548 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



exceptional cooperation has been obtained from the State agencies 

 in recent years that only fragmentary surveys are made by the bureau 

 to supplement missing data. Virginia has recently adopted a very 

 complete statistical plan. 



For the Great Lakes and international lakes of northern Minne- 

 sota the bureau obtains catch statistics and usually the value of the 

 catch direct from the State records. To obtain data on the fisher- 

 men, boats, vessels, and gear the bureau conducts such personal sur- 

 veys among the fishermen as may be necessary to supplement the 

 State records. Annual catch statistics are available since 1913. 



Agents are stationed at Seattle, Wash., who survey each of the 

 Pacific Coast States annually to supplement data that are missing 

 from the State records. In most cases the value of the catch is de- 

 rived from dealers' records and from estimates of prices. In Wash- 

 ington and Oregon the offshore fisheries are surveyed separately for 

 units of operation, catch, and value of the catch. In almost all 

 other respects the statistics are as collected by the States. Statistics 

 of the wholesale industry for this section are obtained largely by 

 personal interview. 



The fisheries of Alaska are conducted primarily by large operators. 

 Sworn statements are required from these operators concerning their 

 operations. These are collected and compiled by the Alaska divi- 

 sion of this bureau. Bulletins containing statistics for each district 

 are released following the survey. 



Landings at certain important United States ports. — Statistics of the 

 landings at the principal New England ports— Boston and Gloucester, 

 Mass., and Portland, Me. — are similarly obtained. An agent is 

 permanently stationed at each of these ports. His duties include 

 the obtaining of statistics on the quantity of fish landed each day 

 by each fishing vessel, the value of such fish landed, information 

 concerning the date of departure and arrival of the vessel, and also 

 a list of the grounds from which the fish were taken and the gear used 

 in their capture. These statistics are foi'warded to the bureau, where 

 compilations are made. Monthly statistical bulletins are issued for 

 these landings as well as annual bulletins summarizing the year's 

 activities. 



Statistics of the landings of fish at Seattle, Wash., are collected 

 by the bureau's agent at that place. Landings are classified as those 

 made by American fishing vessels and those received by Seattle 

 wholesale dealers. The landings credited to United States fishing ves- 

 sels are made by vessels operating distinctly as primary fishing imits, 

 usually in the offshore fisheries, while those credited as received by 

 wholesale dealers are usually products of the shore fisheries collected 

 mainly from points in Puget Sound and do not include fish received 

 from Alaska or Canada, or landings made by the halibut fleet. 

 Monthly statistical bulletins are issued for these landings as well as 

 annual bulletins summarizing the year's activities. 



Statistics of the combined landings of fish at New York City and 

 Groton, Conn., are obtained by J. H. Matthews, executive secre- 

 tary of the United States Fisheries Association. Statements of these 

 landings are forwarded to the bureau, where they are compiled. 

 These statistics have not included the value of the catch. Monthly 

 bulletins including these data are not issued; however, a summary is 

 published in this document. 



