BUREAU OF FISHERIES HI 



of 204,000 persons who depend directly upon our fisheries for a 

 livelihood. This was about 13,000 more than were employed during 

 the previous year. The catch in 1930 amounted to 3,286,580,000 

 pounds for which the fishermen received $109,349,000 — a decrease of 

 8 per cent in amount and 11 per cent in value as compared with the 

 previous year. 



In the calendar year 1930 the output of canned fish amounted to 

 676,685,000 pounds, valued at $82,858,000, and in 1931, 506,414,000 

 pounds, valued at $62,949,000. The output of fresh, frozen, and 

 smoked packaged fish in 1930 exceeded 80,000,000 pounds, valued at 

 $12,580,000, as compared with 65,551,000 pounds, valued at $9,224,000 

 in 1931. In these two years the amounts of fish frozen were 139,- 

 297,000 and 112,257,000 pounds, respectively, and the value of by- 

 products $23,721,000 and $16,565,000, respectively. Imports of 

 fishery products for consumption were valued at $50,830,000 in 1930 

 and $43,033,000 in 1931, while the value of domestic exports was 

 $17,276,000 and $11,574,000, respectively. 



INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

 REVISED NORTHERN PACIFIC HALIBUT CONVENTION 



Despite the comparatively recent origin of the eastern North 

 Pacific halibut fishery and the fact that the fishing area has been in- 

 creased from 500 miles of coast line in 1910 to 2,000 miles in 1930, 

 the fishery is in a serious condition as indicated by the following 

 facts: (1) Regardless of the great expansion in fishing areas, the 

 annual catch has remained nearly the same; (2) the fishing power of 

 the fleet has been increased from 200,000 sets of gear units in 1910 to 

 1,000,000 sets in 1930 to maintain this level of production; (3) the 

 catch on the southern grounds has fallen from a maximum of 60,- 

 000,000 pounds in 1912 to 22,500,000 pounds in 1930, and from the 

 grounds in the Gulf of Alaska from a maximum of 26,000,000 pounds 

 in 1924 to 17,500,000 pounds in 1930; (4) the catch per set of gear on 

 the oldest areas fished has fallen from 260 pounds in 1906 to 36^/2 

 pounds in 1931; (5) the decline in abundance is also taking place on 

 the newer grounds, and the fishery is now dependent upon constantly 

 smaller sizes of fish; (6) eggs and larvae are almost absent from the 

 southern grounds, and the spawning schools are much reduced on the 

 newer banks. 



The enabling act approved May 2, 1932, putting into effect the 

 revised convention, which was signed on May 9, 1930, and became 

 effective May 9, 1931, follows : 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, 



SHORT TITLE 



Section 1. That this Act may be cited as the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. 



DEFINITION" OF TERMS 



Sec. 2. For the purposes of this Act " close season " shall mean the period 

 from the 1st day of November in any year to the 15th day of February in the 

 next following year, both days inclusive, unless this period or any part thereof 

 shall be opened to fishing by regulation of the International Fisheries Com- 

 mission, as empowered by the provisions of the Convention for the Preservation 



