40 REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
half to three fourths, but while this law creates a temporary hardship 
among those who follow that mode of fishing for a living, it will in a 
couple of years, in our opinion, regulate itself. 
STURGEON. 
For about ten years an absolutely close season has existed against 
the taking or possession of fresh sturgeon. This law was passed with 
the hope that these fish would show an increase. The results have 
not been encouraging. Various theories are advanced, the principal 
one being that in the waters in which sturgeon were once in great 
abundance, striped bass and black bass—two types of voracious fishes— 
are now found, and it is believed they feed largely upon young sturgeon 
or sturgeon eggs. In certain sections of the Sacramento and San 
Joaquin rivers large specimens are still found: They are a menace to 
the fishermen’s nets, frequently becoming entangled in them and 
creating considerable havoc, with the result that every sturgeon caught 
in a net was killed, and the bodies of these large fish were found along 
the rivers. In order to prevent this needless waste of a very excellent 
food supply, a law was enacted at the thirty-eighth session of the legis¬ 
lature making it an offense to kill or have in possession any sturgeon 
weighing less than 25 pounds. Fish under that size can pass through 
the salmon nets and nead not be taken or destroyed. It gave an oppor¬ 
tunity, however, for the fishermen to capture and sell any sturgeon 
weighing 25 pounds or more. As specimens weighing over 100 pounds 
are frequently taken, we believe that some good is being served and 
no real injury inflicted upon the sturgeon supply of this State. 
ABALONES. 
During the past three legislative sessions various changes have been 
made with respect to the taking and possession of abalones and abalone 
shells, referring also to size and method of capture. The existing law 
prohibits the taking of the black and green abalone of any size at any 
time, but permits the abalone known to commerce as the red abalone 
(Haliotis mfescens) measuring not less than seventeen inches around 
the outer edge of the shell to be taken at any time. The red abalone 
has a distinct food value, the broth being especially valuable in the 
sick room. Under this law one or more abalone canneries are operated, 
and the product is sold largely throughout the United States. On the 
other hand, the shell of this variety has but little commercial value, 
whereas the shell of the black and green abalone has a very considerable 
value, being used in the manufacture of abalone jewelry, for which 
there is a large and constantly increasing demand. When this law went 
into effect there was in the possession of dealers and manufacturers 
a large stock of black and green abalones that had been legally taken 
