FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1932 159 



The lii2:h pci'centap;e of calcium carbonate content in oyster, marine- 

 clam, and i'rosh-water mussel shells make the crushed product from 

 them a valuable dio;estible feed for laying hens and growing chicks as 

 well as an important agricultural liming material. 



The production of crushed oyster shells for poultry feed in the 

 past 12 years exceeded the 1932 production only in 1929 and 1930, 

 although the value of the 1932 production was exceeded in enrh of the 

 preceding 11 years. The production in the North and Middle 

 Atlantic areas, while small, has remained fairly constant throughout 

 the 12-year period for which annual statistics are available; the Chesa- 

 peake region has declined in production from a peak of nearly 120,000 

 tons in 1922 to less than 45,000 tons in 1932; the South Atlantic, not 

 including Florida, reached a peak of 16,200 tons in 1927 and decreased 

 to 10,400 tons in 1932; and the position of the Gulf States, including 

 the Florida east coast, in oyster shell manufacture has increased 

 rapidlj^ in the past 12 years with exploitation of the vast supplies of 

 reef shells. The production in Louisiana from 1927 to 1930, inclu- 

 sive, has annuall}^ exceeded 100,000 tons, with some recession during 

 the past 2 years, w^liile the production in Florida in 1932 reached a 

 peak of 61,000 tons. On the Pacific coast interest is being evidenced 

 in exploiting the shells of the Japanese oyster which will supplement 

 the west coast manufacture of products from currently accumulated 

 oyster and clam shells, and reef and fossil deposits. 



ESTABLISHING MARKETING GRADES FOR FISH 



The Bureau, at the request of the State of Virginia, cooperated with 

 the Virginia Bureau of Markets in a survey to determine the advisa- 

 bility and practicability of establishing marketing grades for fish 

 and fishery products to assist the fishery industries in the more 

 orderly marketing of their products. This was made by N. W. 

 Broome, representing the State of Virginia, and J. R. Manning, 

 representing the Bureau. Such agricultural products as potatoes, 

 applies, watermelons, peanuts, tobacco, and others are now graded 

 as to cpiality, and this has promoted efficiency in marketing these 

 commodities. In tliese cases marketing grades or standards have 

 been adopted which are of benefit to producers, dealers, and con- 

 sumers. With agricultural products, grades are based largely on 

 ([uality and size. It was believed that a similar grading system would 

 be of value to the fisher}" industry, since considerable disorder and 

 confusion exist in the marketing of fish. 



In the conduct of the survey persons operating wholesale fish 

 houses, hotels, and restaurants in Washington, D.C, and dealers and 

 fishermen in the State of Virginia were interviewed as to their opinion 

 on this matter. As a consequence it was found feasible to establish 

 marketing grades and that a majority of the dealers and fishermen 

 favored such a procedure. Accordingly, tentative grades for fresh 

 fish and for salt-cured herring were devised and a grading system 

 based on them was put into operation. Copies of the grades may be 

 obtained from the Bureau of Markets, Richmond, Va. 



FISHERY BYPRODUCTS INDUSTRIES OF MAINE 



During the past year a technical and market survey was made of 

 the fishery byproducts industries of Maine by Andrew W. Anderson 

 and Roger W. Harrison, 



