FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1936 269 
products and byproducts industries of every section. These are 
begun the first week in January of each year for statistics of the pro- 
duction in the preceding year. The surveys usually occupy 6 to 9 
weeks’ time. During this period the Bureau obtains by mail, so far 
as possible, the production of canned fishery products or byproducts 
from each plant in the United States engaged in this business. Where 
it is impossible to obtain reports by mail the report is obtained by 
personal visit by the Bureau’s agents. They obtain statistics of the 
production and value of the production for each commodity, Statis- 
tics of the canned fishery products and byproducts produced in Alaska 
are received on the same statements obtained by the Bureau that in- 
clude statistics of their general fishery operations. 
An annual statistical bulletin is issued on this trade, and detailed 
statistics of the output are published in the annual reports of the 
Division. In addition to the data obtained on the output of these 
products annually since 1921, data also usually were obtained prior 
to 1921 for the years the various sections were surveyed. 
The value shown for canned products constitutes the gross amount 
received by the packer at the production point, no deductions being 
made for commission or expenses. 
Packaged-fish trade —Complete statistics of the annual production 
and value of fish packaged in the United States are obtained as a part 
of the survey for the statistics of the canned fishery products and by- 
products industries. These statistics are released in bulletin form 
annually and detailed statistics are published in the annual reports 
of the Division. Statistics of the production of packaged fish are 
available for 1926 and the years from 1928 to 1935, inclusive. 
Cold-storage holdings of fish—An arrangement has been made with 
the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Department of Agriculture, 
whereby statistics of the cold-storage holdings of the various species 
of fish, by sections of the United States, are furnished to this Bureau 
monthly. Included with statistics of the holdings are statements of 
the quantity of the various species of fish frozen and also the holdings 
of certain cured fish. Bulletins showing these statistics are issued 
monthly as well as annually, and detailed statistics are published in 
the annual reports of this Division. Statistics of cold-storage holdings 
of fishery products have been published since 1917 and data on quan- 
tities of fish frozen, for the years from 1920 to 1925, inclusive, and 
from 1928 to 1935, inclusive. 
Sponge market, Tarpon Springs—A large proportion of the total 
output of sponges in Florida is handled through the sponge exchange 
at Tarpon Springs. In view of this, the Bureau has obtained from a 
representative of the exchange annual statistics of the quantity and 
value of the sponges, by variety classification, handled through it 
annually. Statistics of the quantity of sponges handled through the 
exchange are not published in bulletin form, but a summary of the 
year’s activities is published in the annual reports of this Division. 
Statistics of the transactions on the sponge exchange are available for 
1913, 1914, and for the years from 1917 to 1935, inclusive. 
Foreign fishery trade —Statistics of the foreign fishery trade are 
obtained from compilations made by the Bureau of Foreign and 
Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce. Statistics of all 
known fishery products imported or exported have been_assembled 
in one table and published annually in the reports of the Division in 
recent years. For earlier years they are available in the reports of 
