APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
Halibut is usually frozen because of its high market- 
ability and ease of handling in that form; very little is 
canned or smoked. Halibut landed at railhead cities can 
enter the fresh fish market depending on what the market can 
absorb. However, handling of fresh halibut is more demanding 
than handling of the frozen products. 
Markets 
The annual per capita consumption of halibut in the 
United States reached a peak in 1960 at .227 pounds when 
the actual retail price was 61.9 cents per pound. By 1970 
the retail price had risen to 98.6 cents per pound and an- 
nual per capita consumption dropped to .148 pounds. (See 
tables 10 and 11.) During this time the U.S. landings of 
halibut fell from 51.2 to 34.5 million pounds, live weight, 
as foreign trawl fleets increased fishing pressure in the 
Northeast Pacific. 
Between 1960 and 1971, the United States imported 
between 23.9 and 32.0 million pounds (product weight) of 
halibut each year. Canada has accounted for the great 
majority of halibut imported into the United States. In 
1971, the latest year figures were available, Canada was the 
country,of origin for 21.5 million pounds.of-the-total 25:7 
millions pounds imported. Japan accounted for 3.8 million 
pounds of the total. 
Table 10 
Aggregate and Per Capita Halibut Consumption 
in the United States--1960-70 
(Edible weight) 
Aggregate Per capita 
Year J 
SS (thousand pounds) (pounds) 
1960 40,857 3227 
1961 395 578 5206 
1962 38,629 7208 
T3963 34,962 ak85 
1964 38,587 «202 
1965 34,398 ot77 
1966 ai Oo «L62 
1967 34,396 -174 
1968 35175 -1g'6 
1969 33/067 -164 
1970 307152 -148 
Source: Economic Research Laboratory, 
Fisheries Service. 
137 
National Marine 
