Estimates of the age composition of the commercial landings of Pacific sardine (Sardinops caerulea) at Monterey and San Pedro, for the seasons 1938-39, 1939-40, and 1940-41 are given. A mode-subtraction method was used to make the season of 1938-39 estimates and its accuracy is discussed. Estimates for the other seasons were obtained by applying the age data collected during those seasons. All known age-composition data for the Pacific sardine for the seasons 1932-33 through 1959-60 are presented. Estimates of year-class size in numbers of fish are given by season and port of landing. An annotated bibliography of papers containing basic age and length data on the Pacific sardine is included.

Seasonal age composition summaries of the Pacific sardine in numbers of fish by year class and age are presented in graphic form by port or region of landing for the seasons of 1932-33 through 1959-60. A pictorial history of the sardine fishery for 28 years is thus presented in the bar charts, which illustrate the relative importance of certain year classes in the seasonal catch totals, and in the fluctuations of those totals over this period.