<><><><^(^<X><><^ChS><XX><X><X^ 



III. ECONOMICS AND MARKETING OF 

 NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES 



Production and Primary Marketing 



THE HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL RECORD 



Ranking of North Carolina among the States in Value of Production. 

 The ranking in value of production of the several fish producing States 

 in five historical periods is shown in Table 23. The shifting in relative 

 position of the States irrespective of the total of production of all the 

 States (which is controlled only by demand under the influence of the 

 business cycle) clearly exhibits the trend of historic movements. Among 

 the eastern and southern States, the rise of Florida and Louisiana and the 

 decline of Maryland, Delaware, and Connecticut are conspicuous. North 

 Carolina among all the States, as well as among the eastern States, lost rank 

 slightly but on the whole has remained in about the same relative position 

 at nth to 14th place (i6th in 1930) and, if the Pacific States and Alaska 

 are excluded, from 9th to i2th.^ 



Totals of All Fish and Fishermen and All Food Fish since 1880. Table 24 

 exhibits the totals of the entire canvassed record, 1880-1945, of the quan- 

 tities and values of North Carolina production of all fish and the numbers 

 of fishermen. The number of fishermen engaged was about the same in 

 1939 and 1940 as it was in 1889 and 1890; the average number for the 

 20-year period, 1921-1940 was 33.5 per cent less than it was in the 22-year 

 period, 1887-1908 (Table 17); the year 1902 is the peak (of the years 

 canvassed) in number of fishermen (also the peak year in production of 

 numerous species). In this Table 24, calculated equivalents of the money 

 in constant purchasing power (1926 = 100) are shown, and the prices 

 in both actual and constant value money; also shown are calculations per 

 fisherman of pounds of fish and the values of the product in both kinds 

 of money. In interpreting the data in this table it should be remembered 

 that where the total of all fishery products is considered, the great fluctua- 

 tions in quantity, money value, and prices are due largely to the menhaden, 

 which amounted to little before 1900; it should also be noted that the fisher- 



I. The quantity and value of menhaden has been taken herein to be that credited to the State 

 by the Federal Government. 



42s 



