Salt Water Fisheries of the Pacific Coast [pp. 149-163]

Salt Water Fzsheries of the Pacific Coast.
The supply of oysters is limited to the
local production of two companies, who
have established beds in San Francisco
Bay, near Milbrae, where transplanted
Eastern oysters are raised for the local
market and shipment to the interior
towns.
The marketing of fish in San Francisco, though the most highly developed
on the Coast, is still in a primitive condition. The fishermen are not organized as formerly, and much needless expense is incurred by their rivalry.
Very recently steps have been taken
by the Caucasian fishermen to organize
politically, for the purpose of securing
laws which will be sufficient to stop the
wholesale destruction of young fish by
the Chinese and the paranzella, when
operated close in shore. It is said that
in Italy this method is prohibited within five miles of shore.
The fishing grounds are far from the
city, out around the Farallones or north
ward to Bolinas Bay, Drake's Bay, and
Tomales Bay, and southward about forty
miles along the coast. In cases of calm
and in hot weather the fish is often
spoiled before the fare is landed, for the
fishermen stay out sometimes two and
three days. Asystem of steam transports
might be employed to advantage, if the
foreigners who monopolize the trade
could be persuaded to suppress their
mutual distrust and jealousy, and combine to organize the industry. There
are about fifteen wholesale dealers,
twenty-five retail dealers, and many
hucksters. The methods of doing business are crude, only a few of the larger
companies keeping any records.
The business is carried on almost exclusively by foreigners from southern
Europe, the Greeks, Italians, Spanish,
Portuguese, and Slavs, many of whom
are naturalized. Rarely is an American
to be found among them, and few Germans, French, or Scandinavians.
Photo by Reed
IN RICHARDSON'S BAY.
155
1892.]