FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1932 163 



Part 2. FISHERY STATISTICS, 1931 



GENERAL REVIEW 



The catch of fishery products in the United States and Alaska 

 durino: 1931 decreased sharply from that in the previous year, the 

 decrease in ([uantity amounting to 19 percent and in value 29 percent. 

 The value of the production of canned fishery products decreased 

 24 percent as compared ^^^th that in the previous year; and by-prod- 

 ucts decreased sharply. There were also decreases in the production 

 of packaged, frozen, and cured fishery products There was a decrease 

 of 15 percent in the value of imports and 33 percent in the value of 

 exports as compared with 1930. 



During 1931 the domestic fisheries employed about 123,000 persons 

 as fishermen, 4,200 on transporting craft, and about 78,000 were 

 engaged in the wholesale and manufacturing industries, a total of 

 about 200,000 persons, exclusive of duplication. The catch amounted 

 to 2,657,317,000 pounds, valued at $77,344,000. This value, together 

 with an estimated revenue of $3,136,000 received by persons on 

 transporting craft and $45,483,000 received as salaries and wages by 

 persons in wholesale and manufacturing establishments, makes a 

 total of $125,963,000 as the income of primary handlers of fishery 

 products. 



In 1931, in the United States and Alaska, the production of canned 

 fisherv products amounted to 506,702,000 pounds, valued at 

 $62,940,000, and the output by by-products was valued at $18,538,000. 

 The production of fresh and frozen packaged fishery products 

 amounted to 139,283,000 pounds, valued at $23,076,000. The pro- 

 duction of cured fishery products amounted to 98,969,000 pounds, 

 valued at $12,364,000. The pack of frozen fishery products in the 

 entire United States and Alaska amounted to 112,257,000 pounds, 

 estimated to be valued at $11,000,000, making the total value of all 

 manufactured products in the entire United States and Alaska in 

 1931, about $128,000,000. It is estimated that about 600,000,000 

 pounds of fishery products valued at $47,000,000 were marketed 

 fresh, making a total marketed value to primary handlers of all 

 fishery products in 1931 of about $175,000,000. 



Fisherv products imported for consumption were valued at 

 $43,033,000, wliile domestic exports were valued at $11,574,000. 



Neio England States. — The 1931 statistics for the catch of these 

 States show a decrease both in the volume and in the value of the 

 catch as compared with any year for which there are records since 

 1924. The landings of fish by vessels at Boston and Gloucester, 

 Mass., and Portland, Maine, also decreased appreciably under 1930, 

 as did also the output of packaged fish. The production of frozen 

 fish decreased about one fifth and the production of sardines in Maine 

 declined sharply. 



Middle Atlantic States. — The catch of fishery products of the 

 Middle Atlantic States in 1931 was less in volume than in any pre- 

 ceding year for wliich data are available and the value of the catch 

 was less than in any year since 1908. The landings of fish at New 

 York, N.Y., and Groton, Conn., decreased somewhat under the 1930 

 landings. There was a considerable increase in the production of 



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