XX REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 



mercial fishermen who exploit the State's resources. As reported 

 in 1925 and subsequent years, the bureau's policy has been to cooper- 

 ate with those States collectino; statistics in such a manner as to 

 render the data adequate for studies in fluctuations in alnindance and 

 to render the statistics of adjoining States comparable, so as to 

 permit compihitions over the entire commercial range of species 

 inhabiting the waters of a number of contiguous States and to encour- 

 age the collection of statistics by those States not at present engaged 

 in such activitj'. The results have been gratifying. By detailing one 

 agent to the Pacific Coast States and employing temporary clerical 

 assistance in that region, annual statistics, based on State returns, 

 have been compiled and published since 1923. In the Great Lakes 

 region it has been possible to compile State statistics annually since 

 1913. Collection of statistics in the remaining sections of the country 

 is still on the periodical-canvass basis. 



The collection of special statistics on the mackerel fisheries, with 

 particular reference to the peculiar fluctuations of abundance, has 

 been continued in conjunction with biological studies of the fish. 

 The results have indicated that the unusually large catches of 1925 

 to 1927, inclusive, were due almost entirely to the abundance of the 

 1923 3"ear class. As the data indicate that no subsequent year has 

 contributed materiallv to the stock of mackerel, it can be predicted 

 tentatively that the 1928 catch will be smaller than the 1927 catch. 

 It is probable that the 1927 spawning will result in material increment 

 to the mackerel stock, and if so, this increase should be felt in 1929. 

 While these observations have not been continued through a sufficient 

 number of years to assure success in forecasting, continued investiga- 

 tion promises to render invaluable aid to the industry by making 

 p)Ossible reliable predictions of abundance. 



CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS AND BY-PRODUCTS 



Four hundred and seventy-one establishments were engaged in 

 canning fishery products in 1927, the total production being 12,281,658 

 standard cases, or 475,655,000 pounds, net weight, valued at 

 $81,384,133, to which may be added the value of by-products, 

 $12,793,000, making a total of $94,177,133. The 4 per cent decrease, 

 as compared Avith 1926, was due to the smaller pack of salmon and 

 Maine sardines and not to a general slackening of the industry. 

 Other products, including California sardines, tuna, shrimp, clams, 

 and oysters, registered notable increases, varying between 19 and 58 

 per cent. 



TRADE IN FROZEN FISH 



During 1927 there were 150 freezers and cold-storage establish- 

 ments devoted wholly or partly to the storage of frozen fish. The 

 average monthly holdings during the last three years have increased, 

 amounting to 48,957,000 pounds in 1927, or 7 per cent more than those 

 for 1926 and 18 per cent more than normal or the 5-year average. 

 Amounts of fish frozen annually also have become greater during 

 the past several years. 



