218 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Part 2. FISHERY STATISTICS, 1937 
GENERAL REVIEW 
Available statistics indicate that there was a decrease in the volume 
but an increase in the value of fishery products taken in the United 
States and Alaska during 1937, as compared with the preceding year. 
Data on the catch were collected for both 1936 and 1937 in the Chesa- 
peake, South Atlantic and Gulf, Pacific, and Lake States, and in 
Alaska. The combined catch in these sections alone shows.a. decrease 
of 13 percent in volume but an increase of 7 percent in value. De- 
creased catches were made in each of the five geographical sections; 
however, the principal reductions occurred in the Pacific Coast States 
where greatly reduced catches of pilchards were taken, and in Alaska 
where there was a large decline in the catch of salmon. The value of 
the production of canned fishery products in all sections increased 
11 percent as compared with 1936; byproducts increased 5 percent; 
frozen fish about 1 percent; and packaged fish 3 percent. 
The total catch of fishery products in the United States and Alaska, 
as based on the most recent surveys, amounted to 4,352,549,000 
pounds, valued at $100,845,000. About 130,000 fishermen were 
employed in making this catch. 
The production of canned fishery products in the United States 
and Alaska during 1937 amounted to 742,197,065 pounds, valued at 
$105,174,935; the output of byproducts was valued at $36,804,045; 
the production of frozen fishery products, excluding packaged prod- 
ucts, amounted to 103,111,549 pounds, estimated to be valued at 
$8,800,000; and fresh and frozen packaged fish and shellfish, 
201,802,529 pounds, valued at $27,677,899. Based on surveys for 
1937 in all sections except the Mississippi River area, and for 1931 in 
that area, the production of cured fishery products amounted to 
104,339,340 pounds, valued at $15,635,280. It is estimated that 
about 686 000,000 pounds of fresh fishery products (excluding pack- 
aged fish and shellfish) valued at about $57,000,000, were marketed 
during 1937. The total marketed value to domestic primary handlers 
of all fishery products in 1937 is estimated at $251,000,000. 
Fishery products imported for consumption were valued at 
$50,635,515 and domestic exports were valued at $14,567,252. 
New England States. ial catch of fishery prod- 
ucts in these States showed an increase in both volume and value as 
compared with 1935, when the first preceding survey of the total 
catch of these States was made. The yield of the fisheries in this 
section during 1937 was the largest that has been recorded, with the 
exception of the catch for the years of 1929 and 1930. 
A comparison of the combined vessel landings at Boston and 
Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Maine, which are available for 
both 1936 and 1937, show that those landings declined in 1937. 
Middle Atlantic States —The 1937 commercial catch of fishery prod- 
ucts in the Middle Atlantic States decreased in volume but increased 

