FISHERIES AND MARKET FOR FISHERY PRODUCTS IN MEXICO, ETC. 93 



proportion has steadily declined since 1916, when imports from the 

 United States were 1 ,531 ,522 pounds out of a total of 2,687,664 pounds. 

 They were 895,478 pounds in 1917 and 720,000 pounds in 1918. It is 

 necessary to note that during the war and extending through 1919 

 codfish were exempt from duty Before the war there were prac- 

 tically no imports of codfish from the United States. 



Regarding preserved fish, statistics show that 54,745 pounds, 

 valued at 159,332 francs ($22,761 at year's average of exchange) 

 were imported in 1919, and 79,491 pounds, valued at 282,063 francs 

 ($19,462 at year's average of exchange), were imported in 1920. 

 Countries of origin are not given for 1919, but official statistics show 

 that for 1920 all fish products classed as ''preserved fish" — i. e., not 

 salted or pickled in brine — came from France. It is highly probable 

 that this is correct, and that no American tinned fish products were 

 imported in 1920, due perhaps to the fact that the high exchange 

 rates would make canned salmon much more costly than the excellent 

 fresh fish obtainable locally. 



American canned salmon was imported in limited quantities prior 

 to that year, and it is noted that many retail dealers still have stocks 

 on hand, which apparently do not move very readily, owing undoubt- 

 edly to the fact that it is offered for sale at prices based on the present 

 exchange value of the franc, although most probably imported before 

 the present severe depreciation of that currency. It is noted that none 

 of this salmon is the third-grade whitish variety sold in such quantities 

 in the Orient and in some tropical countries. It is practically all 

 marked "red" and is of very good quality. Its retail price has 

 dropped recently, and it is now sold at 3.50 francs for 1 -pound can 

 (at present exchange rate 47* cents) . The best fresh fish is, however, 

 1.50 francs per pound, and the taste for salmon is not cultivated among 

 those who could afford to pay the price. 



The different kinds offish preserved in cans have not been separated 

 in import statistics since 1918. Even then sardines were the only 

 item of sufficient importance to be so separated. A table of imports 

 of sardines for several years follows: 



During these four years the value of sardines imported from the 

 United States was $219. Canned tunny-fish are imported from France 

 to a limited extent. In 1915 fairly large quantities of herring began 

 to be imported from the United States, but these imports have de- 

 creased, as the following figures show: 



