FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1934 243 



Shad and alewife fisheries of the Potomac. River, 19SS 



TRADE IN nSHERY PRODUCTS IN WASHINGTON, D. C.s 



The municipal fish wharf and market in Washington, D. C, is 

 located in the southwestern part of the city on an arm of the Potomac 

 River. At the present time 17 firms have stalls in the market, 2 

 firms are in private buildings across the street, and 4 firms have stalls 

 in the new Center Market, Altogether the 23 above firms employed 

 111 persons who received $79,186 in salaries and wages during 1933. 

 Of the total employees 95 w^ere regularly employed. These firms 

 conduct a wholesale and retail business, cliiefly wholesale, however. 



During the year 1933 the receipts of fresh and frozen fishery 

 products as received at the municipal fish wharf amounted to 9,572,135 

 pounds. This is a decrease of 16 percent as compared \\ith the year 

 1932 but an increase of 2 percent as compared with the 5-ycar average. 



During 1933 three firms in Washington, D. C, smoked fishery 

 products which amounted to 257,825 pounds, valued at $27,806. Of 

 this amount 230,000 pounds, valued at $20,880, consisted of herring 

 smoked as bloaters; 24,400 pounds, valued at $6,292, were whitefish; 

 while the remainder or 3,425 pounds, valued at $634, consisted of 

 alewives or "river herring", eels, and haddock. 



There were tliree firms which shucked oysters mostly for hotel and 

 restaurant trade. Their production amounted to 6,100 gallons, 

 valued at $9,600. In addition to this quantity there were 42,245 

 gallons of oysters, valued at $78,160, shucked mostly by fishermen 

 for retail trade. Virtually all of the fishery products were consumed 

 in the city. 



» statistics of fishery products handled at the municipal wharf, Washington, D. C, are reported to the 

 Bureau by agents of the Health Department, District of Columbia. 



