508 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



VII.— SALMON. 



• Branches of trade. — The foreign trade in salmon is in fresh, salted, and 

 canned salmon imported, and canned and salted salmon exported. A 

 considerable trade is being developed in shipping fresh salmon to 

 Europe, principally to Hamburg and London, the fish being first frozen. 

 These shipments are made via New York and via New Zealand. The 

 following statement shows briefly the extent of trade in these products 

 during a series of ten years ending in 1894 : 



52. Statement of the foreign trade in salmon during a series of ten years ending in 1894. 



Imports of fresh salmon. — The principal supply of fresh salmon in the 

 eastern markets is obtained from New Brunswick and other Canadian 

 Provinces. The fish thus imported is the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). 

 A few Pacific salmon, principally the chinook or quinnat salmon (Onco- 

 rhynchus tschawytscha), are imported from British Columbia. These 

 imports are received principally by rail, the largest supplies entering 

 the Maine and New York customs ports. 



Prior to 1890 fresh salmon were imported free of duty, but the cus- 

 toms, act of that year taking effect October 6, 1890, imposed a duty of 

 three-quarters of 1 cent per pound. This duty had no appreciable 

 effect on the quantity imported, the imports for consumption during the 

 three years following the act averaging 1,457,702 pounds, against an 

 average of 884,399 pounds during the three years immediately pre- 

 ceding it. 



Table 53 shows the whole quantity and value of fresh salmon imported 

 annually into the United States from various countries during the series 

 of ten years ending June 30, 1894, the quantity and value entered for 

 consumption, and the amount of duty collected during the period in 

 which this commodity was dutiable. 



According to this account, during the ten years here reported there 

 were 12,123,013 pounds of fresh salmon, worth $1,175,645, entered at the 

 United Statescustoms ports. Of these, 9,644,990 pounds, worth $963,169, 

 came from ISlew Brunswick and Nova Scotia; 2,390,300 pounds, worth 

 $207,625, from Quebec and Ontario ; 84,581 pounds, worth $4,570, from 

 British Columbia, and 3,635 and 107 pounds from Newfoundland and 

 England, respectively. The total amount entered for consumption in 



