FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1934 81 



by coupling the statistical data with studies of the life history of the 

 species. Difliculty is experienced in making these predictions because 

 the supply (or population) of the species cannot be seen, as is the case 

 with farm animals or crops. Tlie more cojnpletc and more reliable the 

 statistics on yield are, the better foundation the biologist has for con- 

 ducting his studies. The Bureau, therefore, aims to obtain a complete 

 picture of each individual fishery to further these biological studies. 



ECONOMIC ASPECT 



With the fishery conserved and trends and yields of the fishery- 

 predicted there still remains the problem of supplying the fishery 

 trade with that information so essential to the conduct of its business 

 activities. In these days of increasing competition the very existence 

 of the fishery industr}^ nmst depend upon reliable economic statistical 

 information. Such material has been especially valuable during the 

 recovery period when it has been required in national planning. The 

 Bureau, therefore, aims to make its statistical survey so complete 

 that the industry and the various governmental organizations may 

 turn to it for reliable fishery statistics. 



SURVEYS CONDUCTED 



The statistical surveys during 1934 were conducted under the 

 direction of Fred F. Johnson, in charge of statistical investigations. 

 These surveys included the collection and dissemination of statistics 

 of the commercial catch and its value, operating units, and employ- 

 ment in the fisheries. In addition, data were collected on employ- 

 ment and compensation of those engaged in, and products of fishery 

 wholesale and manufacturing establishments. 



Unfortunately, continued curtailment of funds and personnel made 

 it necessary to eliminate surveys of the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 States, the Lake States, and the States of the Mississippi River and 

 tributaries; however, summaries of the production in these sections 

 for the most recent years available are included in part 2 of this report. 



In addition to the above, statistics were collected on the following 

 special phases: The landings of fish by American fishing vessels at the 

 ports of Boston and Gloucester, Mass., Portland, Maine, and Seattle, 

 Wash, (published monthly); landings of halibut at North Pacific 

 coast ports (published monthly); catch of mackerel in the North 

 Atlantic fishery; cold-storage holdings of frozen and cured fish and 

 amount of fish frozen, which are furnished by the Bureau of Agri- 

 cultural Economics (published monthly); production, consumption, 

 and holdings of marine-animal oils of the United States and Alaska 

 (published quarterly by the Bureau of the Census) ; production of 

 canned fishery products and byproducts of the United States and 

 Alaska; transactions on the sponge exchange at Tarpon Springs, Fla.; 

 volume of fishery products handled at the Municipal Fish Wharf and 

 Market, Washington, D. C; and the volume of the United States 

 foreign trade in fishery products, furnished by the Bureau of Foreign 

 and Domestic Commerce. 



The following statistical and marketing agents assisted in the 

 collection and compilation of the statistical data: H. F. Brown, W. H. 

 Brown, F. F. Dimick, W. H. Dumont, R. L. Greer, V. E. Hefl'elfinger, 



