FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1931 111 



The results of the survey indicated that this belief was well founded. 

 It was found that 87 per cent of all fishery products used was im- 

 ported from other countries. The greater part of this was cod and 

 other dry salt fish mostly from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. 

 The annual per capita consumption of fish is low as compared with 

 near-by islands. This is about 14 pounds in the edible portion, as 

 compared with a per capita consumption of 32 pounds in the near-by 

 Virgin Islands. Fish are iced for shipment in only three localities. 

 It is not the custom to use ice when retailing fish either while on dis- 

 play at retail stores and fish markets or in peddling in the streets and 

 around the country. 



Fish are not gutted, cleaned, or given anything approaching careful 

 handling either by the fisherman or dealer. In addition, the native 

 retail trade is reluctant to accept dressed fish. Gutting is believed 

 to be a method of concealing inferiority. As a result much of the 

 fish is stale, fresh fish is not sold in inland towns, and in comparatively 

 small amoimts along the coast. Consumption is decreased even 

 where fish is available through fear of "fish poisoning." This is 

 thought to be caused principally by eating stale or tainted fish. 



^^^lile the catch may be increased somewhat on all sections of the 

 coast, only two areas ar believed capable of producing catches much 

 larger than those now taken. These are the grounds around the 

 eastern and western ends of the island with Fajardo and Puerto Real 

 as central points. These towns are even now the largest source of 

 supply for San Juan, the principal market. Fish is shipped in metal- 

 lined boxes by motor truck and is from four to nine hours on the road. 



Sufficient supplies of raw material are apparently not available for 

 the operation of a fish-reduction plant on a profitable basis. 



Having concluded the market survey, the bureau's technologist 

 remained on the island to develop methods for handling the catch. 

 A resume of this work is discussed on page 106 of this report. 



PUBLICATIONS OF THE DIVISION 



During the calendar year 1931 the following publications were pre- 

 pared by members of the division. This list does not include the 

 monthly statistical bulletins of the landings of fishery products at 

 Boston and Gloucester, Mass., Portland, Me., and Seattle, Wash., 

 nor the monthly reports on cold-storage holdings of frozen fish and 

 quantities of fish frozen. The fishery documents, reports, and cir- 

 culars may be purchased at the prices shown from the Superintendent 

 of Documents, Government Printing Office, Wasliington, D. C. The 

 statistical bulletins and special or S-memoranda are distributed free 

 of charge upon request to the bureau. The special articles may be 

 obtained from the sources of publication. 



Those wishing to receive current copies of this report and sta- 

 tistical bulletins issued by the bureau should request that their 

 names be placed on the bureaus' mailing lists No. 128 for the annual 

 statistical report, 128a for general statistical bulletins, and 128b for 

 monthly cold-storage reports. Those desiring historical statistical 

 data on the domestic fisheries for the period 1880 to 1929 should 

 consult the report entitled "Fishery Industries of the United States, 

 1930," by R. H. Fiedler, Appendix II to the Report of the U. S. 

 Commissioner of Fisheries for the fiscal year 1931. 

 122485—32 2 



