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U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Sea. Of second importance is the pilchard, which is utilized in 

 California for the canning of sardines. Haddock, which is taken on our 

 North Atlantic seaboard, is third in importance, and is used mainly 

 for manufacture into fillets, which is the basis of the rapidly expanding 

 fresh and frozen package fish trade. Sea herring are fourth m import- 

 ance. These fish are used extensively in Maine for canning as sar- 

 dines, in Alaska and New England for salting and smoking, and large 

 quantities also are frozen for use as bait. Oysters are fifth in import- 

 ance. These are taken commercially in nearV every seacoast State, 

 Those taken in the more northern latitudes generally are marketed 

 fresh, while those taken in the southern States form the basis for an 

 extensive canning industry. Shrimp are sixth in importance and form 

 the basis for the rapidly growing canning industry along the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Cod, which is seventh in importance, is 

 taken mainly in the vessel fisheries prosecuted from the New England 

 States, and is used extensively for salting. Mackerels, eighth in 

 importance, are taken in our North Atlantic sections and also in 

 CaUfornia. Those on the Atlantic seaboard are marketed mainly 

 fresh and frozen, although considerable quantities are salted and 



Figure 2. — Production and value of the fisheries of the various sections of the 

 United States and Alaska 



canned; while those taken in California are used almost entirely for 

 canning. Flounders, which rank ninth in importance, are taken in 

 the marine fisheries of all sections. Tuna and tunalike fishes, tenth 

 in importance, are native to the waters of California, and the high 

 seas of the Pacific south from that State to Chile. These fishes form 

 the basis for an important canning industry in California. Halibut, 

 which are of eleventh importance in volume, are taken principally in 

 the North Pacific, and are distributed in the fresh and frozen condi- 

 tion to all parts of the country. Crabs, which are of twelfth import, 

 ance, are taken chiefly inthe Chesapeake Bay region, where they form 

 one of the most important fisheries there. 



Since these 12 groups of products provide the backbone of our 

 fisheries, it is important that their numbers be conserved for any 

 diminution in the supply of any of these products is striking at the 

 very root of our national fisheries prosperity. It is gratifying to learn 

 that 10 of these fisheries are now under study by State or Federal 

 Governments and by the time that this is published the remaining 

 two will be under intensive study. Biological study of the Alaska 

 salmon fishery and the promulgation of wise conservation measures 

 based upon these studies already have placed this fishery on a sound 



