316 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR 
duces a finished product of better quality, measured in terms of food 
value, then that is a true estimate of its worth or justification for its 
commercial application. 
The problems undertaken in this field during the past year have 
been concentrated on determination of the nutritive value of the 
edible portion of fishery products, more particularly the biological 
value of the protein. Considerable effort has also been expended on 
evaluation of the feeding value of fish meals and a study of changes 
resulting from conditions of processing and storage. 
Study was also made of the biological value of the protein of 
salmon taken under different physiological periods such as prior to 
migration, during migration, and, finally, spawning. Acute and 
chronic toxicity tests with certain kelp products, Irish moss, and agar, 
have also been carried out. 
ECONOMIC AND MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS 
There was a constant demand throughout the year for economic 
siudies of the various phases of the commercial fisheries and the mar- 
keting of fishery commodities. The limited facilities of the Bureau 
make it possible to conduct only a very limited number of large-scale 
studies of these types. During the past year, however, a rather ex- 
tensive survey of the retailing of fresh and frozen fish was made. 
Data thus far reviewed show that the volume of sales for fish was 
small for most of the stores surveyed. The sales of nearly 40 percent 
of the 4,000 retail stores handling fish, which were included in the 
survey, averaged less than $100 per week during 1938. For about 30 
percent of the stores, sales of fish averaged between $10 and $29 per 
week and less than 30 percent reported fish sales in excess of $29 per 
week. The 4,000 stores handling fresh fish were located in both com- 
mercial and residential sections of about 50 representative cities in 
the eastern section of the United States. Included among these stores 
were nearly 1,200 chain stores, over 2,000 independent stores and 
voluntary chain stores, and about 400 fish markets. Preliminary 
results of the study indicate that very few stores have extensive 
facilities devoted to fish sales. Frequently fish are handled on only 
two or three days of each week, and on these days fish are allocated a 
small part of the space usually occupied by meats. A large percent- 
age of the stores reported that the fish business is profitable, and some 
operators indicated that fish was the most profitable item handled. 
However, many owners and managers of stores evidenced little inter- 
est in fish sales and consequently devoted little effort to promote this 
phase of their business. 
