Japanese: San Clemente Island
Japanese: San Clemente Island
According to Helen Caire: “The Japanese engaged in the abalone trade for only a few years at the islands of Santa Cruz, San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and seasonally at Anacapa.” In June 1911, the superintendent of the Santa Cruz Island Company was notified of negotiations with Komai Brothers of Los Angeles, who make the specialty of diving for abalone, and payment on account of rental.” [1993: 141].
In the News~
November 15, 1899 [LAT/SP]: “Japanese abalone divers. The abalone industry is to be carried on by more modern methods. Recent advances in the price of the shells have brought about the change. Heretofore the abalones gathered from along this part of the coast and the shores of the neighboring islands, have been taken almost altogether at low tide. But the range of high and low water does not compass all of the hunting ground. The abalone is somewhat of a deepwater creature, and may be taken from far beneath the surface if the means are at hand wherein to take them… The schooner Edith has just returned from a trip to San Clemente Island, where she went with a number of Japanese who will collect abalones. The little brown men are equipped with diving apparatus, and will take the much prized univalves from submarine grounds which have hitherto been undisturbed by man.”
September 20, 1903 [SBMP]: “Violations of the State Fish Law... The conditions which exist at San Clemente and which the San Pedro officers are doing their best to stamp out, also exist at Santa Cruz Island, in which fishermen in the employ of the Yamada Company, a Japanese corporation doing fishing business on the island, landed over 60 sacks of undersized abalone shells, and stored them in a vacant house, where they were confiscated by the officers. Some of the shells measured only three inches in circumference, whereas fifteen inches is the minimum size allowed by law.”
August 14, 1904 [LAT/VC]: “Deputy Fish Commissioner Pritchard of Santa Monica, and Fish License Collector Davis of San Francisco, arrived from Anacapa Island this morning on the schooner Peerless, having in charge a party arrested for violating the lobster and abalone sections of the State laws… while at San Clemente are a lot of Japanese who are said to be breaking the law.”
December 6, 1907 [SFC]: “Japanese and whites fight for exclusive fishing privileges in waters surrounding San Clemente Island on south coast.”
December 9, 1911 [LAT/LB]: “Would limit abalone catch. C. B. Linton who controls the abalone and pearl concessions of San Miguel and San Clemente islands, is much interested in the application of the Catalina Tuna Club to have the Board of Supervisors limit the daily catch of abalones to fifty pounds each day for each fisherman. Mr. Linton believes the catch should be limited so far as red and green abalones are concerned, but will protest against its application to the black abalones, which he says, are in no danger of extinction since 20 percent of them live within the lines of the surf and are not within the reach of divers or ebb workers. He says that the green and red abalones are easy pickings for the Japanese divers, most of whom are no respecters of the Fish and Game laws, but denude the localities in which they work...”
December 11, 1911 [LAT]: “Abalone Pearl Farm. Information has been received by President Newbert of the State Fish and Game Commission, that an abalone pearl farm established on San Clemente Island by private enterprise has proved successful and that several of the islands of Southern California may be devoted to the production of the pearls, which are said to be unusually large and beautiful… The abalone farm was established on San Clemente Island over a year ago by C. B. Linton of Long Beach, who has abalone concessions on that island, also San Nicolas, Santa Barbara and San Miguel islands. For years the abalones were almost cleaned out by Japanese divers, who were not generally known to have secured pearls. They sold the meat and shells and pocketed the pearls without ostentation, and it is only of late years that it has been discovered that the brown men have carried off fortunes in pearls.”
July 27, 1912 [LAT]: “Avalon. Hot on the trail of a party of smugglers the government launches Orient and Imp dashed into this port before daylight, but the officers failed to find their men. Chased from San Clemente Island it was thought that the fugitives would hide their craft in one of the little coves around Catalina… For several days a party of Japanese have been under surveillance. Late last evening they disappeared entirely…”
September 17, 1912 [LAT]: “The chief topic of conversation today among Long Beach boatmen was the death at San Pedro of a Japanese abalone fisherman from the effects of a blow delivered in self-defense last week by young Frank Paschall, son of the owner of the launch Panama. The trouble occurred last week during a trip of the launch from San Clemente. According to the information available the Jap was drunk and had been put below decks. Paschall was talking to some of the crew when he heard a shout of warning and turned in time to see the Jap rushing toward him with a drawn knife. Paschall seized an iron bar and hit the Jap over the head, knocking him unconscious. The boat came on to the mainland and the Jap was put ashore at San Pedro, where he died. Paschall, it is understood, is now at San Clemente, having returned there Saturday night with the launch. His brother went to San Pedro today to investigate.”
