was 175 pounds for all fishery products. 



Use per plant during the lj-week peri- 

 od ranged from under Uo pounds of fish and 

 shellfish to more than 1,500 pounds, de- 

 pending largely on the size of the plant. 

 Individual fish and shellfish items used 

 by the average plant in quantities of more 

 than 10 pounds each during the h weeks * 

 were: fresh and frozen haddock — 21 pounds, 

 about evenly divided between fillets and 

 whole or dressed; fresh and frozen cod — 15 

 pounds of which about 11 pounds were fillets 

 and Ii pounds whole or dressed; canned tuna — 

 15 pounds; canned salmon — 13 pounds; fresh 

 and frozen ocean perch fillets — 12 pounds; 

 and fresh and frozen shrimp — 12 pounds. 



The survey findings established that 

 most plants bought fish and shellfish from 

 one type of supplier. Foremost among, the 

 various types of sources were the so- 

 called secondary wholesalers mentioned as 

 sources by almost 8 out of 10 plants. Re- 

 tailers, primary wholesalers, processors, 

 and canners were cited as sources of 

 lesser importance, n majority of plants 

 purchased from a single firm. 



Once-a-^week buying of fishery products 

 was the most common frequency of purchase 

 with 63 percent of the plants reporting a 

 1-week interval between orders. Personal 

 inspection was rated as most important in 

 buying fresh fish and shellfish. About 

 one plant in five bought on the basis of 

 brand names. With both frozen and canned 

 fish and shellfish, however, brand name 

 was the most telling consideration. Al- 

 most one -fourth of the buyers of frozen 

 fish made personal inspection and a few 

 used written specifications. 



The usual quantity of fishery products 

 bought varied significantly by species, 

 product, and by size of plant. Average 

 quantities purchased at one time ranged 

 from llj pounds of peeled shrimp to 35 

 pounds of cod. 



The price also varied substantially 

 by species and by product. In general 

 prices tended to be lowest in the South 

 and highest in the West. Also, small 

 plants — a relatively greater percentage 

 of which dealt with retailers— were more 

 likely to pay higher prices than large 

 plants . 



Inventories at the beginning of the 

 U-week survey period showed a total of 

 U35,000 pounds of fish and shellfish on 

 hand in the factories providing food ser- 

 vices. Three-fourths of this inventory was 

 canned, 19 percent frozen, 5 percent fresh, 

 and 1 percent cured, smoked, dried, or 

 kippered. Based on the normal rate of use, 

 the fresh items were only enough for imme- 

 diate use. Frozen fish and shellfish in- 

 ventory was adequate for 5 days — slightly 

 under the average work week of 5.5 days. 

 Canned items, which keep and which are 

 advantageously bought in large quantities, 

 were found in amounts ample for just under 

 5 weeks for canned shellfish, and more 

 than 6 weeks for canned fish. 



The above data were averages for all 

 plants, whether any inventory was present 

 or not. Actually, only 11 percent of the 

 plants had supplies of fresh fish; only 6 

 percent had fresh shellfish. Thirty per- 

 cent had a stock of frozen fish; half that 

 many had frozen shellfish. At least 7 out 

 of 10 plants, in all regions except the 

 South, had inventories of canned fish. 



Detailed results of the survey appear 

 in tables 1 to 17, pages 11 to 26. The 

 methods used in conducting the survey are 

 contained in the Appendix, beginning with 

 page 27. 



USE OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 



Fish and shellfish in one form or 

 another are served in 85 percent of the 

 plants providing food services for employ- 

 ees. Use of fishery products in those 

 plants in the U-week survey period in 

 January -February 1956 amounted to 884, 067 

 pounds, valued at $It5u,957. Over three - 

 fourths of the total was used in the 

 Northeast and the North Central States. 



Plants with more than a thousand 

 employees each accounted for 70 percent 

 and medium-sized firms for 21 percent of 

 the fishery products used. Contractor 

 operations used slightly more than company - 

 run facilities. 



While 85 percent of the plants 

 studied used fish, only 52 percent used 

 shellfish. The coastal regions (Northeast 

 and West) had greater proportions of users 

 of both fish and shellfish than other 



