REPORT 



OF THF 



COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



Department of Commerce, 



Bureau of Fisheries, 

 Washinf/to7i, /Sept ember 15, 192":^. 

 Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the operations 

 of tiie Bureau of Fisheries during the hscal year ended June 30, 1922. 



FISHERY INDUSTRIES SERVICES. 



REVIEW. 



The period of extreme depression that affected the fisheries and 

 fishery industries followinfj the Great War appears to have passed, 

 and indications of shjw but gradual improvement are apparent. This 

 change was little in evidence in 1921, the catch and the quantities 

 preserved by various means generally being smaller than in 1920. 

 For example, in the vessel fisheries at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., 

 and Portland. Me., the landings of fresh and salted fish in 1921 

 amounted to 150,865,106 pounds, valued at $5,722,629, a decrease of 

 27,415,595 pounds in quantity' and of $2,504,384 in value as com- 

 pared with the previous year. In Alaska, the pack of canned sal- 

 mon amounted to 2,596,826 cases, valued at $19. 632,744, a decrease of 

 1,832.637 cases in quantity and of $15,970,056 in value as compared 

 with 1920. The pack of sardines in Maine in 1921, amounting to 

 1,350,631 cases, valued at $3,960,916, represents a decrease from the 

 previous year of 527,126 cases in quantity and of $3,474,140 in value. 

 In California the total catch of all fishery products amounted to 

 127,728,623 pounds, a decrease of nearly 85,000,000 pounds as com- 

 pared Avith 1920. The prices received for the products have mate- 

 rially declined, as indicated by the statistics given and as illustrated 

 by the conditions obtaining in the vessel fisheries of the three New 

 England ports mentioned. In 1916 the average price per pound 

 received for these fish ex-vessel was 3.44 cents; in 1918, 5.12 cents; in 



1921, 3.79 cents; and for the period January to June, 1922, inclusive, 

 3.26 cents. Eeports emanating from European countries that have 

 important fisheries indicate that their fisheries have been even more 

 severely affected than our own. 



While specific statistical data are not available for all lines for 



1922, operations generally reflect a firmer tone in the market and 

 canners and manufacturers of scrap and oil are proceeding with 



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