FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1927 431 



greater value of the fish and marine-animal oil group and the value of 

 pearls and imitation pearls. Fishery exports consisted of edible 

 products, amounting to 158,427,507 pounds, valued at $18,340,624, 

 and nonedible products valued at $376,279. Compared with the 

 previous year, there is a decrease of 3 per cent in the quantity and 

 8 per cent in the value of the edible products exported and a decrease 

 of 11 per cent in the value of the nonedible products exported. 



The decline in edible export products is attributed chiefly to a 

 decrease in both the amount and value of canned salmon. On the 

 other hand, exports of canned sardines (the chief competitor of canned 

 salmon m foreign markets) show a fair increase in both amount and 

 value compared with a year ago and represent the largest individual 

 export item. Exports of the other groups of edible fishery products 

 show httle change in 1927 compared with the previous year. 



Considering only the amount of fishery products on which we usually 

 have an unfavorable trade balance, the imports of fresh and frozen 

 fish were about seventeen times as great as the exports in 1927, which 

 is a somewhat lower ratio than in the year previous. In 1927, the 

 imports of cured fish were about seven times as great as the exports, 

 which is a slightly higher ratio than a year ago. Imports of fresh and 

 canned shellfish were about two times as great as the exports in 1927, 

 which is about the same ratio as for 1926. Imports of fish and marine- 

 animal oils were about one hundred and ninety-two times the amount 

 of the exports in 1927, compared with one hundred and fifteen times 

 in 1926. While this unfavorable trade balance exists for fish and 

 marine-animal oils, the fishery trade in the United States continues to 

 discard large quantities of fish waste and ofi^al that are suitable for 

 manufacture into oil and meal. 



Contrasting these products with those on which we usually have a 

 favorable trade balance, the exports of canned fish (which is the most 

 important export group) were almost four times as great as the imports 

 in 1927, which is about the same ratio as in 1926. Exports of mis- 

 cellaneous edible fishery products were over two and one-half times 

 the quantity of imports in 1927, or about the same ratio as the 

 previous year. 



Imports for consumption and domestic exports of fishery products, 1927, and ratio 



comparisons 



' Gallon of fish or marine-animal oil calculated at 7.5 pounds. 



18536—29 3 



