermen at an average price of 60 cents per 
pound, including the hanging ropes and corks. 
Salmon and shad are also caught in gill nets in Monterey Bay, but 
Alexander says that the fishermen of Monterey Bay have no gill nets 
specially designed for catching shad, and fish of this species that are 
gilled “ are taken in nets with a mesh much smaller than the law re- 
quires.” But the shad are usually found dead after remaining in a gill 
net for several hours, and tile fishermen naturally object to throwing their 
catch back into the sea to rot or to be devoured by predaceous fish; 
therefore the shad are taken to market or are otherwise utilized. 
The paranzella is employed here in summer, chiefly for the capture 
of flounders, though red rockfish, crabs, etc., are frequently taken in it. 
The names u bag seine,” u drag seine,” and u bag net” are usually ap- 
plied to the paranzella on the Pacific coast by those unfamiliar with its 
origin and its European designation. The paranzella consists of a deep, 
cone shaped bag of fine-meshed netting, flanked by long narrow wings, 
the upper edges of which (as well as the bunt) are supported by cork 
floats, while the lower edges are weighted with lead sinkers so that they 
will sweep the bottom like the foot line of a beam trawl. It is usually 
hung so that the net sweeps back in a deep curve between the foot line 
and the cork rope. The average size of the paranzella used at Santa 
Cruz is 85 feet long, from end to end of the wings. The bag or bunt is 
30 feet in length. When in operation, the cork rope is 6 feet above the 
foot line, but, measuring the curve of the twine, they are separated 20 
feet. There is a Pinch mesh in the wings and a 2£-inch mesh in the bag. 
This type of net is used as a drag seine, being hauled on shore, and it is 
also operated in comparatively deep water some distance from the coast. 
Two boats are required for fishing with a paranzella in deep water. 
A long, stout rope extends from the quarter of each boat to one wing 
of the net, and they sail along, widely separated but parallel with each 
other, slowly dragging the apparatus over the bottom. When the end 
of the ground is reached, or for other reasons the net has been towed 
long enough, it is hauled in and its contents taken into the boats. 
Spears are used to some extent for catching salmon in San Lorenzo 
Creek. The spears have three barbed prongs, 6 or 7 inches long and 2 
inches apart. There is a deep socket above the spearhead and into this 
is fitted a pole 8 or 10 feet long. A strong line is fastened to the spear- 
head and passed through rings on the shaft to the hands of the fisherman. 
When a fish is struck, the spear is detached from the handle and the 
salmon is pulled in by the line. 
Preparation , transportation , markets, etc . — The fishery products of this 
county are marketed fresh, and are not preserved or in any manner 
H. Mis. 274. 5 
