APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
about $12,800 and Atlantic fishermen receive about $5,100. 
These figures reflect the presence of many part-time and 
occasional fishermen, especially in the Atlantic region. 
Wages are generally based on catch size. Therefore, 
earnings depend largely on the ability and initiative of the 
individual, market conditions, and the stocks available for 
harvesting. Fishermen unions are highly organized on the 
west coast but much less so on the east coast. 
MAJOR FISHING GROUNDS 
Except for a high seas tuna fleet, most Canadian marine 
fishing takes place off the Pacific and Atlantic continental 
Shelves. Over the past 20 years, Atlantic fisheries consis- 
tently accounted for the greater share of the harvest. In 
terms of price per pound, however, the Pacific harvest is 
more valuable. For example, in each of the 5 years from 
1970 to 1974, the Atlantic fisheries accounted for at least 
83 percent of the harvest but never for more than 69 percent 
of total landed value. In 1974 the Atlantic harvest ac- 
counted for 85 percent of the total and 63 percent of the 
landed value. 
In both quantity and value, groundfish, especially cod, 
is the most important specie of fish harvested in the 
Atlantic. In the Pacific, salmon is by far the most impor- 
tant species in terms of quantity and value. 
SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE HARVEST 
In 1973 Canada's harvest of 2.5 billion pounds was 
valued at about $300 million. Canada's harvest has been 
declining since 1968, largely due to over exploitation of 
the stocks. Preliminary 1974 figures indicate that, unlike 
previous years, demand for fish products was not high 
enough to permit price increases to compensate for the lower 
catches. 
The following tables show specie groupings which ac- 
counted for 83 percent of the harvest and 78 percent of the 
value in 1973. 
288 
