542 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
important ones are visited, and a sufficient number of those of lesser 
importance are interviewed to obtain reliable information on their 
production. In practice virtually all wholesale firms are visited, as 
well as captains of fishing vessels (those of 5 net tons or over), and 
also most of the more important inshore fishermen. 
In the Great Lakes and Pacific Coast States such exceptional coop- 
eration has been obtained in recent years from the State fishery 
agencies in the collection of statistics that only fragmentary surveys 
need be made by the Bureau’s agents to obtain the necessary data. 
Also the State fishery agencies in Maryland and Virginia recently 
have developed very complete statistical systems which greatly 
facilitate the Bureau’s canvasses in these States. 
As regards the fisheries of the Great Lakes and international lakes 
of northern Minnesota, the Bureau obtains most of the catch statistics 
and usually the value of the catch direct from the records of the 
State fishery agency. To obtain data on the number of fishermen, 
boats, vessels, and gear, the Bureau conducts such personal surveys 
ee the fishermen as may be necessary to supplement the State 
records. 
Bureau agents are stationed at Seattle, Wash., and Terminal Island, 
Calif., who survey the fisheries of the Pacific Coast States. As a 
rule they obtain figures on the volume of the catch from the records 
of the several State fishery agencies. In most cases the value of the 
catch is derived from dealers’ records and sometimes from estimates 
of prices. In Washington and Oregon the offshore fisheries are 
surveyed separately by the Bureau’s agent to obtain data on the 
number of operating units, catch, and value of the catch. Statistics 
of the wholesale fishery industry for this section are obtained largely 
by personal interviews of the agents. 
In the administration of the Alaska fisheries the Bureau obtains 
sworn statements concerning their activities from those prosecuting 
the fisheries in this area. These statements are compiled by the 
Alaska Division of this Bureau. 
Statistics of the volume of the catch of fish of the Pacific Coast 
and Great Lakes States are usually shown in weights as landed, which 
may be in the round or dressed condition. Statistics on the volume 
of the catch of fish taken in the remainder of the United States are 
shown in round weight. 
The figures in the tables for shellfish represent the weight of the 
meats in the case of univalve and bivalve mollusks and gastropods, 
and the round weight of crustaceans and such mollusks as squid and 
octopus. 
Shore and vessel fisheries —In general, statistics of the shore fisheries, 
as collected by the agents, include data on the number of casual and 
regular fishermen; number of motor and other fishing boats and 
accessory boats; kind and quantity of gear used, and the volume, 
value, and method of capture of each species caught by boats (for 
our purpose craft of less than 5 net tons capacity are called “‘boats’’) 
for each locality or group of localities. This method is not followed 
in some sections where the availability of data collected by the State 
fishery agencies obviates the necessity of detailed locality surveys. 
Statistics of the vessel fisheries include data on the number of the 
crew, rig of vessels, net tonnage, kind and quantity of gear used, 
accessory boats carried, and volume, value, and method of capture 
