. California fish and game. Fisheries -- California; Game and game-birds -- California; Fishes -- California; Animal Population Groups; Pêches; Gibier; Poissons. rjoo fALIKOKXlA FISH AND G\ P'iGURE 124. Undersized clams left stranded b.\- the tide on a short stretch of Pismo Beach. This is the result of leaving the clams lying where they are dug. These clams are alive and healthy but a few hours in the hot sun and the gulls will enjoy a feast. I'hotofjrapli courtesy of the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce. clams remained. Untold thousands of undersized clams were either severly injured by c
. California fish and game. Fisheries -- California; Game and game-birds -- California; Fishes -- California; Animal Population Groups; Pêches; Gibier; Poissons. rjoo fALIKOKXlA FISH AND G\ P'iGURE 124. Undersized clams left stranded b.\- the tide on a short stretch of Pismo Beach. This is the result of leaving the clams lying where they are dug. These clams are alive and healthy but a few hours in the hot sun and the gulls will enjoy a feast. I'hotofjrapli courtesy of the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce. clams remained. Untold thousands of undersized clams were either severly injured by clam forks or left exposed on the sand to be washed ashore b}^ the incoming tide, there to die. From the annual census work conducted by the Bureau of Marine Fisheries from 1928 through 1941 and 1947 tlirough 1949 a mortality rate was determined for Pismo Beach. Fifty-five percent of the clams died in their first year; 45 percent of the remainder died the second year, and 29 percent of the balance died the third year. The fourth year the mortality rate jumped to 84 percent as a few "just a wee bit too small but I'll take it anyway" clams, along with some which had attained legal size, entered the catch. The next three years as even more clams attained legal size the mortality rate jumped to 52 percent, 68 percent and 72 percent respectively. Table 1 puts this rate into figures. In other words, where 1,000 clams start out in life, only five remain alive at the end of seven years. How much of this mortality is directly attributable to man is difficult to determine. It would probably be safe to state that about three-foui-ths of the mortality of Pismo clams over three years of age in California is due directly to man's activities. FISHING METHODS Locating and Digging Probably the most important method of collecting Pismo clams is with a six-tined potato fork. The digger jucks a locality on the beach which to him looks suitable; this may be any place from expos
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