THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY 



The commercial fishermen of Ontario landed a near record catch of 

 fish during the year 1955- The catch of 45,636,375 pounds was Just two 

 million pounds below the highest recorded landing, that of 1954, and nearly a 

 million pounds greater thsm in 1953. For the ten year period 1946-1955 the 

 average annual landing was thirty-six million pounds and for the five year 

 period I95I-I955 the average annual landing was over forty-one million pounds. 

 The 1955 catch exceeded these averages by over nine million pounds and over four 

 million pounds respectively. 



The average price per pound, based on all reported landed fish, was 

 14.9 cents. This average price shows only a slight increase over the 1954 

 average of 14.7 cents, but is 2.5 cents below the average for the five year 

 period 1951 to 1955 and is much below the highest average price for that period 

 (22.7 cents in 1951). The fifth of a cent increase over the 1954 price is 

 dependent upon better average prices received for perch, whitefish and white 

 bass, counterbalauiced by lower values in both yellow pickerel and blue pickerel. 

 The industry received $230,000. less in the year 1955 for the catch than in the 

 year previous and, at the same time, the total value of the equipment increased 

 by Fifty Thousand Dollars. 



Ontario fishermen showed continuing interest in improvement of quality 

 of fishery products. The trend toward quick frozen packages of fish products 

 followed generally the chemges in marketing observed in other food products. 

 Marketing of fish in a ready cleaned and dressed, or filleted condition, usually 

 fast frozen, and in a size of package most acceptable to the individual retail 

 purchaser, is most apparent in species where very high production and consequent 

 lower price exists. Perch, white bass and blue pickerel are notable examples. 

 Whitefish and lake trout, as well as yellow pickerel to a certain extent, are 

 usually sold fresh and in the round, and in this condition command comparatively 

 high prices on the export mairket. This is especially true of those periods of 

 the year when religious fast days cause prices of fish to rise greatly. These 



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