24 FISHES AND FISHERY METHODS 



With allowances for evident errors in the rate of increase reported 

 for Mainland China (Asia) and for lesser cases of statistical zeal in other 

 countries, the mean annual rate of increase in world production has 

 declined since 1955. 



In North America and Europe, which account for 40 per cent of the 

 world catch, production is levehng off, even declining in some countries. 

 The USSR increase continues but at a reduced rate. South America 

 manifests the usual sharp rise from initial exploitation but contributes 

 only 8 per cent to the 1959 world catch. 



Fish Production and Trade by Countries. In 1959, of the 213 political 

 units with a reported (F.A.O., 1959) fish catch, only 21 accounted for 

 83 per cent of the world's production as shown in Table 3.1. 



Iceland, Canada, Peru, Norway, S.W. Africa, the Union of South 

 Africa, and Portugal with small populations have large exportable sur- 

 pluses from intensive development of productive grounds mostly adjacent 

 to their coasts. 



United States, United Kingdom, and West Germany are major net 

 importers with France, USSR, Denmark, Netherlands, and the Philip- 

 pines to a lesser degree. For the Netherlands, imports and exports 

 balance. 



Japan, in spite of high domestic demand, maintains substantial exports. 

 Spain, India, and Indonesia have inconsequential imports and exports. 

 No data are available for South Korea and Mainland China. 



Expanding population and more widespread economic well-being will 

 cause exportable surpluses to decline. Many countries are endeavoring 

 to increase domestic production by expanding to distant waters. This 

 often meansentryof new participants into already fully-exploited fisheries, 

 which only redistributes the catch and ultimately results in a net decline 

 in total catch for all. 



