REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 27 
sale firms who also retail and 12 firms engaged solely in the retail 
business, half of whom are located on the same street. The disad- 
vantages of this centralization are counterbalanced in part. by the fact 
that a large number of grocers and butchers handle fish on Fridays. 
This market has a decided preference for fresh-water species and a 
prejudice against salt-water forms, which must be overcome by educa- 
tional means if the demand for salt-water forms is to be largely in- 
creased. The estimated consumption of fish is about 6 pounds per 
annum per person. 
INCREASING THE CONSUMPTION OF FISH. 
Owing to the lack of funds for continuing the demonstrations in 
fish cookery and in popularizing the less-used fishes, the operations in 
this field have been largely limited to the issuance of printed matter 
and its judicious distribution. Economie circulars and placards em- 
phasizing the food values, good qualities, and low prices of haddock 
and of pink and chum salmons were prepared for the use of the trade, 
as were also a poster and a leaflet recommending frozen fish. 
With the introduction of steam trawlers there has been a heavy in- 
crease in the production of haddock, the vessel landings at Boston and 
Gloucester in the 1918-1920 period being about double the landings 
for 1908-1910. The haddock catch in New England in 1919 amounted 
to 89,405,600 pounds, and the average price received for the fish was 
2.84 cents per pound. The haddock is taken in quantity throughout 
the year, can be distributed well if properly handled, and is an excel- 
lent white-meated fish similar to the cod. The demand for this fish in 
some of the inland markets is increasing, but the prejudice against 
marine fishes is a retarding factor. The economic circular contains 
31 recipes for cooking this fish. 
The consuming public has been educated to the high quality of red- 
meated salmon, but does not appreciate the excellence of pale-fleshed 
fish. While pink and chum salmons usually have less fat than the 
more highly colored forms, they contain as much tissue-building mate- 
rial. More than 3,250,000 cases of these fish were packed in 1920, and 
at recent prices they represent one of the lowest priced protein foods 
on the market. The Bureau has lent its assistance in educating the 
public to an appreciation of these fishes, which may be kept indefi- 
nitely when canned, are ready for immediate use, and may be pre- 
pared in many ways. 
The Bureau has encouraged the wider use of frozen fish, as freez- 
ing conserves fish in times of abundance and cheapness for use in 
times of scarcity, and as a rule fish are now frozen under excellent 
conditions. The printed matter distributed through the trade 
stresses the importance of keeping frozen fish at a low temperature, 
of never thawing and refreezing, of avoiding bruises and rises in 
temperature, and of buying the fish while frozen and placing them in 
an ice box or cool place for thawing before cooking. 
TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION. 
Owing to lack of funds for operation, the fishery products labora- 
tory in Washington City was practically idle during the year, and 
the temporary laboratory at San Pedro, Calif., was loaned to the 
California State Fish and Game Commission. 
