NOTES ON THE FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 
231 
racuda on the coast of Los Angeles County. It is thus de.scribed in a letter to the 
Fish Conimission from Mr. John L. Griffin, of Los Angeles, dated March 2, 1894: 
Barracuda i^ut in an aiipearance one month earlier than ever before. They came in immense 
quantities and something hai)peued to them. Thousands came ashore dead, while the water was full 
of fish that Seemed dazed, swimming about with their heads out of water. Among them were some 
halibut, yellowtails, and some other fish, but they were principally barracuda. All kinds of theories 
have been advanced ; one that fishermen had used dynamite bombs ; another that it was caused by vol- 
canic disturbances from the bottom ; another that the fish coming from tropical waters became chilled ; 
then another, which the newspapers put forth much to the disadvantage of fishermen and fish-dealers, 
that it was disease, and there has been a great falling off in the consumption of fish inconsequence. 
The most plausible explauatiou of tlie pheuomeiiou was that there was aii uimsually 
active eruption of the submarine oil springs off this coast, and that the ffsh were 
asphyxiated by having their gills coated with the oil. 
MACKEREL AND MACKEREL-CANNING. 
In connection with the capture and canning of sardines at San Pedro, a species 
of carangoid fish [Trachurus picturatus) is taken and ntilized to some extent for can- 
ning and salting. At San Pedro it is known as “ Spanish mackerel”; at other places 
on the coast it is called “horse mackerel.” Dr. Jordan remarks of this fish: 
It ranges from Monterey soiithw.ird to Chile, appearing in California in the summer, remaining in 
the sxiawning season, and disajipearing liefore December. It arrives at Santa Barbara in .July and at 
Monterey in August. In late summer it is exceedingly abundant. It forms part of the food of larger 
fishes, and great numbers are salted for bait. As a food-fish it is held in low esteem, but whether this is 
due entirely to its small size we do not know. It is identical with the well-known ilediterraueau species. 
At San Pedro these fish are taken in the small steam vessel used for sardine 
fishing. A special purse seine, 135 fathoms long and 100 feet deep, with a 2-inch 
mesh, is used. The fish are caught in San Pedro Bay and around the Catalina Islands. 
They go in schools of varying sizes. Some large hauls are made; thus, in the fall of 
1893, 150 barrels were taken at one set near the Catalina Islands. 
The fish caught are mostly of small size. According to the statements of the gen- 
tlemen connected with the California Fi.sh Company, the largest taken in their seine 
are 12 or 14 inches long, the smallest are about C inches, and the average length is 
about 9 inches. The smallest fish are packed in oil in half-pound square cans and in 
mustard, tomato sauce, and souse in 2-pound oval cans. The fish too large for can- 
ning are salted. They are never fat, however, and do not make a high grade of salt fish. 
Another species of mackerel, the chub or bull’s eye mackerel {Scomber coUas), 
occurs at San Pedro and is utilized to a small extent for canning and salting, as well as 
being sold fresh. It is there called the “ steelhead mackerel.” The head is said by the 
fishermen to be very hard, and in splitting the fish for salting an extra cut of the knife is 
required to divide the head. The fish is also sometimes designated as the “horse mack- 
erel” in Los Angeles County. It reaches a weight of 3 or 4 pounds, but its average 
weight is only 2. The llavor and coarseness of the ffesh of this fish make it unde- 
sirable for canning. Up to the present time, no first-class salt fish of this species liave 
been prepared. The lack of oil in the ffesh and the tendency of the latter to assume a 
dark color are serious drawbacks to the packing of an acceptalde salt mackerel. 
In the San Francisco market this fish is known as “mackerel,” and ranks as a 
first-class food-fish. The supply is limited, and comes entirely from the sonthern part 
of the State. During the early part of June a few boxes of these fish were received 
by San Francisco dealers, but the bulk of the receipts comes later. The fish examined 
were of uniform size, having a length of al)out 16 inches. 
