36 FISHES AND FISHERY METHODS 



sentation. The increasing proportion of pelagic fish, 1908 to 1937, resulted 

 from the growth of the California sardine fishery whose collapse has been 

 partly counteracted by increased menhaden production. Demersal fisheries 

 have contributed a steady fifth of the catch during the past half-century, 

 recent Atlantic declines being offset by a minor Pacific trawl fishery. Mis- 

 cellaneous includes turtles, seaweeds, and other items not including whale 

 products, the latter being of minor importance in this century. Compared 

 to the rest of the world, 1959 ratios reflect the higher relative importance 

 of oyster, shrimp, and menhaden yields and relatively low yields of fresh- 

 water fish in United States. 



Table 3.6. Types of Fish Caught by Years 



(+ less than 1 per cent) 



Disposition of Production and Imports. Fish is used chiefly for human 

 food directly or for livestock and for technological or pharmaceutical 

 purposes. Domestic landings by product groups and food fish imports 

 since 1921 are given in Table 3.7. Industrial products are meal, oil, 

 solubles, homogenized condensed fish, shell products, bait, fur-animal or 

 pet food, and other items. Cured fish includes dried, salted, smoked, or 

 pickled. 



Industrial products' totals chiefly reflect the changes in Pacific pilchard 

 and Atlantic menhaden yields and the increased demand for animal feeds. 

 The de(;line in cured products reflects changing food habits and increased 

 use of frozen fish. Canned production depends upon the vicissitudes of 

 Pa(;ific salmon, tuna, and pilchard and of the Atlantic herring fisheries. 

 Fresh and frozen fish cannot be segregated as round weights except for 

 recent years. Frozen fish has increased at the expense of fresh and cured 

 fish but the recorded production is pro})ably slightly below the actual. 



The almost exclusive use of the dominant menhaden catch for reduction 

 accounts for the high proportion used as industrial products compared to 

 the rest of the world (Tabk' 3.7). The larger proportion of frozen and 

 canned products and 1o\v(M' proportions of fresh and cured fish in the 



