The steady decline observed in the volume of sardine catches for the- past 

 two years is causing considerable worry to the local fish canning industry 

 which largely depends on this kind of fish. The absolute lack of the proper 

 bait (cod-roe) is given as one cf the reasons for the decrease in volume of the 

 catches along this littoral, but according to local ichthyologists, the devia- 

 tion of the Gulf stream, which is the natural bank for this kind of fish, may 

 be the real cause for its practical disappearance fron the northwestern Spanish 

 coast, since sardines continue to be plentiful along the southern coast of 

 Portugal not far from Cape Saint Vincent. 



Benito, which is another of the preservable varieties, was plentiful 

 during 19^6, but it went up in price by about 55 per cent over that quoted in 

 the previous year, mainly due to the heavy demand for this fish on the part 

 of the fish packing industry which, unable to get sufficient quantities of 

 sardines, had to rake use. of bonito in order that the factories might be kept 

 working. It is believed that the steadily decreasing purchasing value of 

 the reseta also had an important part in the increased price. 



Anchovies were brought in in smaller quantities than in the preceding 

 twelve months. Frices were slightly higher than in the previous year, but 

 the demand for this kind of fish on the part of the packing industry was net 

 large due to the almost complete lack of packing supplies, such as tin-plate, 

 and the unsettled conditions in the 'principal consuming markets for this 

 product, i.e., Italy and Greece. 



As has been previously reported, the Spanish coast and islands are 

 divided into ei;7ht separate regions. The following table contains a breakdown 

 of the catch by regions during 194-6: 



Region Kilos Value -Pesetas 



Northwestern ■ 163,304,900 519,176,600 



Cantabrican 154,930,387 441,544,500 



South Atlantic 97,688,900 ' 307,089,800 

 South 



Mediterranean 52,596,700 102,660,900 



Levant 23,401,400 61,305,700 



Tramontana 50,402,200 191,120,600 



Falearic 5,079,600 17,005,200 



Canaries 46.874.400 76.047.800 



Totals 594.278.487 1,715,951,100 ' 1/ 



The composition of the catch, by regions, is rs follows: 



Fish Kilos Value 



Northwestern 144,061,500 479,320,500 



Cantabrican 153,877,600 436,004,900 



South Atlantic 85,447,900 255,441,700 



South Mediterranean 49,504,900 94,034,000 



Levant 22,663,200 56,954,400 



Tramontana 43,0^0,200 150,372,100 



Balearic 4,748,500 13,978,200 



Canaries 46.723.700 75.405.900 



Totals 550.067.500 1.561.511.700 



1/ Figures collated from data published in Industrias Fesqueras, April 1947, 

 pages 81 to 96 ? 



