42 REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
a considerable number to be sold in San Francisco. We believe this 
law should remain in force at least two years longer, by which time 
there should be a sufficient increase to permit of their being again taken 
under certain restrictions yet to be determined upon in our waters. 
CRABS. 
\ 
In our preliminary report submitted during the thirty-eighth session 
of the legislature we recommended a change in the law relating to the 
seasons for taking of crabs, opening the months of September and 
October, and establishing in lieu thereof a close season of four months 
•extending from the first of November to the first of March of the follow¬ 
ing year, which recommendation was favorably considered by the legis¬ 
lature and enacted into a law. While this law has some advantage over 
the other, we are firmly of the opinion that sufficient protection is not 
yet accorded to this, one of the most delicious crustaceans to be found 
in any part of the world. We find that through extensive fishing the 
large crabs have been practically exterminated on the principal fishing 
grounds, and believe that the surest way to restore the supply would be 
by establishing a close season of two years. In point of numbers the 
supply does not seem less, but three fourths of the crabs found in the 
markets do not average over six or seven inches across the back, and it 
requires at least three to furnish the same amount of crab meat as is 
produced from an eight or nine-inch crab. An absolute prohibition 
against their catching for a term of two years would enable small crabs 
to attain a respectable growth. If it is not deemed advisable to estab¬ 
lish a close season for that length of time, we would urge that their cap¬ 
ture be prohibited for at least six months of every year, beginning with 
the first of October and ending on the first of April, and at the same 
time raising the minimum size from six inches to not less than seven and 
a half. This would, however, have the effect of making the price of 
crabs almost prohibitive, which in turn would be an inducement for the 
alien fishermen to smuggle in the smaller ones and dispose of only the 
‘‘ crab meat. 7 ’ Such a law would be difficult of enforcement, as it would 
be almost impossible to get conclusive evidence as to size or sex, and 
would also encourage the capture of the female crab. The better way 
in our opinion to bring about the desired result, with fairness to all, 
would be in the establishment of a two years’ close season. 
THE SHRIMP LAW. 
To take shrimp without taking and destroying an unreasonable num¬ 
ber of small fish continues a difficult problem, as shown by the list of 
arrests and fines. The Chinese fishermen have been fined for violations 
of the shrimp law during the past two years the sum of $4,325.00, this 
being the largest amount for violation of any section of the Penal 
