REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
43 
Code relating: either to fish or game; notwithstanding which their 
harmful methods of taking shrimp show little or no improvement. At 
the last session of the legislature a close season of three months—June, 
July, and August—was established, with the hope that this interrup¬ 
tion in the work would close up the camps and cause the experienced 
■crews to leave for other employment, so that when the season opened 
.again there would be difficulty in getting trained hands. 
We had confidently believed that the law prohibiting the exportation 
•of dried shrimp and shrimp shells out of the State would be a restric¬ 
tion sufficient to put out of business practically all of the boats, except 
those engaged in the capture of shrimps for consumption in the fresh 
state, and that number of boats, 5 or 6, could not affect seriously 
cither the supply of shrimps or young fish and could easily furnish all 
the fresh shrimp that can be consumed in this State. After observing 
carefully the workings of the present law, we are convinced that a 
better and more positive way to stop this drain on the fish resources 
of San Francisco Bay can be accomplished either by establishing an 
indefinitely close season, or by making it an offense for any person to 
take or have in his possession more than 5 pounds of dried shrimp or 
•shrimp shells taken in the waters of this State. In our opinion, the 
latter suggestion would be perfectly feasible and produce the desired 
relief, even to the point of permitting their capture the entire year. 
There is no scarcity of shrimp in our waters. They are in great 
demand by hotels, restaurants, and for private consumption. To 
limit the possession of dried shrimp to 5 pounds would at once put 
an end to the extensive drying operations whereby tons of shrimp are 
handled daily, and which are intended primarily for export. In spite 
of the fact that tons of Mexican shrimp or prawns are cleared through 
cur office under permit, we find that California shrimp and shrimp 
shells have been sent to China and other countries labeled ‘ ‘ dried fish, ’ ’ 
“seaweed,” “fertilizer,” “coffee,” or “beans,” and not shipped in 
sacks, but in tightly nailed boxes or barrels. 
Important seizures have been made, and in some cases substantial 
fines imposed, but not, in our opinion, commensurate with the gravity 
of the offense, the result being that the exportation continues in one 
form or another, indicating there is much profit in the shrimp busi¬ 
ness, which is carried on exclusively by the Chinese. The dried shrimp 
are not used by whites, and only a small fraction of the total amount 
produced is sufficient to meet the demands of the Chinese and Japanese 
residing in this State. Therefore, our citizens would not be* at all 
disturbed should the drying of shrimp be prohibited altogether and 
fresh shrimp permitted to be handled as at present. 
Undoubtedly some small fish will be taken so long as the use of bag 
nets is permitted. Should the law be amended prohibiting their use 
