86 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



and 1904 and in that reported at the present census, as 

 given in the following tabular statement, is of interest 

 as showing the fluctuations in the fishery products: 



Although the total value of products in 1908 shows 

 a material decrease, as compared with the values for 

 the prior years, the value of the salmon catch 

 increased. The value of this catch formed 24 per 

 cent of the total value of products in 1908, compared 

 with 10 per cent in 1899. Other species that have 

 increased notably are striped bass, barracuda, spiny 

 lobsters, rockfish, catfish, and squeteague, or white sea 

 bass. Whale products, on the other hand, show a 

 large and steady decrease, both actual and propor- 

 tionate, and cod, smelt, and shrimp decreased in a less 

 degree. 



Products, by fishing grounds. — The following tabular 

 statement shows the quantity and value of products 

 taken by the shore and boat fisheries from the different 

 waters of the state: 



i Less than 1 per cent. 



Of the total products taken by the shore and boat 

 fisheries in 1908, products from the Sacramento River 

 formed 32 per cent in quantity and 38 per cent in 

 value. Salmon was the principal species caught 

 in this river and amounted to 7,292,000 pounds. 

 Striped bass was next in importance, the quantity 

 reported being 1,690,000 pounds. Other species 

 taken were as follows: Catfish, 1,068,000 pounds; 

 shad, 1,055,000 pounds; carp, 425,000 pounds; black 

 bass, 82,000 pounds; pike, 20,000 pounds; and stur- 

 geon, 10,000 pounds. The total catch taken from the 

 Sacramento River and the product of salmon, striped 

 bass, catfish, shad, carp, and black bass for that river 

 show substantial gains since 1904. 



San Francisco Bay was second in rank according 

 to the value of products, although the quantity of 

 products taken from the Pacific Ocean was greater. 

 This is due largely to the fact that much of the ocean 

 product does not compare in value with the salmon 

 and other choice species taken in the bay. The oyster 

 product of San Francisco Bay also affected the relative 

 value of the catch to a large extent. Herring was the 

 principal species taken in the bay fisheries, the 

 weight of the catch amounting to 450,000 pounds. 

 Smelt ranked next in respect to quantity, with 278,000 

 pounds, and sea bass followed, with 271,000 pounds. 

 Rockfish, striped bass, and sardines were also taken 

 in considerable quantities. 



In Humboldt Bay and its tributaries there were 

 taken, besides salmon, the following: Smelt, 132,000 

 pounds; flounders, 112,000 pounds; herring, 26,000 

 pounds; rockfish, 63,000 pounds; and crabs, 1,411,000 

 pounds. Hard and soft clams also were marketed in 

 considerable quantities. 



The sardine catch of Monterey Bay amounted to 

 1,782,000 pounds, and was valued at $8,900. The low 

 value per pound of sardines causes the average value 

 per pound of the products of this bay to be lower than 

 that for any other waters of the state, with the excep- 

 tion of San Luis Obispo Bay. More than two-thirds 

 of the abalone catch of the state is credited to Monterey 

 Bay. Other products were rockfish, 1,850,000 pounds; 

 barracuda, 383,000 pounds; sea bass, 365,000 pounds; 

 and squid, 110,000 pounds. 



Products, by class of fisheries. — The next tabular 

 statement shows the leading products ranked accord- 

 ing to value, and their distribution between the vessel 

 and the shore and boat fisheries. 



The vessel fisheries of California are of minor impor- 

 tance, compared with the shore and boat fisheries, 

 their product contributing in 1908 only 17 per cent 

 to the total value of the fishery products of the state. 



Table 3, on page 91, shows the product of the ves- 

 sel fisheries by species and by apparatus of capture. 

 Ranked according to the value of products, whaling 

 apparatus was of first importance among the various 

 kinds of apparatus of capture used by the vessel 

 fisheries, and it was followed by lines, paranzella nets, 



