GENERAL REVIEW 



CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS, 1970 



The pack of canned fishery products in the United States, American Samoa, and Puerto FUco 

 was 46.2 million standard cases (1.3 billion pounds) worth$741.8 million to the packers — an in- 

 crease of 5.4 million cases (177.6 million pounds) and $166.2 million compared with 1969. The 

 gain resulted principally from record packs of canned tuna, shrimp, and animal food and greater 

 packs of salmon, crab meat, and clams and clam products. The pack of canned Maine sardines, 

 alewlves, and mackerel declined compared with 1969. 



The pack for human consumption (805. 2 million pounds) increased 12 percent and the pack 

 for bait and animal food (540.7 million) increased 20 percent compared with 1969. The value of 

 three items--salmon, tuna, and animal food — accounted for 84 percent of the total value received 

 by the packers. Animal food containing less than 10 pounds of fish per standard case of 48 pounds 

 (4,279,615 standard cases worth $20,790,648) is not included in these data. 



Tuna. The pack of canned tuna was a record 22.1 million cases (437.6 million pounds) worth a 

 record $380. 6 million — a gain of 2.0 million cases and $83.1 million compared with 1969, the for- 

 mer record year. The Pacific coast led in production with 55 percent of the total, followed by Puer- 

 to Rico with 29 percent, and the Atlantic coast, Hawaii, and American Samoa with 16 percent. In 

 1970, areas other than California accounted for 52 percent of the pack; in 1955, they accounted 

 for only 17 percent. The greater production in Puerto Rico and American Samoa has been the prin- 

 cipal reason for the Increase. 



Salmon . The pack of canned salmon was 3.8 million cases worth $138.7 million — an increase of 

 1.3 million cases (50 percent) and $48.4 million (54 percent) compared with 1969. The combined 

 Washington and Oregon packs (257,700 cases) were 4 percent less than in 1969, but the Alaska 

 pack (3.6 million cases) increased 56 percent. Alaska accounted for 93percent of the volume and 

 90 percent of the value of the total pack. 



Shrimp . The pack of canned shrimp was a record 3.7 million cases worth a record $37.3 million — 

 an increase of 651,200 cases and $9.5 million compared with 1969. The Gulf States led in pro- 

 duction with 2.5 million cases — 68 percent of the pack: Alaska was second with a record 1 . 1 mil- 

 lion cases — 30 percent of the pack. The rest was canned in Maine, Washington, and Oregon. 



Clams . The pack of canned clams and clam products was 2.5 million cases worth a record $25.7 

 million — an increase of 7 percent in volume and 16 percent in value compared with 1969. The pro- 

 duction of whole and minced clams was 580,200 cases worth $10.2 million — 148,100 cases and 

 $3.3 million more than in the previous year. The production of clam chowder and juice (1.9 mil- 

 lion cases worth $15.4 million) was slightly greater than in 1969. 



Sardines . The pack of canned Maine sardines (sea herring) was 806,500 cases worth $11.2 mil- 

 lion--compared with 1.0 million cases worth $11. 5 million in 1969. Sea herring landings in Maine 

 and fresh Canadian sea herring imports into Maine (used principally for canning and reduction) both 

 declined compared with the previous year. 



Pacific sardines were not canned in 1970. The California State legislature, in an effort to 

 conserve the resource, established an indefinite moratorium on sardine fishing in California waters . 



Crabs . The pack of canned crab meat was 261,400 cases worth $10.5 million — an increase of 1 

 percent in volume, but a decline of 27 percent in value compared with 1969. The composition of 

 the pack by species was somewhat different than in 1969. The pack of blue crab meat in the Atlan- 

 tic and Gulf areas was 104 , 300 cases — slightly less than the record 106,800 cases packed in 1969 . 

 On the Pacific coast, the pack of king crab meat (55,900 cases) declined for the fourth consecutive 

 year. The king crab pack was 13,700 cases less than in 1969, and 390,100 cases less than the 

 record pack of 1966. The 58,700 cases of Dungeness crab meat packed in 1970 increased 12 per- 

 cent compared with 1969. The pack of snow crab continued the upward trend begun in 1967 and 

 reached a record 42,500 cases — 47 percent more than in 1969. 



