1942: Fisheries

The fisheries of the world annually yield 35,000,000,000 lb. of products, valued at $762,000,000. The annual yield from North American fisheries is about 6,300,000,000 lb., valued at $135,000,000, with the United States contributing 4,400,000,000 lb., worth $96,500,000.

During 1942, the fisheries in continental United States and Alaska employed 125,000 fishermen, 5,600 vessels having a total capacity of 113,000 net tons, 31,000 motor boats, and 33,000 small boats and skiffs. Auxiliary vessels used for transporting fish numbered 1,300 with a net tonnage of 23,000. Shore operations in fish-packing plants and in the water transport of fishery products employed 94,000 people, while some 300,000 others were engaged in allied industries, such as boat building, can and box making, rope and net manufacturers, and the like.

General Situation.

The economic condition of the fishery industry continued during 1942 to improve greatly in the United States, due again to the increased demand for fish not only by the civil population but also by the military, and for Lend-Lease purposes.

In order to make the fullest use of our fishery resources, the United States Government through the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior continued its projects to increase the production and markets for fishery products. An important part of this effort was the market news program, which included radio broadcasts covering price and supply information for fishermen, and in some cities, programs to inform consumers as to species of fish in the local markets, and the 'best buys.' The Service also continued research work at its fishery research laboratory at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and at its technological laboratories in College Park, Md., Seattle, Wash., and Ketchikan, Alaska.

Although the cod fisheries off New England, Canada, and Newfoundland continued to yield a large supply of fish, the yield during 1942 did not approach the former figure of about 1,000,000,000 lb. This was because of the shortage of fishing vessels and because under war conditions fishing was not carried on by vessels from Europe as formerly.

The more important species of fish in United States waters, from the standpoint of volume, are pilchard (sardine), salmon, menhaden, sea herring, haddock, mackerel, cod, tuna and tuna-like fishes, shrimp, crabs, oysters, rosefish and halibut. These usually make up about 80 per cent of the catch. The entire catch by United States fishermen is made up of about 160 species or groups of species.

Pilchard.

This fish is the basis of a large sardine-canning industry in California, as well as being used for reduction into meal and oil at plants in the west coast states. During the season ending March 1942 there were 5,155,000 standard cases of sardines packed in this section, by far the largest pack in the history of the fishery. A considerable portion of the production was marketed in England. The output of meal amounted to 91,000 tons, while the yield of oil was 17,194,000 gal. The catch of pilchards during the first few months of the 1942-43 season, which opened Aug. 1, was considerably below that of the previous season.

Salmon.

This fish is the basis of a canning industry on the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea. The great bulk of the United States pack is canned in Alaska. There the production during the 1942 season, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 5,015,000 standard cases compared with 6,932,000 standard cases, valued at $56,218,000 in 1941. The total pack in North America in 1942, amounted to 7,520,000 standard cases.

Menhaden.

This fish is taken along the entire Atlantic Coast south of Cape Cod, and in waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is used for reduction into meal and oil. In 1941 production amounted to 86,345 tons of meal and scrap, valued at $4,251,000; and 6,034,000 gal. of oil, valued at $2,829,000. The production of oil through the first three quarters of 1942 was about 20 per cent less than in the same period of the previous year.

Sea Herring.

The Maine sardine-canning industry is based on this fish. In 1941 the pack there amounted to 3,131,000 standard cases, valued at $12,476,000, the largest pack in the history of the fishery. The 1942 pack approximated the same total.

Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Flounders, Rosefish, and Whiting.

These species, taken on the fishing banks off the North Atlantic seaboard and in the inshore waters, form the basis of the fresh and frozen packaged-fish industry. Their combined pack as packaged fish in 1941 amounted to 162,722,000 lb., valued at $19,899,000. According to figures available by the first of December 1942, the production of these species as packaged fish this year will fall considerably below the pack for the previous year. During recent years increasing quantities of rosefish have been taken and marketed as fresh or frozen fillets. In 1941 the catch amounted to 139,400,000 lb.

Mackerel.

This species is found along the North Atlantic Coast, where it is marketed mainly as fresh and frozen fish, although an increasing amount is being canned; and off California, where it forms the basis of an extensive canning industry. Through the first three quarters of 1942 the landings of this fish at the important New England ports amounted to about 18,836,000 lb. In California, the pack for the first ten months of 1942 amounted to only 305,000 standard cases, compared with 614,000 cases during the same period of 1941.

Tuna and Tuna-like Fishes.

These fishes form the basis of a large canning industry on the Pacific Coast. Quantities also are taken off the New England Coast for canning. In 1941 the pack on both coasts amounted to 2,932,000 standard cases, worth about $19,398,000, the third largest pack canned in the United States. In California the pack amounted to 2,734,000 standard cases, valued at $17,049,000. In 1942 the tuna fishery was hampered by war restrictions and by the sale or charter of a considerable portion of the fleet to our armed forces. In California the pack was only 1,916,000 standard cases through the first ten months of the year.

Shrimp.

The main production areas for this shellfish are along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Until recently most of the catch has been canned, but large quantities are now being marketed in the fresh and frozen condition. During the 1942 season, the pack of canned shrimp amounted to only about 469,000 standard cases by Nov. 28, compared with 501,000 standard cases up to about the same date in 1941. The pack of frozen shrimp in 1942 will also be below that of 1941, for by Nov. 15 it amounted to 13,436,000 lb., compared with 16,473,000 lb. for the same period in 1941.

Oysters.

Oysters are a valued product in every Atlantic and Gulf sea-coast state from Massachusetts to Texas, inclusive, and in all the Pacific Coast states. The North Atlantic oysters are marketed mainly in the fresh-shucked condition, while those taken in the South Atlantic and Gulf sections are used chiefly for canning. Two species of oysters are harvested on the Pacific Coast: the western or native oyster which is marketed fresh-shucked, and the Pacific or Japanese oyster which is sold either fresh-shucked or canned. The Pacific or Japanese oysters have been grown from seed imported from Japan. Contrary to expectation, it has been found that these oysters will reproduce in the waters of the Pacific Coast States, and it is expected that the industry will be able to maintain itself without importing additional seed. During 1941 the production of canned oysters in the entire United States amounted to 613,000 standard cases, valued at $2,997,000.

Crabs.

Crabs are found in the waters of all of our sea-coast states and in Alaska. The principal species caught are the blue crab of the Atlantic Coast and the Dungeness crab of the Pacific Coast. The catch is marketed either in the shell, as fresh-cooked meat, or as canned crab meat. During 1940 the production of fresh-cooked meat amounted to 8,880,000 lb., valued at $2,982,000 while the pack of canned crab meat totaled 755,000 lb., valued at $309,000. In 1941 the production of canned crab meat increased to 1,174,000 lb., and a considerable further increase was expected for 1942.

Halibut.

The principal halibut fishery of North America is located off the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Alaska Peninsula. A maximum annual take, or quota, is established each year under the terms of a convention agreed upon by the United States and Canada. When the combined catches by fishermen of the two countries reach this quota the fishery is closed for the year. In 1942 the season opened on April 15, and the quota was reached by Sept. 25, about ten days later than in the previous year. By the close of the season the landings had amounted to 48,116,000 lb., compared with 50,650,000 lb. in 1941. Prices in 1942 were about 16.9 cents per pound, compared with 11.7 cents per pound in 1941.

Whaling.

Prior to the present war various countries of the world, notably Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Norway, and the United States, took a renewed interest in the whale fishery. Operations were conducted mainly in the Antarctic seas. A convention has been concluded between 26 Powers of the world to conserve this fishery, the United States being a party to the convention. During the 1941-42 season only a few vessels engaged in this fishery in the Antarctic. The United States operated no vessels there during that season, and in 1942 had one land plant for whale reduction, operated in California. In 1941 the production of whale products on the Pacific Coast included 34,000 gal. of oil, valued at $16,000. In 1942 the production of whale oil on the Pacific Coast totaled 40,000 gal. through the first three quarters of the year.

Fish Landings at Certain Important Ports.

During the first three quarters of 1942 the vessel landings of all kinds of fish at the principal New England fishing ports of Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., amounted to 304,625,000 lb., valued at $14,890,000, compared with 363,654,000 lb., valued at $11,211,000 for the same period in 1941. The decline in the volume of the landings resulted from the purchase or charter of many of the larger, newer, and more efficient units of the New England fishing fleet by the Navy and Coast Guard.

During the first three quarters of 1942 the volume of fish handled at Seattle, Wash., amounted to 40,666,000 lb., valued at $4,685,000, compared with 45,898,000 lb., valued at $4,079,000 handled during the same period of 1941.

Frozen Fish.

During the twelve-month period ending with Nov. 15, 1942, frozen fish products amounted to 249,626,000 lb., compared with 241,307,000 lb. during the previous twelve-month period. On Nov. 15, 1942, there were 114,134,000 lb. of frozen fish and shellfish in cold-storage warehouses of the United States compared with a five-year average for this date of 93,732,000 lb.

Fish Consumption.

The per capita consumption of fish in the United States is about 13 lb. annually. This compares with an annual per capita of 20 lb. in Canada, 39 lb. in Denmark, 44 lb. in England, 52 lb. in Sweden, and 64 lb. in Japan.

1941: Fisheries

The fisheries of the world annually yield 35,000,000,000 pounds of fishery products, valued at $762,000,000 to the fishermen, according to the most recent tabulations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The annual yield by countries of the North American continent and adjacent islands is about 6,300,000,000 pounds, valued at $135,000,000, with the United States' fisheries contributing 4,400,000,000 pounds, worth $96,500,000.

The fisheries in continental United States and Alaska employ 131,000 fishermen, 5,400 vessels having a total capacity of 113,000 net tons, 32,000 motor boats, and 37,000 small boats and skiffs. Auxiliary vessels used for transporting fish number 1,400 with a net tonnage of 50,000. Shore operations in fish-packing plants and in the water transport of fishery products employ 97,000 people, while some 300,000 others are engaged in allied industries, such as boat building, can and box making, rope and net manufacture, and the like.

General Situation.

During 1941 the economic condition of the fishery industry improved in the United States. This condition prevailed largely because of higher prices which were received for the catch and the increased demand for fish not only by the civil population but also by the military and for Lend-Lease purposes. Large blocks of canned salmon and sardines were purchased by the Government under the Lease-Lend Act for shipment to Great Britain and other democracies. In fact, the salmon and sardine canning industries were urged to pack as many fish as possible to meet the abnormal demands from abroad for food.

In order to make the fullest use of our fishery harvest toward supplying a balanced diet for our people and at the same time furnish our people with fishery foods to replace the large shipments of canned fish sent abroad, the United States Government through the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior conducted a project to increase market facilities for fishery products, under the provisions of Public Act No. 363 of the 76th Congress. As a part of this work, the Service expanded its market news program to include radio broadcasts covering price and supply information for fishermen and others in the industry and programs to inform consumers as to species of fish in the local markets, 'best buys,' and other useful information which would enable house-wives to purchase and use fish in a more economical manner. The cooperation of over 100 radio stations was obtained on this work. In an effort to assist the fishery industry in Puerto Rico to make fuller use of the fishery resources found around the island, the Fish and Wildlife Service established a fishery research laboratory at Mayaguez. This began operations in July. Research here will be conducted in cooperation with the Insular Department of Agriculture and Commerce. The Service also continued research work at its technological laboratories in College Park, Md., Seattle, Wash., and Ketchikan, Alaska.

The Federal Government, through the Fish and Wildlife Service, concluded a year's study of the distribution and abundance of king crabs off the Alaska Peninsula, and methods of capture and canning. As a result of this work it was found that a commercial crab canning industry is feasible. This is especially true in Bering Sea where it appears the crabs are in greatest commercial abundance before and following the salmon-canning season there. During past years the crab fishery in Bering Sea was conducted by Japanese enterprise, much of the canned product eventually being marketed in the United States.

The cod fisheries off New England, Canada, and Newfoundland continued to yield an enormous supply of fish. According to the most recent tabulations the take of codfish in this region continued to amount to about 1,000,000,000 pounds annually. The yield during 1941 will approach this figure, although the fishery was prosecuted mainly by vessels from the North American continent, as the war precluded participation by several of the warring countries in Europe that sent expeditions to this region in 1939 and previous years.

Important species of fish in the aquatic harvest of the United States, from the standpoint of volume, are pilchard (sardine), salmon, menhaden, sea herring, haddock, mackerel, cod, tuna and tunalike fishes, shrimp, oysters, and halibut. These usually make up about 80 per cent of the catch. The entire catch by United States fishermen is made up of about 160 species or groups of species.

Pilchard.

This fish is caught off the Pacific Coast and is the basis of a large sardine-canning industry in California, as well as being used for reduction into meal and oil at plants in Washington, Oregon, and California. During the season ending March 1941 there were 3,116,000 standard cases of sardines packed in this section, which was about the same as in the previous season. A considerable portion of the pack was marketed in England. The output of meal amounted to 72,000 tons, while the yield of oil was 12,557,000 gallons. The catch of pilchards during the first few months of the 1941-42 season, which opened Aug. 1, was very much larger than during the early part of the previous season when a strike occurred among fishermen in this fishery which lasted until early October 1940. It is expected that the pack of California canned sardines for the present season will be about double the pack of last season.

Salmon.

This fish is the basis of a canning industry on the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea. The great bulk of the United States pack is canned in Alaska. There the production during the 1941 season, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 6,865,000 standard cases, compared with 5,043,000 standard cases, valued at $31,500,000 in 1940. The pack of canned salmon in North America (Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia) in 1941, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 9,846,000 standard cases, compared with a pack of about 7,012,000 standard cases in 1940.

Menhaden.

This fish is taken along the Atlantic Coast south of Cape Cod and in waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is used for reduction into meal and oil. In 1940 the production amounted to 71,769 tons of meal and scrap, valued at $2,695,000; and 5,774,000 gallons of oil, valued at $1,305,000. Observations indicate that the 1941 output of these products may be about the same as in 1940, as the production of oil through the first three quarters of the year amounted to 2,304,000 gallons, compared with 2,965,000 gallons for the same period of 1940, and a heavy run of menhaden occurred in North Carolina late in November.

Sea Herring.

The Maine sardine-canning industry is based on this fish. In 1940 the pack there amounted to 1,118,000 standard cases, valued at $3,736,000. This was one of the smallest packs in recent years. In 1941 the pack will be one of the largest in history since there was a good run of herring.

Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Flounders, Rosefish, and Whiting.

These species, taken on the fishing banks off the North Atlantic seaboard and in the inshore waters, form the basis of the fresh and frozen packaged-fish industry. Their combined pack as packaged fish in 1940 amounted to 114,119,000 pounds, valued at $11,570,000. According to figures available by the first of December 1941, the production of these species as packaged fish this year will exceed the pack for the previous year.

Mackerel.

This species is found along the North Atlantic Coast, where it is marketed mainly as fresh and frozen fish, although some are canned; and off California, where it forms the basis of an extensive canning industry. The catch along the North Atlantic in 1941 will about equal that for 1940, when it amounted to 20,726,000 pounds. Through the first three quarters of 1941 the landings of this fish at the important New England ports amounted to about 16,232,000 pounds, compared with about 16,863,000 pounds for the same period of 1940. The peak of the season is in late summer. The output of canned mackerel on both coasts in 1940 was 1,419,000 standard cases, valued at $4,088,000. In California, the pack for the first eight months of 1941 amounted to only 253,000 standard cases, compared with 418,000 cases during the same period of 1940. In New England considerable activity was evidenced in the canning of mackerel during 1941.

Tuna and Tunalike Fishes.

These fishes are taken in Pacific waters off Washington, Oregon, and California and south to the equator. They form the basis of a large canning industry on the Pacific Coast. Quantities also are taken off the New England Coast and canned in Massachusetts. In 1940 the pack on both coasts amounted to 4,187,000 standard cases, worth about $23,714,000. This was the largest pack since the inception of the industry in 1909. In California the pack amounted to 3,975,000 standard cases, valued at $22,337,000. In 1941 the tuna fishery was prosecuted intensively in all sections but the pack this year will not be as large as in the previous year as the catch has not come up to expectations. In California the pack was only 1,781,000 standard cases through the first three quarters compared with 2,618,000 standard cases for the same period of 1940.

Shrimp.

The main production areas for this shellfish are along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Until recently most of the catch has been canned, but each year now larger and larger quantities are being marketed in the fresh and frozen condition. Production of canned shrimp in 1940 amounted to 990,000 standard cases (16,744,000 pounds), valued at $4,318,000; with the pack of frozen shrimp amounting to 15,986,000 pounds. The pack of canned shrimp will be smaller during the season 1941-42, as it had amounted to only about 616,000 standard cases by Nov. 29, compared with 751,000 standard cases up to about the same date in 1940. On the other hand the pack of frozen shrimp in 1941 will exceed that of 1940, for, by Nov. 15, it had already reached 16,500,000 pounds, compared with 16,000,000 pounds for the entire year 1940.

Oysters.

Oysters are the most universally distributed aquatic food resource taken in the United States, for they occur in every seacoast state from Massachusetts to Texas, inclusive, on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and in all the Pacific Coast states. The North Atlantic oysters are marketed mainly in the fresh, shucked condition, while those taken in the South Atlantic and Gulf sections are used chiefly for canning. Large quantities of eastern oysters are transplanted to California where they mature, but do not reproduce. Seed oysters from Japan are planted in Washington and Oregon where a large volume of the mature oysters are used for canning. This oyster does not reproduce in the waters of these States. During 1940 the production of canned oysters in the entire United States amounted to 645,000 standard cases, valued at $2,527,000. It is estimated that the production in 1941 will not vary much from the output in 1940.

Halibut.

The principal halibut fishery of North America is located off the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Alaska Peninsula. It is prosecuted by the United States and Canada. In the interests of conservation this resource is regulated according to the terms of a convention between these two countries. A maximum annual take, or quota, is established each year under the terms of the convention. When the combined catches by fishermen of the two countries reach this quota the fishery is closed for the year. By treaty arrangements the fishery opens in the spring each year sometime from February to April. In 1941 the season opened on April 1, and the quota was reached by Sept. 14, about two weeks earlier than in the previous year, making it the shortest season in the history of the Pacific halibut fishery. By the close of the season the landings at ports in the United States and Canada had amounted to 50,237,000 pounds, compared with 52,000,000 pounds in 1940. Prices in 1941 averaged higher than in 1940, being about 11.8 cents per pound compared with 10.3 cents per pound in 1940. Practically the entire catch was marketed fresh or frozen.

Whaling.

A convention has been concluded between 26 powers of the world to conserve this fishery, the United States being a party to the convention. During the 1940-41 season the fishery in the Antarctic was conducted mainly by Japan. The United States operated no vessels in the Antarctic during that season and in 1941 had one land plant for whale reduction which was operated in California. During the 1939-40 season in the Antarctic one United States vessel was engaged in the fishery producing about 2,500,000 gallons of whale oil. In 1940 the production of whale products on the Pacific Coast included 60,000 gallons of oil, valued at $22,000. According to preliminary figures the output of whale oil on the Pacific Coast in 1941 will be less than in the previous year, for the production totaled only 35,000 gallons through the first three quarters of the year.

Fish Landings at Certain Important Ports.

During the first three quarters of 1941 the vessel landings of all kinds of fish at the principal New England fishing ports of Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., amounted to 363,654,000 pounds, valued at $11,211,000 compared with 275,253,000 pounds, valued at $7,839,000 for the same period in 1940. Principal species landed at these ports are haddock, cod, rosefish, mackerel, pollock, whiting, and flounders.

During the first three quarters of 1941 the volume of fish handled at Seattle, Wash., amounted to 47,503,000 pounds, valued at $4,452,000, compared with 40,182,000 pounds, valued at $3,212,000 handled during the same period of 1940. Species of importance at Seattle are salmon, halibut, flounders, crabs, and 'lingcod.'

Frozen Fish.

During the twelve-month period ending with Nov. 15, 1941, there were 241,181,000 pounds of fishery products frozen compared with 202,000,000 pounds during the previous twelve-month period. On Nov. 15, 1941 there were 115,445,000 pounds of frozen fish and shellfish in cold-storage warehouses of the United States compared with a five-year average of this date of 89,000,000 pounds. Principal species frozen are cod, haddock, pollock, halibut, salmon, rosefish, shrimp, and whiting.

Foreign Fishery Trade.

Unusual activity was recorded in the foreign fishery trade of the United States during 1941 with the exports exceeding the imports. This balance in favor of the United States was due mainly to the large amounts of canned salmon and sardines shipped abroad and a decline in the imports of fishery products from Europe, chiefly canned sardines and fish-liver oils.

Fish Consumption.

The per capita consumption of fish in the United States is about 13 pounds annually. This compares with an annual per capita of 20 pounds in Canada, 39 pounds in Denmark, 44 pounds in England, 52 pounds in Sweden, and 64 pounds in Japan.

1940: Fisheries

The fisheries of the world annually yield 35,000,000,000 pounds of fishery products, valued at $759,000,000 to the fishermen, according to the most recent tabulations of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The annual yield by countries of the North American continent and adjacent islands is about 6,200,000,000 pounds, valued at $132,300,000. Of this the United States' fisheries contribute 4,300,000,000 pounds, worth $93,800,000.

The United States' fisheries are prosecuted commercially along the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific, and Alaskan coasts; in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River; in other interior lakes and streams navigable to fishing craft; and in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States. The fisheries in continental United States and Alaska employ 130,000 fishermen, 5,200 vessels, 33,000 motor boats, and 37,000 small boats and skiffs. Shore operations in fish-packing plants and in the water transport of fishery products employ 90,000 people, while some 300,000 others are engaged in allied industries, such as boat building, can and box making, rope and net manufacture, and the like.

General Situation.

During 1940 the economic condition of the domestic fishery industry improved, largely because of higher prices received as a result of curtailment in the catch of several important species of fish. The decreased landings on the Atlantic coast were caused mainly by a strike of fishermen operating out of Boston, Mass., during the early part of the year. In addition there was a strong demand for other species of fish, such as canned salmon and sardines by England. Because of the smaller pack of canned salmon in Alaska, mainly of red salmon, and a reduction of warehouse stocks of canned salmon in the hands of packers, the price situation was further improved. In view of these developments the prices of other fish also moved up appreciably, for example, halibut on the Pacific coast.

Notwithstanding the higher price level for some species of fish, other units of the fishery industry experienced difficulty in effecting the orderly movement of fish from ports of production to consuming centers. To aid in improving this situation the United States Government provided a fund to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior for conducting work to increase market facilities for fishery products, under the provisions of Public No. 363 of the 76th Congress. In addition the Service expanded its market news work to include radio broadcasts covering price and supply information for fishermen and others in the industry and programs to inform consumers as to species of fish in the local markets, 'best buys,' and other useful information which would enable housewives to purchase and use fish in a more economical manner. The cooperation of over 100 radio stations was obtained on this work. In an effort to assist the fishery industry in Alaska to make fuller use of the fishery resources of the Territory, the Fish and Wildlife Service established a technological laboratory at Ketchikan. This began operations during December.

The Federal Government, through the Fish and Wildlife Service, sponsored a study of the distribution or abundance of king crabs off the Alaska Peninsula, and methods of capture and canning. The work was carried on by the use of a crab-fishing vessel and a mother ship, on board which was installed a cannery. Operations were conducted off the south coast of the Peninsula during the late summer and fall. A second expedition, consisting of two fishing vessels and the mother ship, will operate off the north coast of the Peninsula in the spring and early summer of 1941. If this exploratory work shows that a commercial venture is feasible, private firms may be encouraged to enter the fishery. At present it is conducted by Japanese enterprise, much of the canned product eventually being marketed in the United States.

The cod fisheries off New England, Canada, and Newfoundland continued to yield an enormous supply of fish. The take of codfish in this region amounts to about 1,100,000,000 pounds annually. The yield during 1940 approached this figure, although the fishery was prosecuted mainly by vessels from neighboring countries and Portugal, as the war allowed only partial participation by several of the warring countries that sent expeditions to this region in 1939.

Important species of fish in the aquatic harvest of the United States, from the standpoint of volume, are pilchard (sardine), salmon, menhaden, sea herring, haddock, mackerel, cod, tuna and tunalike fishes, shrimp, oysters, and halibut. These usually make up about 80 per cent of the catch. The entire catch includes 160 species or groups of species.

Pilchard.

This fish, caught off the Pacific coast, is the basis of a large sardine-canning industry in California and is used for reduction into meal and oil at plants in Washington, Oregon, and California. During the season ending March 1940, there were 3,135,000 standard cases of sardines packed in this section — a 22 per cent increase over the previous season. A considerable portion of the pack was marketed in England. The output of meal amounted to 83,000 tons; of oil, 17,390,000 gallons. The catch of pilchards during the early months of the 1940-41 season, which opened Aug. 1, was considerably less than a year ago because of a strike lasting until early October. After fishing recommenced, however, the industry operated at a high level for the remainder of the year.

Salmon.

This fish is the basis of a canning industry on the Pacific coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea. The great bulk of the United States' pack is canned in Alaska. There the production during the 1940 season, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 5,043,000 standard cases, compared with 5,263,000 standard cases, valued at $34,441,000 in 1939. The pack of canned salmon in North America in 1940, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 6,797,000 standard cases, compared with a pack of about 7,530,000 standard cases in 1939.

Menhaden.

This fish is taken along the Atlantic coast south of Cape Cod and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is used for reduction into meal and oil. In 1939 production amounted to 68,800 tons of meal and scrap, valued at $2,460,000; and 6,005,000 gallons of oil, valued at $1,623,000. Observations indicate that the 1940 output of these products was somewhat larger than in 1939, as the production of oil through the first three quarters of the year amounted to 2,965,000 gallons, compared with 2,560,000 gallons for the same period of 1939.

Sea Herring.

The Maine sardine-canning industry is based on this fish. In 1939 the pack there amounted to 2,155,000 standard cases, valued at $6,912,000, the largest pack on record. In 1940 the pack was considerably less because the run of herring did not come up to expectations. Through the first three quarters of the season the pack was only about 50 per cent of normal.

Haddock, Cod, Rosefish, Pollock, and Whiting.

These species, taken on the fishing banks off the North Atlantic seaboard and in the inshore waters, form the basis of the fresh and frozen packaged-fish industry. Their combined pack as packaged fish in 1939 amounted to 108,393,000 pounds, valued at $9,600,000. Production in 1940 was about normal.

Mackerel.

This species is found along the North Atlantic coast, where it is marketed mainly as fresh and frozen fish, although part is canned; and off California, where it forms the basis of an extensive canning industry. The catch along the North Atlantic in 1940 exceeded that for 1939 and approached the landings in 1938. Through the first three quarters of the year, landings at the important New England ports amounted to about 17,000,000 pounds (10,000,000 pounds for the same period of 1939). The peak of the season is in late summer. The output of canned mackerel on both coasts in 1939 was 889,000 standard cases, valued at $2,589,000. In California, the pack for the first ten months of 1940 amounted to 914,000 standard cases (530,000 cases during the same period of 1939). In New England considerable activity was evidenced in the canning of mackerel during 1940. The pack exceeded the previous year.

Tuna and Tunalike Fishes.

These fishes are taken in Pacific waters off Washington, Oregon, and California and south to the equator. They form the basis of a large canning industry on the Pacific coast. Quantities taken off the New England coast are canned in Massachusetts. In 1939 the pack on both coasts amounted to 3,643,000 standard cases, worth $20,080,000, the largest pack since the inception of the industry in 1909. In California the pack amounted to 3,421,000 standard cases in 1939, valued at $18,811,000. In 1940 the tuna fishery was prosecuted so intensively that the pack doubtless exceeded that of the previous year. In California alone the pack reached 3,436,000 standard cases by Oct. 31 (3,039,000 standard cases for the same period of 1939).

Shrimp.

The main production areas for this shellfish are along the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Most of the catch has been canned, but each year now larger quantities are being marketed in the fresh and frozen condition. Production of canned shrimp in 1939 amounted to 1,215,000 standard cases (20,500,000 pounds), valued at $5,354,000; frozen shrimp, to 12,118,000 pounds. The pack of canned shrimp in 1940 was smaller as it had amounted to only about 751,000 standard cases by Nov. 23 (950,000 standard cases to about the same date in 1939). The pack of frozen shrimp in 1940 greatly exceeded that of 1939 for, by Nov. 15, it had reached 14,450,000 pounds.

Oysters.

Oysters are the most universally distributed aquatic food resource taken in the United States, for they occur in every seacoast state from Massachusetts to Texas, inclusive, on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in all the Pacific coast states. The North Atlantic oysters are marketed mainly in the fresh, shucked condition, while those taken in the south Atlantic and Gulf sections are used chiefly for canning. Large quantities of eastern oysters are transplanted to California where they mature, but do not reproduce. Seed oysters from Japan are planted in Washington and Oregon, where a large volume of the mature oysters are used for canning. This oyster does not reproduce in the waters of these States. During 1939 the production of canned oysters in the entire United States amounted to 617,000 standard cases, valued at $2,431,000. The production in 1940 did not vary much from 1939.

Halibut.

The principal halibut fishery of North America is located off the Pacific coast from Oregon to the Alaska Peninsula. It is prosecuted by the United States and Canada. In the interests of conservation this resource is regulated according to the terms of a convention between these two countries. A maximum annual take, or quota, is established each year under the terms of the convention. When the combined catches by fishermen of the two countries reach this quota the fishery is closed for the year. By treaty arrangements the fishery opens in the spring each year sometime from February to April. In 1940 the season opened on April 1, and the quota was reached by Sept. 26, a month earlier than in the previous year, making it the shortest season in the history of the Pacific halibut fishery. By the close of the season the landings at ports in the United States and Canada had amounted to 50,800,000 pounds, compared with 49,400,000 pounds in 1939. Notwithstanding the larger landings the fishermen received more money, for prices averaged about 18 per cent higher than in 1939, ranging on a monthly basis between 9 and 12 cents per pound. Practically the entire catch is marketed fresh or frozen. In 1940, however, a cannery was established in Seattle, Wash., which canned this species.

Whaling.

During recent years various countries of the world, notably Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Norway, and the United States, have shown renewed interest in the whale fishery. Operations are conducted mainly in the Antarctic seas. A convention has been concluded between 26 powers of the world to conserve this fishery, the United States being a party. During the 1939-40 season one whaling factory ship from the United States conducted operations in the Antarctic region, and during 1940 one land plant for whale reduction was operated on the Pacific coast in California. The production by the factory ship was about 3,000,000 gallons of whale oil. In 1939 whale products on the Pacific coast amounted to 471,000 gallons, valued at $148,000 and $18,300 worth of whale meat and bone. The output of whale oil on the Pacific coast in 1940 was much less than in 1939, production totaling only 49,000 gallons through the first three quarters. No whale factory ship from the United States had begun operations in the Antarctic for the season 1940-41 up to the latter part of the year.

Fish Landings at Certain Important Ports.

During the first three quarters of 1940 the vessel landings of all kinds of fish at the principal New England fishing ports of Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., amounted to 275,250,000 pounds, valued at $7,839,000 (293,116,000 pounds, valued at $6,933,000 for the same period in 1939). Principal species landed at these ports are haddock, cod, rosefish, mackerel, pollock, whiting, and flounders.

During the first three quarters of 1940 the volume of fish handled at Seattle, Wash., amounted to 39,446,000 pounds, valued at $3,121,000 (36,655,000 pounds, valued at $2,481,000 during the same period of 1939). Species of importance at Seattle are salmon, halibut, flounders, crabs, and 'lingcod.'

Frozen Fish.

During the twelve-month period ending Nov. 15, 1940, there were 202,000,000 pounds of fishery products frozen (178,000,000 pounds during the previous twelve-month period). On Nov. 15, 1940, there were 98,000,000 pounds of frozen fish and shellfish in cold-storage warehouses of the United States compared with a five-year average of this date of 85,000,000 pounds. Principal species frozen are cod, haddock, pollock, halibut, salmon, rosefish, shrimp, and whiting.

Foreign Fishery Trade.

Unusual activity was recorded in the foreign fishery trade of the United States during 1940 with the exports exceeding the imports. This favorable balance was due mainly to the large amounts of canned salmon and sardines shipped abroad and to a decline in the imports from Norway, chiefly canned sardines and cod-liver oil.

Fish Consumption.

The per capita consumption of fish in the United States is about 13 pounds annually. This compares with an annual per capita of 20 pounds in Canada, 39 pounds in Denmark, 44 pounds in England, 52 pounds in Sweden, and 64 pounds in Japan.

1939: Fisheries

World Yield.

The fisheries of the world annually yield 35,200,000,000 pounds of fishery products, valued at $762,000,000 to the fishermen, according to most recent tabulations by the United States Bureau of Fisheries. The annual yield by countries of the North American continent is 6,200,000,000 pounds, valued at $138,000,000, with the fisheries of the United States and Alaska contributing 4,400,000,000 pounds, worth $100,800,000.

United States.

The United States' fisheries are prosecuted commercially along the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific, and Alaskan coasts; in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River; and in other interior lakes and streams navigable to fishing craft. These fisheries employ 130,000 fishermen, 5,000 vessels, 33,000 motor boats, and 37,000 small boats and skiffs. Shore operations in fish-packing plants and water transport of fishery products employ 90,000 people, while some 300,000 others are engaged in allied industries, such as boat building, can and box making, rope and net manufacture, and the like.

General Situation.

During recent years the fishery industry in the United States has experienced difficulty in marketing its products. This situation continued on into 1939 and during the early months of the year resulted in the accumulation of surplus stocks of various kinds of frozen fish. Members of the industry packing these products feared that unless these surpluses were removed they would depress the markets for the current fishermen's catch. They appealed to the United States Congress for aid and late in the summer secured legislation authorizing the Federal purchase of surplus fishery products for distribution to persons on the relief rolls. However, by this time the general situation had somewhat improved from the stimulus of the European War and an extensive purchasing program was not conducted by the Federal Government as was done in previous years.

In an effort to extend further aid in promoting the more orderly marketing of fishery products, the Congress appropriated additional funds during the year for the conduct of the fishery market news service by the United States Bureau of Fisheries, making it possible to establish an office in New Orleans, La. In previous years market news offices have been opened in New York, N. Y., Boston, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.; Seattle. Wash.; and Jacksonville, Fla. Each business day these offices issue a report supplying information on arrivals, movement, prices, and holdings of fishery products in the markets of these cities.

Important species of fish in the United States' harvest, from the standpoint of volume, are pilchard (sardine), salmon, menhaden, sea herring, haddock, mackerel, cod, tuna and tunalike fishes, shrimp, oysters, and halibut. These usually make up about 80 per cent of the catch. The entire catch by United States' fishermen is made up of about 160 species or groups of species.

Pilchard.

This fish is caught off the Pacific Coast. It is the basis of a large sardine-canning industry in California, as well as being used for reduction into fish meal and oil at plants located in Washington, Oregon and California. During the season ending in March 1939 there were 2,572,000 standard cases of sardines packed in this area. The output of meal amounted to 86,000 tons, while the yield of oil amounted to 15,463,000 gallons. The catch of pilchards during the first few months of the 1939-40 season, which started late in the fall, has been considerably larger than during the early part of the previous season. If this trend continues the output of manufactured sardine products will be very much larger this season. Because of war conditions, the canned product has been in special demand.

Salmon.

This fish is the basis of a canning industry on the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea. The great bulk of the pack is canned in Alaska. There the production during the 1939 season, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 5,218,500 standard cases, compared with 6,807,000 standard cases, valued at $36,637,000 in 1938. The total pack of canned salmon in North America, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 7,450,000 standard cases in 1939, compared with a pack of 8,988,000 standard cases in 1938.

Menhaden.

This fish is taken along the Atlantic Coast south of Cape Cod and in waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is used for reduction into fish meal and oil. In 1938 the production amounted to 60,700 tons of meal and scrap, valued at $1,989,000; and 4,164,000 gallons of oil, valued at $1,167,000. Observations indicate the 1939 output of these products may be considerably more than in 1938, as the production of oil through the first three-quarters of the year amounted to 2,560,000 gallons, compared to 2,090,000 gallons for the same period in 1938.

Sea Herring.

The Maine sardine-canning industry is based upon these fish. In 1938 the pack there amounted to 672,000 standard cases, valued at $2,367,000. In 1939 the pack will be the largest on record, as there was a great abundance of raw sea herring available for capture and war conditions have caused a brisk demand for the canned products. Up to Nov. 30, about 2,100,000 standard cases had been packed.

Haddock, Cod, Rosefish, and Pollock.

These species, taken on the fishing banks of the North Atlantic seaboard, form the basis of the fresh and frozen packaged-fish industry. Their combined pack as packaged fish in 1938 amounted to 94,419,000 pounds, valued at $7,689,000. According to figures available by the end of October, the production of these species as packaged fish in 1939 will be about the same as in the previous year.

Mackerel.

This species is found along the North Atlantic Coast where it is marked mainly as fresh and frozen fish, although some are canned; and off California, where this fish is the basis of a canning industry. The catch along the North Atlantic in 1939 was again one of the lowest on record, the landings in New England at the important ports amounting to only about 11,000,000 pounds up to Oct. 31, compared with 18,400,000 pounds up to the same date in 1938. The peak of the season is in the late summer. The output of canned mackerel in 1938 amounted to 966,000 standard cases, valued at $2,896,000. In California, the pack for the first ten months in 1939 has amounted to only 530,000 standard cases, compared with about 700,000 cases during the same period in 1938.

Tuna and Tunalike Fishes.

These fishes which have been taken mainly in Pacific waters off California south to the equator, form the basis of a large canning industry located in California. In 1938 the pack here amounted to 2,674,000 standard cases, valued at $14,687,000. During 1938 fishermen vigorously prosecuted a tuna fishery on the newfound banks off Oregon, Washington and New England. Catches from these areas have been canned at plants in Washington, Oregon and Massachusetts, the production in 1938 amounting to 80,600 standard cases, valued at $497,000. In 1939 the tuna fishery in all areas was prosecuted intensively with the result that the current pack for the year will assume large proportions. In California alone the pack reached 3,039,000 standard cases by Oct. 31, compared with 2,538,000 cases for the same period in 1938.

Shrimp.

The main production areas for this shellfish are along the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Until recently most of the catch has been canned, but larger and larger quantities are being marketed each year in the fresh and frozen condition. Production of canned shrimp in 1938 amounted to 1,073,000 standard cases, valued at $4,855,000. The pack in 1939 will be considerably larger as it had amounted to about 950,000 standard cases by Nov. 25.

Halibut.

The principal halibut fishery of North America is located along the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Alaska Peninsula. It is regulated according to the terms of a Conservation Convention between the United States and Canada. A maximum annual take, or quota, is established under the Convention. When the combined catches by United States and Canadian fishermen reach this quota the fishery ceases for the year. In 1939 the quota was set at 48,000,000 pounds, and it was estimated that it would be reached by Oct. 28, which was officially declared the last fishing day. However, by the time the vessels at sea, on this date, reached port the catch had amounted to 49,400,000 pounds. By treaty arrangement the fishery usually opens in February or March each year.

Whaling.

During recent years various nations of the world, notably Norway, Great Britain, the United States, Germany and Japan, have shown renewed interest in the whale fishery. Operations are conducted mainly in the Antarctic seas. A Convention has been concluded between 26 nations of the world to conserve this fishery, the United States being a party to the Convention. In 1938 two whale factory ships from the United States conducted operations in the Antarctic regions, and land plants for whale reduction were operated in Alaska and California. The total production by United States enterprise in 1938 amounted to 7,741,000 gallons of whale oil, valued at $3,184,000 and $21,400 worth of whale meat and bone. According to preliminary figures, the 1939 United States output of whale oil will be substantially less than in the previous year, as production totaled only 3,450,000 gallons up to Sept. 30. In addition, no whale factory ships from the United States had begun operations in the Antarctic, during the 1939-40 season, up to Dec. 15, 1939.

Fish Landings at Certain Important Ports.

For the year 1939 the total vessel landings of all kinds of fish at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me. (the principal New England fishing ports) amounted to 388,821,000 pounds, valued at $9,547,000, compared with 400,611,000 pounds, valued at $8,957,000 during 1938. Principal species landed were haddock, cod, rosefish, mackerel, pollock, whiting, and flounders. During the year 1939, the landings of fish including tuna at Seattle, Wash., amounted to 47,250,000 pounds, valued at $3,223,000, compared with 52,087,000 pounds, valued at $3,326,000 for the year 1938. Landings at Seattle consisted mainly of salmon, halibut, flounders, crabs, and lingcod.

Frozen Fish Trade.

During the year ending Dec. 15, 1939, there were 183,600,000 pounds of fishery products frozen compared with 186,000,000 pounds during the same period of 1938. On Dec. 15, 1939, there were 92,700,000 pounds of frozen fish and shellfish in cold-storage warehouses of the United States compared with a five-year average of this date of 82,841,000 pounds. Principal species frozen are cod, haddock, pollock, halibut, salmon, rosefish, and whiting.

Fish consumption.

The per capita consumption of fish in the United States is about 13 pounds annually. This compares with an annual per capita of 20 pounds in Canada, 39 pounds in Denmark, 44 pounds in England, 52 pounds in Sweden, and 64 pounds in Japan.

1938: Fisheries

World Fisheries.

The fisheries of the world annually yield 34,000,000,000 pounds of fishery products, valued at $744,000,000 to the fishermen, according to most recent tabulations by the United States Bureau of Fisheries. The annual yield by countries on the North American continent is 6,400,000,000 pounds, valued at $124,000,000 dollars, with the fisheries of the United States and Alaska contributing 4,800,000,000 pounds, worth $92,800,000 dollars.

United States.

The United States' fisheries are prosecuted commercially along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Alaskan coasts; in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River; and in other interior lakes and streams navigable to fishing craft. These fisheries employ, 129,000 fishermen, 4,800 vessels, and 72,000 small boats. Shore operations in fish-packing plants employ 87,300 people, while some 300,000 others are engaged in allied industries, such as boat building, can and box making, rope and net manufacture, and the like.

General Situation.

During recent years the fishery industry in the United States has experienced difficulty in marketing its output. This situation continued on into 1938 and during the early months of the year resulted in the accumulation of surplus stocks of various frozen and canned fish. Members of the industry packing these products feared that unless these surpluses were removed before the summer fishing season these stocks would depress the market for the current fishermen's catch. They appealed to the United States Congress for aid and secured legislation authorizing the Federal purchase of surplus fishery products for distribution to persons on the relief rolls. This Federal activity had a stimulating effect on the industry, and enabled packers to resume normal purchases of raw fish from the catchers.

In an effort to extend further aid in promoting the more orderly marketing of fishery products, the Congress recently appropriated funds for the conduct of a fishery market news service by the United States Bureau of Fisheries. As a result, market news offices have been opened in New York City; Boston. Mass.; Chicago, Ill.; Seattle, Wash., and Jacksonville, Fla. Each day these offices issue a report supplying information on arrivals, movement, prices, and holdings of fishery products in the markets of these cities.

Important species in the United States harvest, from the standpoint of volume, are pilchard (sardine), salmon, menhaden, sea herring, haddock, mackerel, cod, tuna and tunalike fishes, shrimp, oysters, and halibut. These make up about 80 per cent of the catch.

Pilchard.

This fish is caught off the Pacific Coast. It is the basis of a large sardine-canning industry in California, as well as being used for reduction into fish meal and oil at plants in Washington, Oregon, and California, and at plants aboard factory ships operating on the high seas off these states. During the season ending in March 1938 there were 2,315,000 standard cases of sardines packed in this area. The output of meal amounted to 71,000 tons, while the yield of oil amounted to 12,760,000 gallons. The catch of pilchards during the first few months of the 1938-39 season, starting with August, has been considerably larger compared with the early months of the previous season. If this trend continues, the output of manufactured sardine products will be considerably larger this season.

Salmon is the basis of a canning industry on the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea. The great bulk of the pack is canned in Alaska. There the production during the 1938 season, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 6,583,500 standard cases compared with 6,670,000 standard cases, valued at $44,550,000 in 1937. The total North American pack of canned salmon in 1938, according to preliminary reports, amounted to 8,763,000 standard cases, compared with a pack of 9,064,000 standard cases in 1937.

Menhaden.

This fish is taken along the Atlantic Coast south of Cape Cod and in waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is used for reduction into fish meal and oil. In 1937 the production amounted to 67,400 tons of meal and scrap, valued at $2,199,000; and 3,891,000 gallons of oil, valued at $1,456,000. Observations indicate the 1938 output of these products may be about the same as in 1937.

Sea Herring.

The Maine sardine-canning industry is based upon sea herring. In 1937 the pack there amounted to 1,680,000 standard cases, valued at $4,998,000. Because of a shortage of raw sea herring the 1938 pack will be considerably less.

Haddock and Cod.

This fish is taken on the fishing banks off the North Atlantic seaboard, form the basis of the fresh and frozen packaged-fish industry. Their combined pack as packaged-fish in 1937 amounted to 57,579,000 pounds, valued at $5,870,000. It is estimated the production of these species as packaged fish in 1938 will be about the same as in the previous year.

Mackerel.

This species is found along the North Atlantic Coast where the catch is marketed mainly as fresh and frozen fish, although some are canned; and off California, where it is the basis of a canning industry. The catch along the North Atlantic in 1937 was one of the lowest in recent years, but in 1938 it resumed more normal proportions. The output of canned mackerel in 1937 amounted to 841,000 standard cases, valued at $2,674,000. The pack in 1938 for the first nine months is slightly in excess of the corresponding period in 1937.

Tuna and Tuna-like Fishes.

These fishes, which have been taken mainly in the Pacific from California to equatorial waters, furnish the material for a large canning industry in California. Because of market conditions it is expected the pack in California will be less in 1938 than in 1937 when the pack amounted to 3,145,000 standard cases, valued at $18,996,000. During 1938 fishermen found new banks for tuna in waters off Oregon and Washington, as well as off New England. Catches from these areas have been canned at plants in Washington, Oregon, California and Massachusetts.

Shrimp.

The main production areas for shrimp are along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Until recently most of the catch has been canned, but larger quantities are now marketed fresh and frozen. Production of canned shrimp in 1937 amounted to 1,268,000 standard cases, valued at $7,045,000. It is estimated the 1938 pack will be less.

Halibut.

The principal halibut fishery of North America is located along the Pacific Coast from Oregon to the Alaska Peninsula. It is regulated according to the terms of a conservation treaty between the United States and Canada. A maximum annual take, or quota, is established under the Treaty. When the combined catches by American and Canadian fishermen reach this quota the fishery ceases for the year. In 1938 the quota was set at 48,000,000 pounds, and the quota was reached by Oct. 29. By treaty arrangement the fishery usually opens in February or March each year.

Whaling.

During recent years various nations of the world, notably Norway and Great Britain, have shown renewed interest in the whale fishery. Operations are conducted mainly in the Antarctic. A convention has been concluded between 26 nations of the world to conserve this fishery, with the United States a party to the convention. In 1938 two whale factory ships from the United States conducted operations in Antarctic regions, and land plants for whale reduction were operated in Alaska and California. The total production by United States whale enterprises in 1937 amounted to 9,226,000 gallons of whale oil, valued at $4,170,000 and $32,800 worth of whale meat and bone. According to preliminary figures, the 1938 output of whale oil amounted to 7,741,000 gallons.

Fish Landings at Certain Ports.

For the year 1938, the total vessel landings of all kinds of fish at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland. Maine (the principal New England fishing ports), amounted to 400,611,000 pounds, valued at $8,957,000, compared with 387,960,000 pounds, valued at $9,700,000 during 1937. Principal species landed were haddock, cod, rosefish, mackerel, pollock, whiting, and flounders. During the year 1938, the landings at Seattle, Wash., amounted to 50,834,000 pounds, valued at $3,275,000, compared with 52,320,000 pounds, valued at $3,664,000 for the year 1937. Landings at Seattle consisted mainly of salmon, halibut, flounders, crabs, and ling-cod.

Frozen Fish Trade.

During the year ending with December 15, 1938, there were 180,000,000 pounds of fishery products frozen compared with 168,000,000 pounds during the same period of 1937. On December 15, 1938, there were 90,711,000 pounds of frozen fish and shellfish in cold-storage warehouses of the United States compared with a five-year average of this date of 76,135,000 pounds. Principal species frozen are, cod, haddock, pollock, halibut, salmon, rosefish and whiting.

Fish Consumption.

The per capita consumption of fish in the United States is about 13 pounds annually. This compares with an annual per capita of 20 pounds in Canada, 39 pounds in Denmark, 44 pounds in England, 52 pounds in Sweden, and 64 pounds in Japan.