X REPOKT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



unusually large in this year. The average price per case of the tunas 

 has been increasing since 1922, being as follows: 1922, $4.79; 1923, 

 $8.45 ; 1924, $8.80. 



The production of canned shrimp, on the basis of 48 No. 1 cans to 

 the case, amounted to 718,517 cases, valued at $4,608,950, which 

 marks a continuous increase in both amount and value since 1922. 

 The average price per case has constantly increased since 1922, being 

 $5.28, $6.26, and $6.41 in 1922, 1923, and 1924, respectively. 



The production of canned oysters, on the basis of 48 five-ounce 

 cans to the case, amounted to 447,481 cases, valued at $2,478,044, 

 This is a decrease of 15 per cent in quantity and 9 per cent in value 

 as compared with 1923. The average price per case in the last three 

 years has increased from $4.79 to $5.54. 



The production of canned clams amounted to 389,435 cases of 

 various sizes valued at $2,161,389, made up of 113,717 cases of razor 

 clams, valued at $863,684; 38,544 cases of hard clams, valued at 

 $271,911 ; 80,561 cases of soft clams, valued at $459,882 ; and 156,613 

 cases of chowders, broths, bouillon, and juices of soft and hard clams, 

 valued at $565,912. 



Other canned fish, shellfish, fish roe, caviar, etc., were valued at 

 $2,121,419. 



The menhaden industry suffered a serious shortage of raw mate- 

 rial during 1924, which resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in the 

 volume of the products as compared with the previous year. The 

 output of this industry was valued at $3,310,176, and comprised 

 21,008 tons of dried scrap and meal, valued at $996,866; 24,409 tons 

 of acidulated scrap, valued at $495,684; and 3,923,904 gallons of oil, 

 valued at $1,817,626. 



The production of dried scrap and meal from other fishes and fish 

 offal amounted to 30,847 tons, valued at $1,373,351, which is an in- 

 crease of 36 per cent in quantity and 9 per cent in value as compared 

 with 1923. Fish and whale oils, exclusive of menhaden oil, totaled 

 5,287,391 gallons, valued at $2,494,107, which is an increase of 35 

 per cent in quantity and 40 per cent in value as compared with 1923. 

 There was a decrease in quantity of crushed oyster shells produced, 

 as well as in value, the 1924 figures showing 219,211 tons, valued at 

 $2,019,254. 



Other by-products were valued at $1,065,305, which is somewhat 

 below the value of the output in 1923. 



FROZEN-FISH TRADE 



As in previous years statistics of the cold-storage holdings of 

 frozen fish and the quantities frozen in the United States and Alaska 

 were collected by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and published by the Bureau of Fisheries in the 

 form of a monthly statistical bulletin. The reports for 1925 show 

 that the holdings were smallest in April, with 21,488,525 pounds, and 

 largest in November, with 70,405,786 pounds. The average monthly 

 holdings amounted to 45,041,000 pounds, as compared Avith 36,- 

 202,000 pounds in 1923, an increase of 24.41 per cent. Tlie increase 

 in any single month, as compared with the corresponding month in 

 the previous year, varied from 6 to 103 per cent. Compared with 

 the 5-year average, the increase in 1924 holdings was comparatively 

 insignificant, running slightly below that average from January to 



