APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
An NMFS official told us that, except for exports, all 
food prices are set low by the government to encourage con- 
sumption. The official added that domestic fish prices have 
not changed in about 10 years. 
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 
Between 1969 and 1973 imported fish did not represent 
more than 1 percent of the quantity used domestically. These 
imports came primarily from Iceland and Iran. 
Before 1959, according to NMFS, the Soviet Union had 
imported a greater quantity of fish products than it export- 
ed. In 1959 this situation was reversed and in recent years 
the quantity of exports has been increasing. Between 1969 
and 1973 seafood exports increased by 34 percent. This in- 
crease was entirely due to exports of fresh, chilled, and 
frozen fish. 
Large quantities of seafood exports, mostly fresh or 
frozen fish, are sold to African nations. The more valuable 
seafoods such as crab, caviar, and other canned fish are sold 
to European nations. NMFS expects that Soviet seafood exports 
will be expanded after the Soviet per capita consumption 
goal is reached. 
Fish meal is the only significant nonfood fishery ex- 
port; nearly all of this goes to Cuba. 
ECONOMIC ROLE OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY 
An NMFS official told us that the fishing industry makes 
only a minor contribution to the Soviet Union's national 
and local economy. The industry does, however, provide im- 
portant contributions to the nation's food supply and bal- 
ance of trade. 
In April 1975 the Congressional Research Service re- 
ported that the Soviet Union's need for protein foods has 
prompted growth in the Soviet Union's fishing industry. The 
Congressional Research Service estimated that fish products 
account for about one-third of the Soviet animal protein diet 
and about one-fifth of all protein consumption. 
As shown in the following table fish products repre- 
sented 8.3 percent of the value of all food produced in the 
Soviet Union in 1975. 
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