A history of the California live-bait fishing industry

Fishing for live bait was originally introduced in 1910by Japanese albacore fishermen employing "blanket" nets. Thenorthern anchovy has always been the mainstay of the fisheryproviding 98 to 99% of the catch since 1957. Prior to thatthe Pacific sardine contributed 15 to 20% of the catch. Inpast years, when fishermen had difficulty locating fish, LosAngeles - Long Beach Harbor provided as much as 80% of theentire live-bait catch. A live-bait sampling program was initiated in 1955 by the Department of Fish and Game to maintain a closer check on the relative health of the anchovy resource. This sampling program provides the first visible indication of the yearly spawning success of northern anchovies and Pacific sardines. A brief summary of the fishing conditions from 1957 - 1973 are presented. (26pp.)